So I was driving home and saw a black pitbull with no collar or leash or tags in the middle of the road. Stopped my car. The dog ran up to my car and nearly jumped in the window. He was so happy to see me. Another car stopped and they got out also. The dog was so nice and friendly. It took us 30 minutes but we found the owner who "just let the dog out to go pee in the backyard." The dog didn't want to go with the owner. At one point he even jumped into my car! He was ready for a fresh start lol. I would have taken him home but my daughter's dog Ceasar would have got jealous. Dogs do get loose but the owner's neighbor told me that it happens all of the time. That poor thing was craving for attention. Just saying: You have a pet then love your pet or someone else will!! I am so worried the dog will get out again like it has so many times before and the Animal Control Unit will pick it up and, being a pitbull with no tags, it will be put in the pound. The poor thing.........

Second Sunday of Easter
(Or Sunday of Divine Mercy)
Lectionary: 45

Reading 1 Acts 5:12-16

Many signs and wonders were done among the people
at the hands of the apostles.
They were all together in Solomon's portico.
None of the others dared to join them, but the people esteemed them.
Yet more than ever, believers in the Lord,
great numbers of men and women, were added to them.
Thus they even carried the sick out into the streets
and laid them on cots and mats
so that when Peter came by,
at least his shadow might fall on one or another of them.
A large number of people from the towns
in the vicinity of Jerusalem also gathered,
bringing the sick and those disturbed by unclean spirits,
and they were all cured.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-2

R. (1) Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love is everlasting.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Let the house of Israel say,
"His mercy endures forever."
Let the house of Aaron say,
"His mercy endures forever."
Let those who fear the LORD say,
"His mercy endures forever."
R. Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love is everlasting.
or:
R. Alleluia.
I was hard pressed and was falling,
but the LORD helped me.
My strength and my courage is the LORD,
and he has been my savior.
The joyful shout of victory
in the tents of the just:
R. Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love is everlasting.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The stone which the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
By the LORD has this been done;
it is wonderful in our eyes.
This is the day the LORD has made;
let us be glad and rejoice in it.
R. Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love is everlasting.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Reading 2 Rev 1:9-11a, 12-13, 17-19

I, John, your brother, who share with you
the distress, the kingdom, and the endurance we have in Jesus,
found myself on the island called Patmos
because I proclaimed God's word and gave testimony to Jesus.
I was caught up in spirit on the Lord's day
and heard behind me a voice as loud as a trumpet, which said,
"Write on a scroll what you see."
Then I turned to see whose voice it was that spoke to me,
and when I turned, I saw seven gold lampstands
and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man,
wearing an ankle-length robe, with a gold sash around his chest.

When I caught sight of him, I fell down at his feet as though dead.
He touched me with his right hand and said, "Do not be afraid.
I am the first and the last, the one who lives.
Once I was dead, but now I am alive forever and ever.
I hold the keys to death and the netherworld.
Write down, therefore, what you have seen,
and what is happening, and what will happen afterwards."

Alleluia Jn 20:29

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
You believe in me, Thomas, because you have seen me, says the Lord;
blessed are those who have not seen me, but still believe!
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Jn 20:19-31

On the evening of that first day of the week,
when the doors were locked, where the disciples were,
for fear of the Jews,
Jesus came and stood in their midst
and said to them, "Peace be with you."
When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side.
The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you.
As the Father has sent me, so I send you."
And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them,
"Receive the Holy Spirit.
Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them,
and whose sins you retain are retained."

Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve,
was not with them when Jesus came.
So the other disciples said to him, "We have seen the Lord."
But he said to them,
"Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands
and put my finger into the nailmarks
and put my hand into his side, I will not believe."

Now a week later his disciples were again inside
and Thomas was with them.
Jesus came, although the doors were locked,
and stood in their midst and said, "Peace be with you."
Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands,
and bring your hand and put it into my side,
and do not be unbelieving, but believe."
Thomas answered and said to him, "My Lord and my God!"
Jesus said to him, "Have you come to believe because you have seen me?
Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed."

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples
that are not written in this book.
But these are written that you may come to believe
that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God,
and that through this belief you may have life in his name.

My Brothers and Sisters,

 Today we continue the celebration of the Easter Joy with the Second Sunday of Easter which is Divine Mercy Sunday. So named by Saint John Paul II and instituted to urge us to focus on the eternal mercy and limitless love that Jesus Christ has for us during this Easter Season, we continue our journey forward as Children of the Resurrection. Jesus Christ himself through Saint Faustina urged us to meditate on His Divine Mercy and to recite the Chaplet of Divine Mercy which was shared with Saint Faustina and given to us as an instrument of prayer; offered as an opportunity to deepen our spiritual life and relationship with Him. We are urged to contemplate the Resurrection Event and to examine how it can impact our own spiritual relationship with Jesus. It also serves as a starting point of renewal and recommitment to our spirituality. Ultimately it is a reminder that our celebration of the Resurrection Event has not ended but continues throughout our life. Jesus, His love, and His mercy endure forever and, with that, we can be influenced by its presence daily.

The Apostle Thomas was the first to proclaim the divinity of Jesus Christ with the words, “My Lord and my God!” He was the first to reveal this to the world and exclaim it. We are invited into that same experience of joy and amazement by pursuing a relationship with Him; understanding that Jesus Christ is in fact our God. Acknowledging this in our lives opens up to us an opportunity to experience the world around us in a different way. The world can be witnessed through the lens of Jesus Christ and with the realization that Jesus Christ permeates throughout creation and He also is an intricate part of us and our existence. We are a part of Him and He is a part of us. This will become evident to us as our relationship deepens with Him.

As Christians, the Resurrection Event should take on a central role in our daily lives just as it did the Apostles and disciples before us. Our relationship with Jesus should take on a central role in all of our decisions and actions if we are to undergo a truly transformative experience perpetuated by Him. Christianity is a way of life and a state of being that encompasses everything and cannot be approached selectively. There will circumstances when our relationship with Christ will be ignored or dismissed but times like these can be overcome through opportunities such as the Easter Season which can be approached as a time of renewal and recommitment. That is one of the reasons why we were invited to renew our Baptismal Vows on Easter Sunday and throughout this time period. It reminds us of what we professed previously and what we continue to profess daily through our faith-life. We can ask ourselves do we truly believe what was asked of us and, if so, how do we live it? How much effort should we put into living what we profess and believe? The early Christians approached it with spiritual strength and vigor in the face of great opposition and even death. What is stopping us from doing the same?

When Jesus Christ entered the locked room where His disciples were hiding He gave them the Gift of the Holy Spirit by breathing on them. This was an intimate moment. John emphasized this in his Gospel and showed just how personal the moment was. The event was understated and because of that its important became evident. There was love, closeness, and mercy in that moment which defined the relationship they had with Him. Our relationship is the same with Jesus. It is close and personal. Our God is with us and inside of us. Nothing can break the bond that we have with Him except for us. We have been blessed and marked by Jesus Christ. We have been set aside from the rest of creation and are invited to act appropriately in reaction to that fact. We are with Him and, through His mercy and love, are invited to journey with Him throughout our lives and into eternity.

Deacon Tom

II Domingo de Pascua
Leccionario: 45

Primera lectura

Hch 5, 12-16

En aquellos días, los apóstoles realizaban muchas señales milagrosas y prodigios en medio del pueblo. Todos los creyentes solían reunirse, por común acuerdo, en el pórtico de Salomón. Los demás no se atrevían a juntárseles, aunque la gente los tenía en gran estima.

El número de hombres y mujeres que creían en el Señor iba creciendo de día en día, hasta el punto de que tenían que sacar en literas y camillas a los enfermos y ponerlos en las plazas, para que, cuando Pedro pasara, al menos su sombra cayera sobre alguno de ellos.

Mucha gente de los alrededores acudía a Jerusalén y llevaba a los enfermos y a los atormentados por espíritus malignos, y todos quedaban curados.

Salmo Responsorial

Salmo 117, 2-4. 22-24. 25-27a

R. (1) La misericordia del Señor es eterna. Aleluya.
Diga la casa de Israel: "Su misericordia es eterna".
Diga la casa de Aarón: "Su misericordia es eterna".
Digan los que temen al Señor: "Su misericordia es eterna".
R. La misericordia del Señor es eterna. Aleluya.
La piedra que desecharon los constructores,
es ahora la piedra angular.
Esto es obra de la mano del Señor,
es un milagro patente.
Este es el día de triunfo del Señor:
día de júbilo y de gozo.
R. La misericordia del Señor es eterna. Aleluya.
Libéranos, Señor, y danos tu victoria.
Bendito el que viene en nombre del Señor.
Que Dios desde su templo nos bendiga.
Que el Señor, nuestro Dios, nos ilumine.
R. La misericordia del Señor es eterna. Aleluya.

Segunda Lectura

Apoc 1, 9-11a. 12-13. 17-19

Yo, Juan, hermano y compañero de ustedes en la tribulación, en el Reino y en la perseverancia en Jesús, estaba desterrado en la isla de Patmos, por haber predicado la palabra de Dios y haber dado testimonio de Jesús.

Un domingo caí en éxtasis y oí a mis espaldas una voz potente, como de trompeta, que decía: "Escribe en un libro lo que veas y envíalo a las siete comunidades cristianas de Asia". Me volví para ver quién me hablaba, y al volverme, vi siete lámparas de oro, y en medio de ellas, un hombre vestido de larga túnica, ceñida a la altura del pecho, con una franja de oro.

Al contemplarlo, caí a sus pies como muerto; pero él, poniendo sobre mí la mano derecha, me dijo: "No temas. Yo soy el primero y el último; yo soy el que vive. Estuve muerto y ahora, como ves, estoy vivo por los siglos de los siglos. Yo tengo las llaves de la muerte y del más allá. Escribe lo que has visto, tanto sobre las cosas que están sucediendo, como sobre las que sucederán después".

Aclamación antes del Evangelio

Jn 20, 29

R. Aleluya, aleluya.
Tomás, tú crees porque me has visto;
dichosos los que creen sin haberme visto, dice el Señor.
R. Aleluya.

Evangelio

Jn 20, 19-31

Al anochecer del día de la resurrección, estando cerradas las puertas de la casa donde se hallaban los discípulos, por miedo a los judíos, se presentó Jesús en medio de ellos y les dijo: "La paz esté con ustedes". Dicho esto, les mostró las manos y el costado. Cuando los discípulos vieron al Señor, se llenaron de alegría.

De nuevo les dijo Jesús: "La paz esté con ustedes. Como el Padre me ha enviado, así también los envío yo". Después de decir esto, sopló sobre ellos y les dijo: "Reciban el Espíritu Santo. A los que les perdonen los pecados, les quedarán perdonados; y a los que no se los perdonen, les quedarán sin perdonar".

Tomás, uno de los Doce, a quien llamaban el Gemelo, no estaba con ellos cuando vino Jesús, y los otros discípulos le decían: "Hemos visto al Señor". Pero él les contestó: "Si no veo en sus manos la señal de los clavos y si no meto mi dedo en los agujeros de los clavos y no meto mi mano en su costado, no creeré".

Ocho días después, estaban reunidos los discípulos a puerta cerrada y Tomás estaba con ellos. Jesús se presentó de nuevo en medio de ellos y les dijo: "La paz esté con ustedes". Luego le dijo a Tomás: "Aquí están mis manos; acerca tu dedo. Trae acá tu mano, métela en mi costado y no sigas dudando, sino cree". Tomás le respondió: "¡Señor mío y Dios mío!" Jesús añadió: "Tú crees porque me has visto; dichosos los que creen sin haber visto".

Otras muchas señales hizo Jesús en presencia de sus discípulos, pero no están escritos en este libro. Se escribieron éstos para que ustedes crean que Jesús es el Mesías, el Hijo de Dios, y para que, creyendo, tengan vida en su nombre.

Mis hermanos y hermanas,

 Hoy continuamos la celebración de la alegría de la Pascua con el segundo domingo de Pascua, que es el domingo de la Divina Misericordia. Llamado así por San Juan Pablo II e instituido para instarnos a que nos enfoquemos en la misericordia eterna y el amor ilimitado que Jesucristo tiene para nosotros durante este Tiempo de Pascua, continuamos nuestro camino hacia adelante como Hijos de la Resurrección. Jesucristo mismo a través de Santa Faustina nos instó a meditar en Su Divina Misericordia y a recitar la Coronilla de la Divina Misericordia que fue compartida con Santa Faustina y nos fue entregada como un instrumento de oración; Ofrecida como una oportunidad para profundizar nuestra vida espiritual y nuestra relación con él. Se nos exhorta a contemplar el Evento de la Resurrección y a examinar cómo puede impactar nuestra propia relación espiritual con Jesús. También sirve como punto de partida para la renovación y el compromiso con nuestra espiritualidad. En última instancia, es un recordatorio de que nuestra celebración del Evento de la Resurrección no ha terminado, sino que continúa a lo largo de nuestra vida. Jesús, su amor y su misericordia son eternos y, con eso, podemos ser influenciados por su presencia diaria.

El apóstol Tomás fue el primero en proclamar la divinidad de Jesucristo con las palabras "¡Mi Señor y mi Dios!". Fue el primero en revelar esto al mundo y exclamarlo. Estamos invitados a la misma experiencia de alegría y asombro al buscar una relación con Él; entendiendo que Jesucristo es de hecho nuestro Dios. Reconocer esto en nuestras vidas nos brinda la oportunidad de experimentar el mundo que nos rodea de una manera diferente. El mundo puede ser presenciado a través de la lente de Jesucristo y con la comprensión de que Jesucristo impregna toda la creación y también es una parte intrincada de nosotros y de nuestra existencia. Somos parte de Él y Él es parte de nosotros. Esto se nos hará evidente a medida que nuestra relación se profundice con él.

Como cristianos, el Evento de la Resurrección debe asumir un papel central en nuestra vida diaria, al igual que lo hicieron los Apóstoles y los discípulos antes que nosotros. Nuestra relación con Jesús debe asumir un papel central en todas nuestras decisiones y acciones si queremos experimentar una experiencia verdaderamente transformadora perpetuada por Él. El cristianismo es una forma de vida y un estado de ser que abarca todo y no puede abordarse de manera selectiva. Habrá circunstancias en las que nuestra relación con Cristo será ignorada o descartada, pero tiempos como estos pueden superarse a través de oportunidades como la Temporada de Pascua, que se puede abordar como un momento de renovación y nuevo compromiso. Esa es una de las razones por las que nos invitaron a renovar nuestros votos bautismales el domingo de Pascua y durante este período. Nos recuerda lo que profesamos anteriormente y lo que continuamos profesando diariamente a través de nuestra vida de fe. Podemos preguntarnos si realmente creemos lo que nos pidieron y, si es así, ¿cómo lo vivimos? ¿Cuánto esfuerzo debemos poner en vivir lo que profesamos y creemos? Los primeros cristianos lo abordaron con fuerza espiritual y vigor ante una gran oposición e incluso la muerte. ¿Qué nos impide hacer lo mismo?

Cuando Jesucristo entró en la habitación cerrada con llave donde se escondían sus discípulos, les dio el don del Espíritu Santo al respirar sobre ellos. Este fue un momento íntimo. Juan enfatizó esto en su Evangelio y mostró cuán personal fue el momento. El evento fue subestimado y por eso se hizo evidente. Había amor, cercanía y misericordia en ese momento que definía la relación que tenían con él. Nuestra relación es la misma con Jesús. Es cercano y personal. Nuestro Dios está con nosotros y dentro de nosotros. Nada puede romper el vínculo que tenemos con Él, excepto nosotros. Hemos sido bendecidos y marcados por Jesucristo. Hemos sido apartados del resto de la creación y estamos invitados a actuar apropiadamente en reacción a ese hecho. Estamos con Él y, a través de Su misericordia y amor, estamos invitados a viajar con Él a lo largo de nuestras vidas y en la eternidad.

Diácono tom

Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion
Lectionary: 37/38

At the procession with palms - Gospel Lk 19:28-40

Jesus proceeded on his journey up to Jerusalem.
As he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany
at the place called the Mount of Olives,
he sent two of his disciples.
He said, "Go into the village opposite you,
and as you enter it you will find a colt tethered
on which no one has ever sat.
Untie it and bring it here.
And if anyone should ask you,
'Why are you untying it?'
you will answer,
'The Master has need of it.'"
So those who had been sent went off
and found everything just as he had told them.
And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them,
"Why are you untying this colt?"
They answered,
"The Master has need of it."
So they brought it to Jesus,
threw their cloaks over the colt,
and helped Jesus to mount.
As he rode along,
the people were spreading their cloaks on the road;
and now as he was approaching the slope of the Mount of Olives,
the whole multitude of his disciples
began to praise God aloud with joy
for all the mighty deeds they had seen.
They proclaimed:
"Blessed is the king who comes
in the name of the Lord.
Peace in heaven
and glory in the highest."
Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him,
"Teacher, rebuke your disciples."
He said in reply,
"I tell you, if they keep silent,
the stones will cry out!"

At the Mass – Reading I Is 50:4-7

The Lord GOD has given me
a well-trained tongue,
that I might know how to speak to the weary
a word that will rouse them.
Morning after morning
he opens my ear that I may hear;
and I have not rebelled,
have not turned back.
I gave my back to those who beat me,
my cheeks to those who plucked my beard;
my face I did not shield
from buffets and spitting.

The Lord GOD is my help,
therefore I am not disgraced;
I have set my face like flint,
knowing that I shall not be put to shame.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 22:8-9, 17-18, 19-20, 23-24.

R. (2a)  My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
All who see me scoff at me;
they mock me with parted lips, they wag their heads:
"He relied on the LORD; let him deliver him,
let him rescue him, if he loves him."
R. My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
Indeed, many dogs surround me,
a pack of evildoers closes in upon me;
They have pierced my hands and my feet;
I can count all my bones.
R. My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
They divide my garments among them,
and for my vesture they cast lots.
But you, O LORD, be not far from me;
O my help, hasten to aid me.
R. My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
I will proclaim your name to my brethren;
in the midst of the assembly I will praise you:
"You who fear the LORD, praise him;
all you descendants of Jacob, give glory to him;
 revere him, all you descendants of Israel!"
R. My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?

Reading 2 Phil 2:6-11

Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
something to be grasped.
Rather, he emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
coming in human likeness;
and found human in appearance,
he humbled himself,
becoming obedient to the point of death,
even death on a cross.
Because of this, God greatly exalted him
and bestowed on him the name
which is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bend,
of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that
Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

Verse Before the Gospel Phil 2:8-9

Christ became obedient to the point of death,
even death on a cross.
because of this, God greatly exalted him
and bestowed on him the name which is above every name.

Gospel Lk 22:14—23:56

When the hour came,
Jesus took his place at table with the apostles.
He said to them,
"I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer,
for, I tell you, I shall not eat it again
until there is fulfillment in the kingdom of God."
Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and said,
"Take this and share it among yourselves;
for I tell you that from this time on
I shall not drink of the fruit of the vine
until the kingdom of God comes."
Then he took the bread, said the blessing,
broke it, and gave it to them, saying,
"This is my body, which will be given for you;
do this in memory of me."
And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying,
"This cup is the new covenant in my blood,
which will be shed for you.

"And yet behold, the hand of the one who is to betray me
is with me on the table;
for the Son of Man indeed goes as it has been determined;
but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed."
And they began to debate among themselves
who among them would do such a deed.

Then an argument broke out among them
about which of them should be regarded as the greatest.
He said to them,
"The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them
and those in authority over them are addressed as 'Benefactors';
but among you it shall not be so.
Rather, let the greatest among you be as the youngest,
and the leader as the servant.
For who is greater:
the one seated at table or the one who serves?
Is it not the one seated at table?
I am among you as the one who serves.
It is you who have stood by me in my trials;
and I confer a kingdom on you,
just as my Father has conferred one on me,
that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom;
and you will sit on thrones
judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

"Simon, Simon, behold Satan has demanded
to sift all of you like wheat,
but I have prayed that your own faith may not fail;
and once you have turned back,
you must strengthen your brothers."
He said to him,
"Lord, I am prepared to go to prison and to die with you."
But he replied,
"I tell you, Peter, before the cock crows this day,
you will deny three times that you know me."

He said to them,
"When I sent you forth without a money bag or a sack or sandals,
were you in need of anything?"
"No, nothing, " they replied.
He said to them,
"But now one who has a money bag should take it,
and likewise a sack,
and one who does not have a sword
should sell his cloak and buy one.
For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me,
namely, He was counted among the wicked;
and indeed what is written about me is coming to fulfillment."
Then they said,
"Lord, look, there are two swords here."
But he replied, "It is enough!"

Then going out, he went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives,
and the disciples followed him.
When he arrived at the place he said to them,
"Pray that you may not undergo the test."
After withdrawing about a stone's throw from them and kneeling,
he prayed, saying, "Father, if you are willing,
take this cup away from me;
still, not my will but yours be done."
And to strengthen him an angel from heaven appeared to him.
He was in such agony and he prayed so fervently
that his sweat became like drops of blood
falling on the ground.
When he rose from prayer and returned to his disciples,
he found them sleeping from grief.
He said to them, "Why are you sleeping?
Get up and pray that you may not undergo the test."

While he was still speaking, a crowd approached
and in front was one of the Twelve, a man named Judas.
He went up to Jesus to kiss him.
Jesus said to him,
"Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?"
His disciples realized what was about to happen, and they asked,
"Lord, shall we strike with a sword?"
And one of them struck the high priest's servant
and cut off his right ear.
But Jesus said in reply,
"Stop, no more of this!"
Then he touched the servant's ear and healed him.
And Jesus said to the chief priests and temple guards
and elders who had come for him,
"Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs?
Day after day I was with you in the temple area,
and you did not seize me;
but this is your hour, the time for the power of darkness."

After arresting him they led him away
and took him into the house of the high priest;
Peter was following at a distance.
They lit a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat around it,
and Peter sat down with them.
When a maid saw him seated in the light,
she looked intently at him and said,
"This man too was with him."
But he denied it saying,
"Woman, I do not know him."
A short while later someone else saw him and said,
"You too are one of them";
but Peter answered, "My friend, I am not."
About an hour later, still another insisted,
"Assuredly, this man too was with him,
for he also is a Galilean."
But Peter said,
"My friend, I do not know what you are talking about."
Just as he was saying this, the cock crowed,
and the Lord turned and looked at Peter;
and Peter remembered the word of the Lord,
how he had said to him,
"Before the cock crows today, you will deny me three times."
He went out and began to weep bitterly.
The men who held Jesus in custody were ridiculing and beating him.
They blindfolded him and questioned him, saying,
"Prophesy!  Who is it that struck you?"
And they reviled him in saying many other things against him.

When day came the council of elders of the people met,
both chief priests and scribes,
and they brought him before their Sanhedrin.
They said, "If you are the Christ, tell us, "
but he replied to them, "If I tell you, you will not believe,
and if I question, you will not respond.
But from this time on the Son of Man will be seated
at the right hand of the power of God."
They all asked, "Are you then the Son of God?"
He replied to them, "You say that I am."
Then they said, "What further need have we for testimony?
We have heard it from his own mouth."

Then the whole assembly of them arose and brought him before Pilate.
They brought charges against him, saying,
"We found this man misleading our people;
he opposes the payment of taxes to Caesar
and maintains that he is the Christ, a king."
Pilate asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?"
He said to him in reply, "You say so."
Pilate then addressed the chief priests and the crowds,
"I find this man not guilty."
But they were adamant and said,
"He is inciting the people with his teaching throughout all Judea,
from Galilee where he began even to here."

On hearing this Pilate asked if the man was a Galilean;
and upon learning that he was under Herod's jurisdiction,
he sent him to Herod who was in Jerusalem at that time.
Herod was very glad to see Jesus;
he had been wanting to see him for a long time,
for he had heard about him
and had been hoping to see him perform some sign.
He questioned him at length,
but he gave him no answer.
The chief priests and scribes, meanwhile,
stood by accusing him harshly.
Herod and his soldiers treated him contemptuously and mocked him,
and after clothing him in resplendent garb,
he sent him back to Pilate.
Herod and Pilate became friends that very day,
even though they had been enemies formerly.
Pilate then summoned the chief priests, the rulers, and the people
and said to them, "You brought this man to me
and accused him of inciting the people to revolt.
I have conducted my investigation in your presence
and have not found this man guilty
of the charges you have brought against him,
nor did Herod, for he sent him back to us.
So no capital crime has been committed by him.
Therefore I shall have him flogged and then release him."

But all together they shouted out,
"Away with this man!
Release Barabbas to us."
— Now Barabbas had been imprisoned for a rebellion
that had taken place in the city and for murder. —
Again Pilate addressed them, still wishing to release Jesus,
but they continued their shouting,
"Crucify him!  Crucify him!"
Pilate addressed them a third time,
"What evil has this man done?
I found him guilty of no capital crime.
Therefore I shall have him flogged and then release him."
With loud shouts, however,
they persisted in calling for his crucifixion,
and their voices prevailed.
The verdict of Pilate was that their demand should be granted.
So he released the man who had been imprisoned
for rebellion and murder, for whom they asked,
and he handed Jesus over to them to deal with as they wished.

As they led him away
they took hold of a certain Simon, a Cyrenian,
who was coming in from the country;
and after laying the cross on him,
they made him carry it behind Jesus.
A large crowd of people followed Jesus,
including many women who mourned and lamented him.
Jesus turned to them and said,
"Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me;
weep instead for yourselves and for your children
for indeed, the days are coming when people will say,
'Blessed are the barren,
the wombs that never bore
and the breasts that never nursed.'
At that time people will say to the mountains,
'Fall upon us!'
and to the hills, 'Cover us!'
for if these things are done when the wood is green
what will happen when it is dry?"
Now two others, both criminals,
were led away with him to be executed.

When they came to the place called the Skull,
they crucified him and the criminals there,
one on his right, the other on his left.
Then Jesus said,
"Father, forgive them, they know not what they do."
They divided his garments by casting lots.
The people stood by and watched;
the rulers, meanwhile, sneered at him and said,
"He saved others, let him save himself
if he is the chosen one, the Christ of God."
Even the soldiers jeered at him.
As they approached to offer him wine they called out,
"If you are King of the Jews, save yourself."
Above him there was an inscription that read,
"This is the King of the Jews."

Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying,
"Are you not the Christ?
Save yourself and us."
The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply,
"Have you no fear of God,
for you are subject to the same condemnation?
And indeed, we have been condemned justly,
for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes,
but this man has done nothing criminal."
Then he said,
"Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."
He replied to him,
"Amen, I say to you,
today you will be with me in Paradise."

It was now about noon and darkness came over the whole land
until three in the afternoon
because of an eclipse of the sun.
Then the veil of the temple was torn down the middle.
Jesus cried out in a loud voice,
"Father, into your hands I commend my spirit";
and when he had said this he breathed his last.

Here all kneel and pause for a short time.

The centurion who witnessed what had happened glorified God and said,
"This man was innocent beyond doubt."
When all the people who had gathered for this spectacle saw what had happened,
they returned home beating their breasts;
but all his acquaintances stood at a distance,
including the women who had followed him from Galilee
and saw these events.

Now there was a virtuous and righteous man named Joseph who,
though he was a member of the council,
had not consented to their plan of action.
He came from the Jewish town of Arimathea
and was awaiting the kingdom of God.
He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.
After he had taken the body down,
he wrapped it in a linen cloth
and laid him in a rock-hewn tomb
in which no one had yet been buried.
It was the day of preparation,
and the sabbath was about to begin.
The women who had come from Galilee with him followed behind,
and when they had seen the tomb
and the way in which his body was laid in it,
they returned and prepared spices and perfumed oils.
Then they rested on the sabbath according to the commandment.

My Brothers and Sisters,

 Today we are invited to reflect on The Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ. With the celebration of this day we have entered Holy Week, the most important week of the year on the Liturgical Calendar and the most important week of the year for us as Christians. The week begins with a celebration: Jesus’ triumphant entrance into Jerusalem. We re-enact that glorious moment as all within our Christian Communities carry palms just as those who welcomed Jesus did before. We rejoice and sing just as those before us did as they laid the palms before Jesus as he processed forward riding on an ass. The difference is that we glorify Jesus both before and after this event. We use this moment to experience joy in our lives as we profess the truth about Jesus and what He means to us: He is indeed our savior and God. The intent of this celebration is to emphasize who we are and what we believe in and then use it as encouragement as we then commence to experience the Passion with Jesus. We are forever united with Him in both our Joy and the suffering that is to come afterwards.

Passion Sunday sets the stage for Holy Week and invites us into a spiritual experience that will demand an emotional response that is connected strongly to our spirituality. To fully recognize where we are going on this journey it must be understood that God is beyond time and space. He is the Alpha and the Omega. Time with Him is not linear and is not a factor when we engage with Him on a Spiritual level. In our prayer-life and in our worship, when we choose to walk the Passion with Jesus Christ we are with Him in that moment. He is suffering for us as an expression of His love for us and to remind us of the sacrifice He made for our salvation. Much like the Eucharist, we are invited into a mystical relationship that goes beyond time and space. It is what defines the Mystical Church and the 

 Mystical Life which we all can partake in any time we choose to.

Holy Week can be an experience which can deepen our faith and bring us closer to God if we permit it to affect us as intended. Being the most important week of the year for Christians, it must be treated as such by us who it was intended for in the first place. Nothing should serve as an obstacle to our worship and prayer during this special time. Starting with Passion Sunday a more solemn approach to our spirituality should be taken with an emphasis on Jesus. Time should be taken which ordinarily was reserved for something other than religious development and experience and put it towards Jesus with an understanding that the focus is on the eternal instead of that which is physical and will eventually end. The point is that through the experience of Holy Week we will become closer to Jesus and that which is eternal in our lives. We are challenged daily with the demands of this world and here is when the victory of God is evident and proclaimed by all who believe and serves as an example to those who still do not believe.

It is through the perceived weaknesses that we have that we are actually strong: surrendering to God’s Will, loving our enemies, forgiving those who harmed us, and doing everything through, by, and with Jesus Christ. These things go directly against the expectations and demands of society but it is because we embrace this way of life that we are lifted above the brokenness of this world and are made whole again. That is the power of Jesus Christ. He has healed us by becoming broken himself. Today we celebrate Christ’s brokenness which will then make us more complete and begin the healing process in ourselves which will then be complete with the celebration of the Resurrection.

Let us all take up our cross, our sorrows, our brokenness, and journey together with Christ to Calvary.

Deacon Tom