First Reading (Isaiah 52,13-53,12)
Reading of the Book of the Prophet Isaiah.
Behold, my Servant will be successful; your ascension will be to the highest degree. Just as many were amazed to see him – he was so disfigured that he did not appear to be a man or have a human appearance -, in the same way he will spread his fame among the people. Before him the kings will remain silent, seeing something that has never been told to them and knowing things they have never heard. 53,Who among us gave credence to what we heard? And to whom has it been given to recognize the strength of the Lord? Before the Lord he grew like a plant sprout or like a root in dry ground. He had no beauty or attractiveness for us to look at, he had no appearance that pleased us. He was despised as the last of mortals, a man covered in pain, full of suffering; passing by him, we covered our faces; so despicable was he, we paid no attention to him. The truth is that he took upon himself our illnesses and suffered our pains himself; and we thought he was a wounded man, struck by God and humiliated! But he was wounded because of our sins, crushed because of our crimes; the punishment imposed on him was the price of our peace, and his wounds, the price of our healing. We all wandered like lost sheep, each going his own way; and the Lord laid upon him the sin of us all. He was mistreated, and he submitted, he did not open his mouth; like a lamb led to the slaughter, or like a sheep before its shearers, he did not open his mouth. He was tormented by anguish and was condemned. Who would care about your origin story? He was eliminated from the world of the living; and because of the sin of my people he was struck until he died. They gave him a burial among the wicked, a tomb among the rich, because he did no evil and no falsehood was found in his words. The Lord wanted to macerate him with suffering. By offering his life in atonement, he will have lasting descendants, and will successfully carry out the Lord’s will. Through this life of suffering, you will reach light and perfect science. My Servant, the righteous, will make countless men righteous, carrying their guilt upon themselves. Therefore, I will share multitudes with him and he will share his riches with his valiant followers, for he gave his body to death, being counted as an evildoer; he, in fact, redeemed everyone’s sin and interceded on behalf of sinners.
– Word of the Lord.
– Thank God.
Second Reading (Hebrews 4,14-16;5,7-9)
Reading of the Letter to the Hebrews.
Brethren: We have an eminent high priest who has entered heaven, Jesus, the Son of God. Therefore, let us remain firm in the faith we profess. Indeed, we have a high priest capable of sympathizing with our weaknesses, for he himself was tested in every way like us, with the exception of sin. Let us then, with all confidence, approach the throne of grace, to obtain mercy and obtain the grace of help at the right time. 5, Christ, in the days of his earthly life, addressed prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death. And he was answered, because of his surrender to God. Even though he was a Son, he learned what obedience to God means through what he suffered. But, at the end of his life, he became the cause of eternal salvation for all who obey him.
– Word of the Lord.
– Thank God.
Announcement of the Passion of Christ (John 18,1-19,42)
Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to John. At that time, Jesus went out with his disciples to the other side of the Kidron torrent. There was a garden there, where he entered with his disciples. Judas, the traitor, also knew the place, because Jesus used to meet there with his disciples. Judas took with him a detachment of soldiers and some guards from the high priests and Pharisees, and arrived there with lanterns, torches and weapons. Then Jesus, aware of everything that was going to happen, went out to meet them and said:
— “Whom are you looking for?”
They responded:
— “To Jesus the Nazarene.”
He said:
– “It is me”.
Judas, the traitor, was with them. When Jesus said, “It is I,” they retreated and fell to the ground. Again he asked them:
— “Whom are you looking for?”
They responded:
— “To Jesus the Nazarene.”
Jesus replied:
— “I already told you that it’s me. If it’s me you’re looking for, then let these go.”
This is how the word that Jesus had said came true:
— “I haven’t lost any of those you entrusted to me.”
Simon Peter, who had a sword with him, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus. Then Jesus said to Peter:
— “Put your sword in its sheath. Will I not drink the cup that the Father gave me?”
Then the soldiers, the commander and the guards of the Jews arrested Jesus and tied him up. They led him first to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the High Priest that year. It was Caiaphas who gave the Jews the advice:
— “It is preferable that one person dies for the people.”
Simon Peter and another disciple followed Jesus. This disciple was known to the High Priest and entered the High Priest’s courtyard with Jesus. Pedro stayed outside, near the door. Then the other disciple, who was known to the High Priest, went out, talked to the woman in charge of the door, and took Peter inside. The maid who guarded the door said to Pedro:
— “Do you not also belong to this man’s disciples?”
He replied:
– “No!”
The servants and guards made a fire and were warming themselves, as it was cold. Pedro stayed with them, keeping warm. However, the High Priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. Jesus answered him:
— “I spoke openly to the world. I always taught in the synagogue and in the Temple, where all the Jews meet. I spoke nothing in secret. Why do you question me? Ask those who heard what I said; they know what I said.”
When Jesus said this, one of the guards who was there slapped him, saying:
— “Is this how you respond to the High Priest?”
Jesus answered him:
— “If I answered badly, show why; but if I spoke well, why do you hit me?”
Then Annas sent Jesus bound to Caiaphas, the High Priest. Simão Pedro was still there, standing, warming himself. They told him:
“Are you not also one of his disciples?”
Pedro denied:
– “No!”
Then one of the servants of the High Priest, a relative of the one whose ear Peter had cut off, said:
— “Didn’t I see you in the garden with him?”
Again Pedro denied it. And at the same time, the rooster crowed. From Caiaphas, they took Jesus to the governor’s palace. It was early in the morning. They themselves did not enter the palace, so as not to become unclean and to be able to eat the Passover. Then Pilate went out to meet them and said:
— “What accusation do you bring against this man?”
They responded:
— “If he hadn’t been a criminal, we wouldn’t have handed him over to you!”
Pilate said:
— “Take him yourselves and judge him according to your law.”
The Jews answered him:
— “We cannot sentence anyone to death.”
Thus what Jesus had said was fulfilled, meaning what death he would die. Then Pilate entered the palace again, called Jesus and asked him:
— “Are you the king of the Jews?”
Jesus replied:
— “Are you saying this for yourself or did others tell you this about me?”
Pilate said:
“Am I a Jew? Your people and the high priests handed you over to me. What have you done?”
Jesus replied:
— “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my guards would fight so that I would not be handed over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from here.”
Pilate said to Jesus:
“So, you are king?”
Jesus replied:
— “You say: I am king. I was born and came into the world for this: to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”
Pilate said to Jesus:
“What is truth?”
When Pilate had said this, he went out to meet the Jews and said to them:
“I find no fault in him. But there is a custom among you, that at Passover I release to you a prisoner. Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?”
Then they started shouting again:
— “Not this one, but Barabbas!”
Barabbas was a bandit. 19,Then Pilate ordered Jesus to be scourged.
The soldiers wove a crown of thorns and placed it on Jesus’ head.
They dressed him in a red cloak, approached him and said:
— “Long live the king of the Jews!”
And they slapped him. Pilate went out again and said to the Jews:
“Look, I bring him out here before you, so that you may know that I find no crime in him.”
Then Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the red robe. Pilate said to them:
“Behold the man!”
When they saw Jesus, the high priests and guards began to shout:
— “Crucify him! Crucify him!”
Pilate replied:
“Take him yourselves to crucify him, for I find no crime in him.”
The Jews responded:
“We have a Law, and according to this Law he must die, because he became the Son of God.”
Upon hearing these words, Pilate became even more afraid. He entered the palace again and asked Jesus:
“Where are you from?”
Jesus was silent. Then Pilate said:
“Do you not answer me? Don’t you know that I have the authority to release you and the authority to crucify you?”
Jesus replied:
— “You would have no authority over me if it had not been given to you from above. Whoever handed me over to you, therefore, has greater guilt.”
Because of this, Pilate sought to release Jesus. But the Jews shouted:
— “If you release this man, you are not Caesar’s friend. Everyone who makes himself king declares himself against Caesar.”
Hearing these words, Pilate took Jesus outside and sat down on the court, in the place called “Pavement,” in Hebrew Gabbath.” It was the day of preparation for the Passover, around noon. Pilate said to the Jews:
“Behold your king!”
But they shouted:
— “Out! Out! Crucify him!”
Pilate said:
“Shall I crucify your king?”
The high priests replied:
— “We have no other king than Caesar.”
So Pilate handed Jesus over to be crucified, and they took him away. Jesus took the cross upon himself and went out to the place called Calvary”, in Hebrew “Golgotha”. There they crucified him, with two others: one on each side, and Jesus in the middle. Pilate also ordered a sign to be written and placed on the cross; on it was written:
— “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.”
Many Jews were able to see the sign because the place where Jesus was crucified was close to the city. The sign was written in Hebrew, Latin and Greek. Then the high priests of the Jews said to Pilate:
“Do not write ‘The King of the Jews,’ but rather what he said: ‘I am the King of the Jews.’”
Pilate replied:
— “What I wrote, is written.”
After crucifying Jesus, the soldiers divided his clothes into four parts, one part for each soldier. As for the tunic, it was woven seamlessly, in a single piece from top to bottom. Then they said to each other:
“Let’s not divide the tunic. Let’s draw lots to see who it will be.”
Thus the Scripture was fulfilled which says:
— “They divided my clothes among them and cast lots for my tunic.”
So the soldiers did. Near Jesus’ cross stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. Jesus, upon seeing his mother and, beside her, the disciple he loved, said to his mother:
— “Woman, this is your son.”
Then he said to the disciple:
— “This is your mother.”
From that time on, the disciple welcomed her with him. After this, Jesus, knowing that everything was finished, and that the Scripture would be fulfilled to the end, said:
— “I’m thirsty.”
There was a jug full of vinegar there. They tied a sponge soaked in vinegar to a stick and brought it to Jesus’ mouth. He took the vinegar and said:
— “Everything is finished.”
And, bowing his head, he gave up his spirit.
It was the day of preparation for Easter. The Jews wanted to prevent the bodies from remaining on the cross during the Sabbath, because that Sabbath was a solemn feast day. Then they asked Pilate to have the legs of those crucified broken and to take them off the cross. The soldiers went and broke the legs of one and then another who were crucified with Jesus. When they approached Jesus, and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs; but a soldier opened his side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. He who saw it bears witness, and his witness is true; and he knows that he speaks the truth, so that you also may believe. This happened to fulfill the Scripture, which says:
Ass.:— “They shall not break any of his bones.”
And another Scripture says:
— “They will look at the one they pierced.”
After that, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus — but secretly, for fear of the Jews — asked Pilate to take away Jesus’ body. Pilate consented. Then Joseph came to take away Jesus’ body. Nicodemus also arrived, the same man who had previously come to Jesus at night. I brought about thirty kilos of perfume made from myrrh and aloe. Then they took the body of Jesus and wrapped it, with the spices, in linen cloths, as the Jews usually bury them.
In the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden and, in the garden, a new tomb, where no one had yet been buried. Because of the preparation of Easter, and as the tomb was close, that was where they placed Jesus.
— Word of Salvation.
— Glory to you, Lord.
Reflecting the Word of God
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
Today we find ourselves faced with the deepest mystery of our faith. A mystery of love so immense that human words can barely describe it. A mystery of suffering so intense that our hearts hesitate to fully contemplate it. A mystery of redemption so comprehensive that it transforms all of human history. We are before the Cross.
When we look at Isaiah’s Suffering Servant, we see not just a prophecy written centuries before Christ, but a vivid portrayal of what we witness in the Passion narrative. “Despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, acquainted with suffering.” These words echo in our hearts as we accompany Jesus on his painful journey to Calvary.
There is something deeply paradoxical in Isaiah’s words. The servant “had neither appearance nor beauty to attract our gaze”, and yet, in this man disfigured by pain, we find the most sublime manifestation of divine beauty. How can the ugly become beautiful? How can defeat turn into victory? How can death give birth to life?
Consider for a moment Isaiah’s description: “He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his stripes we are healed.” What a mystery of substitution! The innocent takes the place of the guilty. The saint takes upon himself the sin of the world.
This is not a cold, calculating transaction. It is a deep and personal act of love. The Servant “offered his life in sacrifice for guilt”, not as a passive victim, but as one who freely chooses to love to the extreme. On the cross, we see not only suffering, but love in its most radical expression.
And it is not a distant or theoretical love. It is a love that became flesh and blood in Jesus Christ. As the letter to the Hebrews tells us, we have “a high priest who can sympathize with our weaknesses, for he has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin.”
Reflect on this extraordinary truth: the infinite God, creator of the universe, wanted to know through his own experience what it means to be human. He knows our pains not only as an omniscient observer, but as a participant. He knows our temptations not only theoretically, but because he has faced them in his own flesh.
“In the days of his earthly life, Jesus offered prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears.” Our God knows the taste of tears! Know the anguish of prayer that seems unanswered. When we feel alone in our suffering, when our prayers seem to beat against a bronze sky, we can find comfort knowing that Christ was there before us.
And then we come to the narrative of the Passion according to John. How different John’s presentation is compared to the other evangelists! In John, we see a majestic Jesus even in his suffering. When the soldiers come to arrest him and he says “I am”, they fall to the ground. Before Pilate, it is Jesus who appears to be in control, not the Roman governor.
This is not a contradiction with Isaiah’s Suffering Servant, but a complement. In Jesus, we see both human frailty and divine majesty. We see the mystery of kenosis – the voluntary emptying of God – and simultaneously, the revelation of divine glory in the supreme act of love.
João presents us with deeply symbolic details. When the soldier pierces Jesus’ side, “immediately blood and water came out.” The Church Fathers saw the birth of the Church here, just as Eve was taken from the side of sleeping Adam. From the side of Christ, the new Adam, flow the sacraments that give life to the Church: the water of Baptism and the blood of the Eucharist.
And when Jesus says “I thirst,” he is not just expressing a physical need. It is God’s thirst for humanity, the burning desire to complete the work of redemption. And when he declares “It is finished”, it is not a cry of defeat, but the proclamation of a mission accomplished. The Greek word “tetelestai” was used on payment receipts to indicate “paid in full.” On the cross, the debt of sin was paid once and for all.
What all these readings show us is that the cross is not just a historical event to be remembered, but a mystery to be lived. We are called not only to observe Christ’s suffering, but to participate in it in mysterious ways.
This does not mean seeking suffering for its own sake – that would be masochism, not Christianity. It means, rather, discovering that our own sufferings, when united with those of Christ, acquire a redemptive meaning. As Paul says, we complete in our flesh “what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ, on behalf of his body, which is the Church.”
When we face rejection, like Isaiah’s Servant, we can find comfort knowing that Christ was rejected before us. When we struggle with temptation, as Hebrews describes it, we can draw strength from Him who has been “tempted in every way, just as we are.” When we drink the bitter cup of suffering, like Jesus in Gethsemane, we can trust that this cup, drunk in union with Christ, becomes a cup of blessing.
The cross also teaches us about the paradoxical power of weakness. In a culture obsessed with power, success, self-affirmation, the cross proclaims that true power is manifested in service, in the gift of self, in the love that sacrifices itself. Jesus reigns not in spite of the cross, but through the cross.
Philosopher Blaise Pascal wrote: “Jesus will be in agony until the end of the world; we must not sleep during this time.” The Passion of Christ is not just a past event; continues in the suffering members of his Body. It continues in those persecuted for their faith, in the poor and marginalized, in the sick and abandoned.
Today, we are invited not only to contemplate the crucified Christ in images and narratives, but to recognize and serve him in our suffering brothers and sisters. Devotion to the cross is only authentic when it translates into active compassion for those crucified today.
My dear brothers and sisters, as we approach to venerate the cross, let us not do so merely as an external ritual. Let us approach with open hearts, willing to let the mystery of the cross transform us. Let us approach with gratitude for such an immense love that chose to suffer for us. Let us approach with the determination to follow Christ, not only in the joys of the resurrection, but also in the way of the cross.
And while we kiss or touch the cross, let us say a silent prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, who through your holy cross redeemed the world and me, a sinner, teach me to value the price of my salvation. Teach me to find meaning in my sufferings by uniting them with yours. Teach me to love as you loved: until the end.”
May contemplation of the Passion of Christ lead us to a deeper awareness of who we are called to be as Christians: people transformed by the love of the Crucified One, witnesses of the hope that springs from the cross, compassionate servants of those crucified today. And may the love manifested on the cross inspire us to live in such a way that our lives proclaim, like the Roman centurion, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”
