April 13, 2025 – Palm Sunday

+ From the Gospel according to Luke (23:1-49) Short Form – Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ

– I find no cause for condemnation in this man
Then the whole assembly rose, and they led Jesus to Pilate, and began to accuse him, saying, “We found this man perverting our nation, forbidding us to pay taxes to Caesar, and saying that he is Christ a king.” Pilate then asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” He replied, “You say so.” Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowd, “I find no cause for condemnation in this man.” But they persisted, saying, “This man is stirring up the people by his teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee even to here.” When Pilate heard this, he asked if the man was a Galilean. When he learned that he was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time.

– Herod and his soldiers insult Jesus
When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had been wanting to see him for a long time, because he had heard about him and was hoping to see him perform some sign. He questioned him at length, but he gave him no answer. The chief priests and the scribes were standing there, urging him on. Then Herod and his soldiers insulted him and made fun of him. Then, dressing him in a splendid robe, they sent him back to Pilate. That day Herod and Pilate became friends with each other; for before that they had been at enmity.

– Pilate abandons Jesus to their will
Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers, and the people, and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebel. Behold, I have examined him in your presence and have not found this man guilty of any of the charges you accuse him of; nor has Herod, for he sent him back to us. Behold, he has done nothing deserving of death. Therefore, after I have punished him, I will release him.” But they all shouted together, “Away with this man! Release to us Barabbas!” This man had been thrown into prison for an insurrection that had taken place in the city, and for murder. Pilate addressed them again, wanting to release Jesus, but they kept shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” And he said to them a third time, “Why, what evil has this man done? I have found in him nothing deserving of death. Therefore I will punish him and release him.” But they were insistent with loud cries, demanding that he should be crucified; and their cries grew louder. So Pilate gave judgment as they demanded. He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, whom they had been asking for, and he handed Jesus over to them as they pleased.

– Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me
As they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, and made him carry it behind Jesus. There followed him a great multitude of the people, including women who bewailed and lamented him. But Jesus, turning to them, said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For behold, the days are coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed.’ Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us!’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us!’ For if they do this when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?”
Two others, who were criminals, were led away with him to be put to death.

– Father, forgive them; they do not know what they are doing
When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them; they do not know what they are doing.”
Then they divided his garments by casting lots.

– This is the King of the Jews
The people stood by, watching; but the rulers mocked him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One.” The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him vinegar, and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself.” There was also an inscription above him: “This is the King of the Jews.”

– Today you will be with me in paradise
One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” He answered him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

– Father, into your hands I commend my spirit
It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, for the sun’s light failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” And when he had said this, he breathed his last.
(Here one kneels down and pauses briefly)
When the centurion saw what had happened, he glorified God, saying, “Certainly this was a righteous man.” Likewise all the crowd that had come out to see this spectacle, when they saw what had happened, returned beating their breasts. And all his acquaintances, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching all this.

The Word of the Lord