March 29, 2026 – PALM SUNDAY

+ From the Gospel according to Matthew (26:14 – 27:66)

Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew

– How much are you willing to give me if I deliver him to you?
Then one of the Twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “How much are you willing to give me if I deliver him to you?” And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. From that time on, he sought an opportunity to betray Jesus.

– Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?
On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and said, “Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?” He replied, “Go into the city to a certain man and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, My time is near; I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.'” The disciples did as Jesus had instructed them and prepared the Passover.

– One of you will betray me
When it was evening, he sat down to eat with the Twelve. And as they were eating, he said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” They were deeply saddened and began to say to him one after another, “Surely not I, Lord?” He answered, “He who has dipped his hand in the dish with me will betray me. The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would be better for that man if he had not been born.” Judas, his betrayer, said, “Surely not I, Rabbi?” He answered him, “You have said so.”

– This is my body; This is my blood
Now while they were eating, Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take, eat; this is my body.” Then he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, from now on I will not drink of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

– I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered
Then Jesus said to them, “This night I will cause all of you to stumble. For it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ But after I am resurrected, I will go before you into Galilee.”

Peter said to him, “Though all men fall away because of you, I will never fall away.” Jesus said to him, “Truly, I say to you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” Peter answered him, “Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you.” All the disciples said the same.

– He began to be sorrowful and distressed.

Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and distressed. And he said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death; remain here and keep watch with me.” He went a little farther and fell on his face and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”

Then he came to his disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if this cup cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” Then he came and found them sleeping again, for their eyes were heavy. He left them, went away again, and prayed a third time, saying the same words. Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Get up, let us be going! Behold, my betrayer is at hand.”

– They laid hands on Jesus and arrested him
While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived, and with him a large crowd with swords and clubs, sent by the chief priests and the elders of the people. Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him.” Immediately he came up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him. And Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you have come for!” Then they came forward, laid hands on Jesus, and arrested him. And behold, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand, drew his sword, and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear. Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Or do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?” But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must happen this way?” At that hour Jesus said to the crowd, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? Day after day I sat teaching in the temple, and you did not arrest me. But all this has happened that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples abandoned him and fled.

– You will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power.

Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had gathered. Peter followed him at a distance, to the courtyard of the high priest; he went in and sat with the guards to see the outcome.

The chief priests and the entire Sanhedrin sought false testimony against Jesus so they could put him to death, but they found none, although many false witnesses came forward. Finally two came forward and said, “This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’” The high priest stood up and said to him, “Do you have no answer? What are these men testifying against you?” But Jesus remained silent. Then the high priest said to him, “I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” Jesus answered him, “You have said it; nevertheless, I say to you, from now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

Then the high priest tore his clothes, saying, “He has spoken blasphemy! What further need do we have of witnesses? Look, you have now heard the blasphemy! What do you think?” They answered, “He deserves to die!” Then they spat in his face and struck him; others slapped him, saying, “Prophesy to us, you Christ! Who is it that struck you?

– Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times
Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. A servant girl came to him and said, “You also were with Jesus the Galilean!” But he denied it before them all, saying, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” As he went out to the courtyard, another servant girl saw him and said to those standing there, “This man was with Jesus the Nazarene.” But again he denied it with an oath, “I don’t know the man!” After a little while, the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “Certainly you too are one of them; for your accent betrays you!” Then he began to curse and swear, “I don’t know the man!” And immediately a rooster crowed. And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, how he had said, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” And when he went out, he wept bitterly.

– They handed Jesus over to Governor Pilate
When morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people consulted against Jesus to put him to death. Then they bound him, led him away, and handed him over to Governor Pilate.
Then Judas, his betrayer, seeing that Jesus had been condemned, was filled with remorse. He brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” But they said, “What is that to us? You see to it.” Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple, departed, and went and hanged himself. The chief priests took the pieces and said, “It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, because they are blood money.” After consulting with them, they bought the potter’s field to bury strangers in. That is why that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day. Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah: “And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him who was valued at a price by the children of Israel, and gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord commanded me.”

-Are you the king of the Jews?
Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “You say so.” And when the chief priests and the elders accused him, he answered nothing.

Then Pilate said to him, “Do you not hear how many testimonies they bring against you?” But he answered him not even to a single word, so that the governor was greatly amazed. Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release to the crowd one prisoner whom they wanted. And at that time they had a notorious prisoner named Barabbas. Therefore, when the people had gathered, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” For he knew that they had handed him over out of envy.

While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have been greatly troubled today in a dream because of him.” But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and have Jesus killed. Then the governor asked them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” They answered, “Barabbas.” Pilate asked them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said, “Let him be crucified!” He said, “Why, what evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!”

When Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood. You see to it.” And all the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children.” Then he released Barabbas to them, and after flogging Jesus, he handed him over to be crucified.

Hail, King of the Jews!
Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole cohort around him. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him. After twisting thorns into a crown, they put it on his head and placed a reed in his right hand. Then they knelt before him and mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” They spat on him, took the reed, and struck him on the head. After mocking him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.

– Two robbers were crucified with him.

As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene named Simon, and they forced him to carry his cross. When they came to a place called Golgotha, which means “Place of the Skull,” they offered him wine to drink mixed with gall. He tasted it but refused to drink it. After they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots. Then they sat down and kept watch over him. Over his head they placed the written charge against him: “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.”

Two robbers were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left.

– If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross!
Those who passed by ridiculed him, shaking their heads and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross!” Likewise the chief priests, along with the scribes and elders, mocked him and said, “He saved others; he cannot save himself! He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he wants him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” Even the robbers who were crucified with him taunted him in the same way.

—Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?
From noon onward, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And about three o’clock, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” When some of the bystanders heard this, they said, “This man is calling for Elijah.” Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge, filled it with vinegar, put it on a reed, and gave it to him to drink. The others said, “Wait! Let us see whether Elijah will come to save him.” But Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and gave up his spirit.

(Here he kneels and pauses briefly.)

And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks were split, the tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised. Coming out of the tombs after his resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many. When the centurion and those with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what was happening, they were filled with fear and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”

Many women were there, watching from afar; they had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.

– Joseph took the body of Jesus and laid it in his own new tomb.

When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had also become a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Pilate then ordered it to be handed over to him. Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen shroud, and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn in the rock. Then he rolled a large stone to the entrance of the tomb and departed. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb.

– You have a guard; go and secure it as best you can.

The next day, the day after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate and said, “Sir, we remember that that impostor said while he was still alive, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples come and steal him away and tell the people, ‘He has been raised from the dead.’ So this last deception would be worse than the first.” Pilate said to them, “You have a guard of soldiers; go and make it as secure as you can.” So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting a guard there.

The Word of the Lord