The Gospel: Luke (19:28-40)
Jesus went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. When he had come near Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples, saying, “Go into the village ahead of you, and as you enter it you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ just say this, ‘The Lord needs it.’” So those who were sent departed and found it as he had told them. As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?” They said, “The Lord needs it.” Then they brought it to Jesus; and after throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. As he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road. As he was now approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen, saying, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven!” Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, order your disciples to stop.” He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out.”
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The Old Testament: A Reading from the Book of Isaiah (50:4-9a)
The Lord God has given me the tongue of a teacher, that I may know how to sustain the weary with a word. Morning by morning he wakens—wakens my ear to listen as those who are taught. The Lord God has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious, I did not turn backward. I gave my back to those who struck me, and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard; I did not hide my face from insult and spitting. The Lord God helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame; he who vindicates me is near. Who will contend with me? Let us stand up together. Who are my adversaries? Let them confront me. It is the Lord God who helps me; who will declare me guilty?
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The Response: Psalm (3:91-16)
9 Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am in trouble; *
my eye is consumed with sorrow,
and also my throat and my belly.
10 For my life is wasted with grief,
and my years with sighing; *
my strength fails me because of affliction,
and my bones are consumed.
11 I have become a reproach to all my enemies
and even to my neighbors,
a dismay to those of my acquaintance; *
when they see me in the street they avoid me.
12 I am forgotten like a dead man, out of mind; *
I am as useless as a broken pot.
13 For I have heard the whispering of the crowd;
fear is all around; *
they put their heads together against me;
they plot to take my life.
14 But as for me, I have trusted in you, O Lord. *
I have said, “You are my God.
15 My times are in your hand; *
rescue me from the hand of my enemies,
and from those who persecute me.
16 Make your face to shine upon your servant, *
and in your loving-kindness save me.”
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The Epistle: A Reading from the Letter of Paul to the Philippians (2:5-11)
Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross. Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
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The Passion
Narrator
The Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ According to Luke (22:14 – 23:56)
When the hour came, [Jesus] took his place at the table, and the apostles with him. He said to them,
Jesus “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I tell you, I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”
Narrator Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he said,
Jesus “Take this and divide it among yourselves; for I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”
Narrator Then he took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying,
Jesus “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
Narrator And he did the same with the cup after supper, saying,
Jesus “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. But see, the one who betrays me is with me, and his hand is on the table. For the Son of Man is going as it has been determined, but woe to that one by whom he is betrayed!”
Narrator Then they began to ask one another, which one of them it could be who would do this. A dispute also arose among them as to which one of them was to be regarded as the greatest. But he said to them,
Jesus “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you; rather the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like one who serves. For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.
“You are those who have stood by me in my trials; and I confer on you, just as my Father has conferred on me, a kingdom, so 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, listen! Satan has demanded to sift all of you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your own faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
Narrator And he said to him,
Peter “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death!”
Narrator Jesus said,
Jesus “I tell you, Peter, the cock will not crow this day, until you have denied three times that you know me.”
Narrator He said to them,
Jesus “When I sent you out without a purse, bag, or sandals, did you lack anything?”
Narrator They said,
Disciples “No, not a thing.”
Narrator He said to them,
Jesus “But now, the one who has a purse must take it, and likewise a bag. And the one who has no sword must sell his cloak and buy one. For I tell you, this scripture must be fulfilled in me, ‘And he was counted among the lawless’; and indeed what is written about me is being fulfilled.”
Narrator They said,
Disciples “Lord, look, here are two swords.”
Narrator He replied,
Jesus “It is enough.”
Narrator He came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples followed him. When he reached the place, he said to them,
Jesus “Pray that you may not come into the time of trial.”
Narrator Then he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and prayed,
Jesus “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; yet, not my will but yours be done.”
Narrator Then an angel from heaven appeared to him and gave him strength. In his anguish he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down on the ground. When he got up from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping because of grief, and he said to them,
Jesus “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not come into the time of trial.”
Narrator While he was still speaking, suddenly a crowd came, and the one called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him; but Jesus said to him,
Jesus “Judas, is it with a kiss that you are betraying the Son of Man?”
Narrator When those who were around him saw what was coming, they asked,
Disciples “Lord, should we strike with the sword?”
Narrator Then one of them struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his right ear. But Jesus said,
Jesus “No more of this!”
Narrator And he touched his ear and healed him. Then Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the temple police, and the elders who had come for him,
Jesus “Have you come out with swords and clubs as if I were a bandit? When I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness!”
Narrator Then they seized him and led him away, bringing him into the high priest’s house. But Peter was following at a distance. When they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them. Then a servant-girl, seeing him in the firelight, stared at him and said,
Servant Girl “This man also was with him.”
Narrator But he denied it, saying,
Peter “Woman, I do not know him.”
Narrator A little later someone else, on seeing him, said,
Bystander 1 “You also are one of them.”
Narrator But Peter said,
Peter “Man, I am not!”
Narrator Then about an hour later still another kept insisting,
Bystander 2 “Surely this man also was with him; for he is a Galilean.”
Narrator But Peter said,
Peter “Man, I do not know what you are talking about!”
Narrator At that moment, while he was still speaking, the cock crowed. The Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said to him,
Jesus “Before the cock crows today, you will deny me three times.”
Narrator And he went out and wept bitterly. Now the men who were holding Jesus began to mock him and beat him; they also blindfolded him and kept asking him,
Guards “Prophesy! Who is it that struck you?”
Narrator They kept heaping many other insults on him. When day came, the assembly of the elders of the people, both chief priests and scribes, gathered together, and they brought him to their council. They said,
Council “If you are the Messiah, tell us.”
Narrator He replied,
Jesus “If I tell you, you will not believe; and if I question you, you will not answer. But from now on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God.”
Narrator All of them asked,
Council “Are you, then, the Son of God?”
Narrator He said to them,
Jesus “You say that I am.”
Narrator Then they said,
Council “What further testimony do we need? We have heard it ourselves from his own lips!”
Narrator Then the assembly rose as a body and brought Jesus before Pilate. They began to accuse him, saying,
Council “We found this man perverting our nation, forbidding us to pay taxes to the emperor, and saying that he himself is the Messiah, a king.”
Narrator Then Pilate asked him,
Pilate “Are you the king of the Jews?”
Narrator He answered,
Jesus “You say so.”
Narrator Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds,
Pilate “I find no basis for an accusation against this man.”
Narrator But they were insistent and said, “He stirs up the people by teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee where he began even to this place.”
When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. And when he learned that he was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him off to Herod, who was himself in Jerusalem at that time. 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 some length, but Jesus gave him no answer. The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing him. Even Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him; then he put an elegant robe on him, and sent him back to Pilate. That same day Herod and Pilate became friends with each other; before this they had been enemies.
Pilate then called together the chief priests, the leaders, and the people, and said to them,
Pilate “You brought me this man as one who was perverting the people; and here I have examined him in your presence and have not found this man guilty of any of your charges against him. Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us. Indeed, he has done nothing to deserve death. I will therefore have him flogged and release him.”
Narrator Then they all shouted out together, “Away with this fellow! Release Barabbas for us!” (This was a man who had been put in prison for an insurrection that had taken place in the city, and for murder.) Pilate, wanting to release Jesus, addressed them again; but they kept shouting, “Crucify, crucify him!” A third time he said to them,
Pilate “Why, what evil has he done? I have found in him no ground for the sentence of death; I will therefore have him flogged and then release him.”
Narrator But they kept urgently demanding with loud shouts that he should be crucified; and their voices prevailed. So Pilate gave his verdict that their demand should be granted. He released the man they asked for, the one who had been put in prison for insurrection and murder, and he handed Jesus over as they wished.
As they led him away, they seized a man, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming from the country, and they laid the cross on him, and made him carry it behind Jesus. A great number of the people followed him, and among them were women who were beating their breasts and wailing for him. But Jesus turned to them and said,
Jesus “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For the days are surely 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?”
Narrator Two others also, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him.
(Please stand)
When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. Then Jesus said,
Jesus “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.”
Narrator And they cast lots to divide his clothing. And the people stood by, watching; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying,
Leaders “He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!”
Narrator The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, and saying,
Soldiers “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!”
Narrator There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of the Jews.” One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying,
First Criminal “Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”
Narrator But the other rebuked him, saying,
Second Criminal “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.”
Narrator Then he said,
Second Criminal “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
Narrator He replied,
Jesus “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”
Narrator It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, while the sun’s light failed; and the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said,
Jesus “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.”
Narrator Having said this, he breathed his last.
Silence may be kept.
When the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God and said,
Centurion “Certainly this man was innocent.”
Narrator And when all the crowds who had gathered there for this spectacle saw what had taken place, they returned home, beating their breasts. But all his acquaintances, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.
Now there was a good and righteous man named Joseph, who, though a member of the council, had not agreed to their plan and action. He came from the Jewish town of Arimathea, and he was waiting expectantly for the kingdom of God. This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then he took it down, wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid it in a rock-hewn tomb where no one had ever been laid. It was the day of Preparation, and the sabbath was beginning. The women who had come with him from Galilee followed, and they saw the tomb and how his body was laid. Then they returned, and prepared spices and ointments.
On the sabbath they rested according to the commandment.
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TODAY’S HOMILY
by the Rev. Michael Kreutzer
At the point at which the scene in today’s gospel takes place, John’s narrative has been traveling full-speed-ahead. The gospel began with the Word existing with God before the world began; it then quickly brought us to the event in which “the Word became flesh and lived among us,” skipped over his childhood and young adult years, portrayed him suddenly as a mature adult, and provided us with highlights of three years of public ministry. Sometimes, the story has progressed so rapidly that we could hardly catch our breath.
But here, at the beginning of chapter 12, John slams on the breaks. (Look out for whiplash!) Time suddenly screeches almost to a halt, and the evangelist, who has taken only eleven chapters to recount for us everything that has happened from before the world began to the end of Jesus’ public ministry, now takes an entire eight and one-half chapters to describe the events of just one week. The account in today’s reading is said to have taken place the evening before Jesus’ dramatic entry into Jerusalem.
But another thing has changed between the first eleven chapters and the final ten as well. The contrast between peoples’ reactions to Jesus has become much more evident; and their differences, much more clearly defined. And in today’s passage, John presents us with a stark, day-and-night contrast between Mary of Bethany, on the one hand, and Judas Iscariot, on the other.
For three years, Jesus has been struggling to engage his audiences all over Galilee and Judea in what our passage from Second Isaiah calls the “new thing” that God is doing. He has invited them into a vision of the kingdom of God, or “eternal life” as John calls it. That life is not something that takes place only after death. Instead, it is new way of relating throughout our lives to all of God’s people. It is a way of living that puts the focus on serving the needs of others, rather than focusing on our own wants and desires. Mary immerses herself in that vision. Judas increasingly rejects it.
Mary’s action in anointing the feet of Jesus with such expensive ointment is over-the-top; and that is what John obviously intends to portray. Her commitment to Jesus and to his vision results in an action of extravagant generosity. She has fully immersed herself in the new thing that God is doing.
Judas, on the other hand, is pictured as traveling in the diametrically opposite direction. He has made the decision to go back to old, primitive ways of living, to ways that are all too familiar in the history of the human race. He, who at first must have accepted at least something about Jesus’ vision of a life of service to others, has now increasingly retreated into a more and more narrow focus on himself and on his own interests and on what he can obtain and control for himself. John tells us that Judas had become a thief, stealing from whatever money Jesus and his disciples had. In just a few days, his greed will lead him to betray a friend, a teacher, for thirty pieces of silver. Humanity’s past and its self-centered ways apparently had such a hold on him that he was unable, or unwilling, to live in God’s future.
That wasn’t, of course, the first time that that had happened. It’s a recurring issue for people in all ages. A similar thing had taken place five centuries earlier with the Jews who found themselves living in exile in Babylon. They had been through such a traumatic experience and were feeling so helpless that their natural reaction was to try to return to the past. That seems to be the tendency among all people in unsettling times: to attempt to retreat to a supposedly simpler time and to older ways as an escape from the present reality. They succumb to a corporate form of nostalgia: a longing to return to an earlier time, a time that existed primarily in their own imaginations.
But one voice challenged them to look, not so much to the past, but to the present and to the future: to God’s present and God’s future. That anonymous prophet who spoke the words of today’s first reading begins by identifying Israel’s God and citing God’s great deeds in the past; but then he or she goes on to insist “Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old. I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?” Don’t try to return to a past, whether a historical past or a past of your own imaginations. Instead, stand up and see the new thing that God is doing: the new ways that God is at work here and now, and the new place to which God is leading us for the future.
“I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?” That is God’s urgent call to us today and to God’s people in all ages.
Old Testament scholar Paul Hanson explores the tension between the call to remember God’s deeds of the past and the call not to remember them. He asks, “Under what circumstances should Israel not remember the former things?” and then responds, “at a point where a nostalgic relation to tradition threatens to tie the people to their past and to stultify alertness to present realities, responsiveness to new opportunities, and the potential for growth into yet-unrealized possibilities.”
On the one hand, remembering the past is essential as it gives us roots, as it gives us a foundation. But on the other hand, remembering the past can blind us to the fact that the past is gone and will not return, but that God is alive and well and working in new ways today and is leading us into the future.
That is always an important realization for churches. We treasure our heritage, and it’s important that we do. But sometimes we tend to keep looking back and trying to return to the way things used to be, not recognizing that times have changed, that the membership of the church has changed, and that the needs of the community that we are called to serve have changed. The past is past, and it is never going to return.
It is in situations like these that the author of the second part of the book of Isaiah asks us the same question asked of our spiritual ancestors 2500 years ago: “I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?” Maybe that is a central question, or even the central question, for us at all times: what new thing is God doing in our day? Where is God active and working in the world today? Where is God calling us to come and follow and serve God’s people today? And in what ways is God leading us into the future?
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