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sambuhay
a pastoral ministry of the priests and brothers of the society of st. paul
Year 24 No. 57 Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion (A) — Red
Good Friday:
God “Speaks” in His Silence
A traditional Good Friday
tradition is the practice of
Siete Palabras or seven last words
of Jesus on the cross, grouped
together and commented upon
according to the imagined
chronological order as they were
uttered by the dying Jesus. Of
the seven words, three are from
the Gospel of John, heard during
the dramatization of the Gospel
during the service. Three are from
Luke, while Mark and Matthew
carry the same word. The seven
last words of Jesus, according
to Bible scholars, reveal to us
the Jesus who dies on the cross.
The most disconcerting and that
which captures most powerfully
the stark silence, loneliness, and
pain of Good Friday is the cry of
abandonment: “My God, my God,
why have you forsaken me?”
Matthew and Mark report the
same cr y, for them the only cr y
that Jesus utters while dying. Both
see Jesus as dying the death of
a lonely man. Jesus agonizes in
Gethsemane; he is betrayed by
Judas for 30 pieces of silver; at the
trial before the Sanhedrin, he is
condemned to death for blasphemy;
Peter denies him three times; he is
exchanged for Barabbas who is
a notorious criminal; the Jewish
crowd welcome his blood upon
them and upon their children just
so he would be crucified by Pilate.
On Calvary, everyone—the Roman
soldiers, two revolutionaries
crucified with him, the passersby,
the chief priests, and the crowd—
mocks him and challenges him
to come down from the cross. If
these were not enough, Jesus feels
abandoned by God. His suffering
is total: he drinks the cup to the
Please read the reflection before or after the Mass.
dregs. The late Pope John Paul II
commented on his suffering thus:
“This feeling of the absence of
God and his abandonment was the
deepest pain for Jesus’ spirit which
derived its force and its joys from
the union with the Father.”
And yet, Jesus is not a helpless
victim of evil and of human machi-
nations. Matthew who, loves to
quote Scripture, sees the suffering
of Jesus in the light of Scripture, the
word of God: Jesus dies in fulfillment
of Scripture. In agony, Jesus prays:
“My Father, if this cup cannot pass
unless I drink it, your will be done.”
In the scene of the arrest, Jesus
refuses help from twelve legions of
angels because “the Scripture must
be fulfilled.” His word on the cross
is a word of Scripture, a prayer from
Ps 22:2.
It is clear that Jesus on the cross
experiences his situation as a total
abandonment by God. But Jesus
does not die a despairing man.
He does not lose his understand-
ing of the “will of God” even for
an instant. Jesus has the “word of
April 22, 2011
God” inscribed in his heart which
no darkness and abandonment can
wrestle from him.
Jesus dies on the cross without
any word from God. God answers
only after Jesus breathes his last:
the earth quakes, the veil of the
temple is torn, tombs are opened,
and the dead arise. Clearly, the
“abandoned” Jesus is truly the Son
of God, as the centurion and the
soldiers confess.
In Verbum Domini, his Post-
Synodal Exhortation on the Word of
God in the Life and Mission of the
Church, Pope Benedict XVI speaks
of God “speaking by his silence.”
He explains: “As the cross of Christ
demonstrates, God also speaks in
silence. The silence of God, the
experience of the distance of the
almighty Father, is a decisive stage
in the earthly journey of the Son
of God, the incarnate Word. Hang-
ing from the wood of the cross, he
lamented the suffering caused by
that silence: ‘My God, my God, why
have you forsaken me?’ ” (VD 21).
The pope then brings out a
lesson for us from this “sound of
silence”: “This experience of Jesus
reflects the situation of all those
who, having heard and acknowl-
edged God’s word, must also con-
front his silence. This has been the
experience of countless saints and
mystics, and even today is part of
the journey of many believers. God’s
silence prolongs his earlier words.
In these moments of darkness, he
speaks through the mystery of his
silence. Hence in the dynamic of
Christian revelation, silence appears
as an important expression of the
word of God” (VD 21).
— Fr. Gil A. Alinsangan, SSP
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(The celebration begins in silence. Wear-
ing red Mass vestments, the priest and
other ministers go to the altar, make a
reverence, and prostrate themselves.)
C — Let us all kneel in silent
prayer. (Pause)
Introduction by the
Commentator (Stand)
Dear sisters and brothers: We
have gathered for the celebration
of the Lord’s Passion. We reflect
on how much the Lord loves us.
He accepts the cruel death on the
cross that he may bear our infir-
mities and endure our sufferings.
But we know that his death will
lead to his triumph and to our
redemption.
Jesus invites us to carry our
cross daily and follow him. Let
us share our burdens in faith and
obedience so that we may com-
plete his suffering for the sake of
his Body, the Church.
Prayer
(Let us pray is not said.)
P — Lord, by shedding his
blood for us, your Son, Jesus
Christ, established the paschal
myster y. In your goodness,
make us holy and watch over
us always.
We ask this through Christ
our Lord.
All — Amen.
PART I:
LITURGY
OF THE WORD
First Reading
[Is 52:13—53:12] (Sit)
Isaiah’s mysterious Suf fering
Servant prefigures our Lord Jesus
who bears our infirmities and is
crushed for our sins. But by his
chastisement we are healed.
A reading from the Book of
the Prophet Isaiah
SEE, MY SERVANT shall pros-
per, he shall be raised high
and greatly exalted. Even as
many were amazed at him—so
marred was his look beyond
human semblance and his ap-
pearance beyond that of the
sons of man—so shall he startle
many nations, because of him
kings shall stand speechless;
for those who have not been
told shall see, those who have
not heard shall ponder it.
Who would believe what we
have heard? To whom has the
arm of the Lord been revealed?
He grew up like a sapling be-
fore him, like a shoot from the
parched ear th; there was in
him no stately bearing to make
us look at him, nor appearance
that would attract us to him.
He was spurned and avoided
by people, a man of suffering,
accustomed to infirmity, one of
those from whom people hide
their faces, spurned, and we
held him in no esteem.
Yet it was our infirmities that
he bore, our sufferings that he
endured, while we thought of
him as stricken, as one smitten
by God and afflicted. But he
was pierced for our offenses,
cr ushed for our sins; upon
him was the chastisement that
makes us whole, by his stripes
we were healed.
We had all gone astray like
sheep, each following his own
way; but the Lord laid upon him
the guilt of us all.
Though he was harshly
treated, he submitted and
opened not his mouth; like a
lamb led to the slaughter or a
sheep before the shearers, he
was silent and opened not his
mouth. Oppressed and con-
demned, he was taken away,
and who would have thought
any more of his destiny? When
he was cut off from the land
of the living, and smitten for
the sin of his people, a grave
was assigned him among the
wicked and a burial place with
evildoers, though he had done
no wrong nor spoken any false-
hood. But the Lord was pleased
to crush him in infirmity.
If he gives his life as an
offering for sin, he shall see
his descendants in a long life,
and the will of the Lord shall
be accomplished through him.
Because of his affliction he
shall see the light in fullness of
days; through his suffering, my
servant shall justify many, and
their guilt he shall bear.
Therefore I will give him his
portion among the great, and
he shall divide the spoils with
the mighty, because he surren-
dered himself to death and was
counted among the wicked; and
he shall take away the sins of
many, and win pardon for their
offenses.
— The word of the Lord.
All — Thanks be to God.
Responsorial Psalm (Ps 31)
R — Father, into your hands
I commend my spirit.
E. C. Marfori
Am AmG F
  
      
 
Fa-ther,__ in-to your hands
         h h  h  
Am

I com-mend my spi-rit.___
1 . In you, O L o r d , I take
refuge;/ let me never be put
to shame. In your justice
rescue me./ Into your hands I
commend my spirit;/ you will
redeem me, O Lord, O faithful
God. (R)
2. For all my foes I am an object
of reproach,/ a laughingstock
to my neighbors, and a dread to
my friends;/ they who see me
abroad flee from me./ I am for-
gotten like the unremembered
dead;/ I am like a dish that is
broken. (R)
3. But my tr ust is in you,
O L ord ;/ I say, “You are my
God.”/ In your hands is my
destiny; rescue me/ from the
clutches of my enemies and my
persecutors. (R)
4. Let your face shine upon
your servant;/ save me in your
kindness./ Take courage and
be stouthearted,/ all you who
hope in the Lord. (R)
Second Reading
(Heb 4:14-16; 5:7-9)
Jesus agonizes over accepting
his passion, but he is obedient to
the end. Because he knows our
experience of weakness, pain,
and suffering, he becomes our
gentle and sympathetic interces-
sor before the Father.
A reading from the Letter to
the Hebrews
BROTHERS and sisters:
Since we have a great high
priest who has passed through
the heavens, Jesus, the Son
of God, let us hold fast to our
confession. For we do not have
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a high priest who is unable
to sympathize with our weak-
nesses, but one who has simi-
larly been tested in every way,
yet without sin. So let us confi-
dently approach the throne of
grace to receive mercy and to
find grace for timely help.
In the days when Christ
was in the flesh, he of fered
prayers and supplications with
loud cries and tears to the one
who was able to save him from
death, and he was heard be-
cause of his reverence.
Son though he was, he
learned obedience from what
he suffered; and when he was
made perfect, he became the
source of eternal salvation for
all who obey him.
— The word of the Lord.
All — Thanks be to God.
Verse before the Gospel
[Phil 2:8-9] (Stand)
All — Christ became obedi-
ent to the point of death,
even death on a cross. Be-
cause of this, God greatly
exalted him and bestowed
on him the name which is
above ever y other name.
Gospel (Jn 18:1—19:42)
In his account of the Passion, the
evangelist John makes the glory
of Jesus shine directly from the
disgraceful trial against him and
in the agony on the cross. Jesus
dies a master of his destiny; his
cross is his exaltation, and his
last breath is the consummation
of his work.
The Passion of Our Lord
Jesus Christ according to John
(The Passion may be proclaimed by
roles: N — Narrator; J — Jesus; P —
Pilate; S — other male single speaker;
SG — Servant Girl; C — Crowd [people
or group].)
N — Jesus went out with his
disciples across the Kidron
valley to where there was a
garden, into which he and his
disciples entered. Judas his be-
trayer also knew the place, be-
cause Jesus had often met there
with his disciples. So Judas got
a band of soldiers and guards
from the chief priests and the
Pharisees and went there with
lanterns, torches, and weapons.
Jesus, knowing everything that
“Look, I am bringing him out to you, so that
you may know that I find no guilt in him.”
was going to happen to him,
went out and said to them,
J — Whom are you looking
for?
N — They answered him,
C — JESUS THE NAZARENE.
N — He said to them,
J — I AM.
N — Judas his betrayer was
also with them. When he said
to them, “I AM,” they turned
away and fell to the ground. So
he again asked them,
J — Whom are you looking
for?
N — They said,
C — JESUS THE NAZARENE.
N — Jesus answered,
J — I told you that I AM. So
if you are looking for me, let
these men go.
N — This was to fulfill what he
had said, “I have not lost any of
those you gave me.”
Then Simon Peter, who had a
sword, drew it, struck the high
priest’s slave, and cut off his
right ear. The slave’s name was
Malchus. Jesus said to Peter,
J — Put your sword into its
scabbard. Shall I not drink
the cup that the Father gave
me?
N — So the band of soldiers,
the tribune, and the Jewish
guards seized Jesus, bound
him, and brought him to Annas
first. He was the father-in-law of
Caiaphas, who was high priest
that year. It was Caiaphas who
had counseled the Jews that it
was better that one man should
die rather than the people.
Simon Peter and another
disciple followed Jesus. Now
the other disciple was known to
the high priest, and he entered
the courtyard of the high priest
with Jesus. But Peter stood at
the gate outside. So the other
disciple, the acquaintance of the
high priest, went out and spoke
to the gatekeeper and brought
Peter in. Then the maid who
was the gatekeeper said to Peter,
SG — You are not one of this
man’s disciples, are you?
N — He said,
S — I am not.
N — Now the slaves and the
guards were standing around
a charcoal fire that they had
made, because it was cold, and
were warming themselves.
Peter was also standing there
keeping warm.
The high priest questioned
Jesus about his disciples and
about his doctrine. Jesus an-
swered him,
J — I have spoken publicly
to the world. I have always
taught in a synagogue or in
the temple area where all the
Jews gather, and in secret I
have said nothing. Why ask
me? Ask those who heard
me what I said to them. They
know what I said.
N — When he had said this,
one of the temple guards stand-
ing there struck Jesus and said,
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Then Pilate took
Jesus and had
him scourged.
And the soldiers
wove a crown out
of thorns and
placed it on his
head, and clothed
him in a purple
cloak, and they
came to him and
said, “Hail, King
of the Jews!”
S — Is this the way you answer
the high priest?
N — Jesus answered him,
J — If I have spoken wrong-
ly, testify to the wrong, but
if I have spoken rightly, why
do you strike me?
N — Then Annas sent him
bound to Caiaphas the high
priest.
Now Simon Peter was stand-
ing there keeping warm. And
they said to him,
C — YOU ARE NOT ONE OF
HIS DISCIPLES, ARE YOU?
N — He denied it and said,
S — I am not.
N — One of the slaves of the
high priest, a relative of the
one whose ear Peter had cut
off, said,
S — Didn’t I see you in the gar-
den with him?
N — Again Peter denied it. And
immediately the cock crowed.
Then they brought Jesus
from Caiaphas to the praeto-
rium. It was morning. And they
themselves did not enter the
praetorium, in order not to be
defiled so that they could eat
the Passover. So Pilate came
out to them and said,
P — What charge do you bring
against this man?
N — They answered and said
to him,
C — IF HE WERE NOT A
CRIMINAL, WE WOULD NOT
HAVE HANDED HIM OVER
TO YOU.
N — At this, Pilate said to them,
P — Take him yourselves, and
judge him according to your law.
N — The Jews answered him,
C — WE DO NOT HAVE THE
RIGHT TO EXECUTE ANYONE,
N — in order that the word of
Jesus might be fulfilled that he
said indicating the kind of death
he would die.
So Pilate went back into the
praetorium and summoned
Jesus and said to him,
P — Are you the King of the Jews?
N — Jesus answered,
J — Do you say this on your
own or have others told you
about me?
N — Pilate answered,
P — I am not a Jew, am I? Your
own nation and the chief priests
handed you over to me. What
have you done?
N — Jesus answered,
J — My kingdom does not
belong to this world. If my
kingdom did belong to this
world, my attendants would
be fighting to keep me from
being handed over to the
Jews. But as it is, my king-
dom is not here.
N — So Pilate said to him,
P — Then you are a king?
N — Jesus answered,
J — You say I am a king. For
this I was born and for this
I came into the world, to
testify to the truth. Everyone
who belongs to the tr uth
listens to my voice.
N — Pilate said to him,
P — What is truth?
N — When he had said this, he
again went out to the Jews and
said to them,
P — I find no guilt in him. But
you have a custom that I release
one prisoner to you at Passover.
Do you want me to release to you
the King of the Jews?
N — They cried out again,
C — NOT THIS ONE BUT
BARABBAS!
N — Now Barabbas was a revo-
lutionary.
Then Pilate took Jesus and
had him scourged. And the sol-
diers wove a crown out of thorns
and placed it on his head, and
clothed him in a purple cloak,
and they came to him and said,
C — HAIL, KING OF THE JEWS!
N — And they struck him re-
peatedly.
Once more Pilate went out
and said to them,
P — Look, I am bringing him
out to you, so that you may know
that I find no guilt in him.
N — So Jesus came out, wear-
ing the crown of thorns and
the purple cloak. And he said
to them,
P — Behold, the man!
N — When the chief priests
and the guards saw him they
cried out,
C — CRUCIFY HIM, CRUCIFY
HIM!
N — Pilate said to them,
P — Take him yourselves and
crucify him. I find no guilt in him.
N — The Jews answered,
C — WE HAVE A LAW, AND
ACCORDING TO THAT LAW
HE OUGHT TO DIE, BE-
CAUSE HE MADE HIMSELF
THE SON OF GOD.
N — Now when Pilate heard
this statement, he became even
more afraid, and went back into
the praetorium and said to Jesus,
P — Where are you from?
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N — Jesus did not answer him.
So Pilate said to him,
P — Do you not speak to me? Do
you not know that I have power
to release you and I have power
to crucify you?
N — Jesus answered him,
J — You would have no
power over me if it had
not been given to you from
above. For this reason the
one who handed me over to
you has the greater sin.
N — Consequently, Pilate tried
to release him; but the Jews
cried out,
C — IF YOU RELEASE HIM,
YOU ARE NOT A FRIEND OF
CAESAR. EVERYONE WHO
MAKES HIMSELF A KING
OPPOSES CAESAR.
N — When Pilate heard these
words he brought Jesus out
and seated him on the judge’s
bench in the place called Stone
Pavement, in Hebrew, Gab-
batha. It was preparation day
for Passover, and it was about
noon. And he said to the Jews,
P — Behold, your king!
N — They cried out,
C — TAKE HIM AWAY, TAKE
HIM AWAY! CRUCIFY HIM!
N — Pilate said to them,
P — Shall I crucify your king?
N — The chief priests answered,
C — WE HAVE NO KING BUT
CAESAR.
N — Then he handed him over
to them to be crucified.
So they took Jesus, and,
carrying the cross himself, he
went out to what is called the
Place of the Skull, in Hebrew,
Golgotha. There they crucified
him, and with him two others,
one on either side, with Jesus
in the middle.
Pilate also had an inscription
written and put on the cross. It
read, “Jesus the Nazarene, the
King of the Jews.” Now many of
the Jews read this inscription,
because the place where Jesus
was crucified was near the city;
and it was written in Hebrew,
Latin, and Greek. So the chief
priests of the Jews said to Pilate,
C — DO NOT WRITE “THE
KING OF THE JEWS,” BUT
THAT HE SAID, “I AM THE
KING OF THE JEWS.”
N — Pilate answered,
P — What I have written, I have
written.
N — When the soldiers had
crucified Jesus, they took his
clothes and divided them into
four shares, a share for each
soldier. They also took his
tunic, but the tunic was seam-
less, woven in one piece from
the top down. So they said to
one another,
C — LET’S NOT TEAR IT, BUT
CAST LOTS FOR IT TO SEE
WHOSE IT WILL BE,
N — in order that the passage
of Scripture might be fulfilled
that says: They divided my gar-
ments among them, and for my
vesture they cast lots. This is
what the soldiers did.
Standing by the cross of
Jesus were his mother and his
mother’s sister, Mary the wife of
Clopas, and Mary of Magdala.
When Jesus saw his mother
and the disciple there whom
he loved he said to his mother,
They took Jesus,
and, carr ying the
cross himself,
he went out to
what is called
the Place of the
Skull, in Hebrew,
Golgotha. There
they crucified
him, and with him
two others, one
on either side,
with Jesus in the
J — Woman, behold, your son.
N — Then he said to the disciple,
J — Behold, your mother.
N — And from that hour the
disciple took her into his home.
After this, aware that
everything was now finished, in
order that the Scripture might
be fulfilled, Jesus said,
J — I thirst.
N — There was a vessel filled
with common wine. So they put
a sponge soaked in wine on a
sprig of hyssop and put it up
to his mouth. When Jesus had
taken the wine, he said,
J — It is finished.
N — And bowing his head, he
handed over the spirit.
(Here all kneel and pause for a while.)
Now since it was preparation
day, in order that the bodies
might not remain on the cross
on the sabbath, for the sabbath
day of that week was a solemn
one, the Jews asked Pilate that
their legs be broken and that
they be taken down.
So the soldiers came and
broke the legs of the first and
then of the other one who was
crucified with Jesus. But when
they came to Jesus and saw
that he was already dead, they
did not break his legs, but one
soldier thrust his lance into his
side, and immediately blood
and water flowed out. An eye-
witness has testified, and his
testimony is true; he knows that
he is speaking the truth, so that
you also may come to believe.
For this happened so that the
Scripture passage might be
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They took
the body of
Jesus and
bound it with
burial cloths
along with
the spices,
according to
the Jewish
burial
custom.
fulfilled: Not a bone of it will be
broken. And again another pas-
sage says, They will look upon
him whom they have pierced.
After this, Joseph of Arima­
thea, secretly a disciple of Jesus
for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate
if he could remove the body
of Jesus. And Pilate permitted
it. So he came and took his
body. Nicodemus, the one who
had first come to him at night,
also came bringing a mixture
of myrrh and aloes weighing
about one hundred pounds.
They took the body of Jesus
and bound it with burial cloths
along with the spices, accord-
ing to the Jewish burial custom.
Now in the place where he had
been crucified there was a gar-
den, and in the garden a new
tomb, in which no one had yet
been buried. So they laid Jesus
there because of the Jewish
preparation day; for the tomb
was close by.
— The Gospel of the Lord.
All — Praise to you, Lord
Jesus Christ.
Homily (Sit)
Prayers of the Faithful (Stand)
Introduction by the
Commentator
In the celebration of the Word,
we have proclaimed that Christ
Jesus, our Lord and Savior,
offered himself for all. Dying on
the cross, he drew and united
all people to himself. Let us
now bring before the Father of
mercies the needs of the Church
and the needs of all men and
women.
1. FOR THE
CHURCH
P — Let us pray, dear friends,
for the holy Church of God
throughout the world, that God
the almighty Father guide it
and gather it together so that
we may worship him in peace
and tranquility. (Pause)
ALMIGHTY and eternal God,
you have shown your glory to
all nations in Christ, your Son.
Guide the work of your Church.
Help it to persevere in faith, pro-
claim your name, and bring your
salvation to people everywhere.
We ask this through Christ
our Lord.
All — Amen.
2. FOR THE POPE
P — Let us pray for our Holy
Father, Pope Benedict, that
God who chose him to be
bishop may give him health and
strength to guide and govern
God’s holy people. (Pause)
ALMIGHTY and eter nal
God, you guide all things by
your word, you gover n all
Christian people. In your love
protect the pope you have cho-
sen for us. Under his leadership
deepen our faith and make us
better Christians.
We ask this through Christ
our Lord.
All — Amen.
3. FOR THE
CLERGY
AND LAITY
OF THE CHURCH
P — Let us pray for N., our
bishop, for all bishops, priests,
and deacons; for all who have a
special ministry in the Church
and for all God’s people. (Pause)
ALMIGHTY and eter nal
God, your Spirit guides the
Church and makes it holy.
Listen to our prayers and help
each of us in his own vocation
to do your work more faithfully.
We ask this through Christ
our Lord.
All — Amen.
4. FOR THOSE
PREPARING
FOR BAPTISM
P — Let us pray for those
preparing for baptism, that
God in his mercy make them
responsive to his love, forgive
their sins through the waters of
new birth, and give them life in
Jesus Christ our Lord. (Pause)
ALMIGHTY and eter nal
God, you continually bless your
Church with new members.
Increase the faith and under-
standing of those preparing for
baptism. Give them a new birth
in these living waters and make
them members of your chosen
family.
We ask this through Christ
our Lord.
All — Amen.
5. FOR THE
UNITY OF
CHRISTIANS
P — Let us pray for all our
brothers and sisters who share
our faith in Jesus Christ, that
God may gather and keep to-
gether in one Church all those
who seek the truth with sincer-
ity. (Pause)
ALMIGHTY and eter nal
God, you keep together those
you have united. Look kindly
on all who follow Jesus your
Son. We are all consecrated to
you by our common baptism.
Make us one in the fullness of
faith, and keep us one in the
fellowship of love.
We ask this through Christ
our Lord.
All — Amen.
6. FOR THE
JEWISH
PEOPLE
P — Let us pray for the Jewish
people, the first to hear the
word of God, that they may
continue to grow in the love of
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his name and in faithfulness to
his covenant. (Pause)
ALMIGHTY and eter nal
God, long ago you gave your
promise to Abraham and his
posterity. Listen to your Church
as we pray that the people you
first made your own may arrive
at the fullness of redemption.
We ask this through Christ
our Lord.
All — Amen.
7. FOR THOSE
WHO DO
NOT BELIEVE
IN CHRIST
P — Let us pray for those who
do not believe in Christ, that
the light of the Holy Spirit may
show them the way to salvation.
(Pause)
ALMIGHTY and eter nal
God, enable those who do not
acknowledge Christ to find the
truth as they walk before you
in sincerity of heart. Help us to
grow in love for one another,
to grasp fully the myster y of
your Godhead, and to become
perfect witnesses of your love
in the sight of men and women.
We ask this through Christ
our Lord.
All — Amen.
8. FOR THOSE
WHO DO NOT
BELIEVE IN GOD
P — Let us pray for those who
do not believe in God, that they
may find him by sincerely fol-
lowing all that is right. (Pause)
ALMIGHTY and eternal God,
you created humankind so that
all might long to find you and
have peace when you are found.
Grant that, in spite of the hurtful
things that stand in their way,
they may all recognize in the
lives of Christians the tokens of
your love and mercy, and gladly
acknowledge you as the one
true God and Father of us all.
We ask this through Christ
our Lord.
All — Amen.
9. FOR ALL IN
PUBLIC OFFICE
P — Let us pray for those who
serve us in public office, that
God may guide their minds
and hearts, so that all men and
women may live in true peace
and freedom. (Pause)
ALMIGHTY and eter nal
God, you know the longings in
the hearts of men and women
and you protect their rights.
In your goodness watch over
those in authority, so that people
everywhere may enjoy religious
freedom, security, and peace.
We ask this through Christ
our Lord.
All — Amen.
10. FOR THOSE IN
SPECIAL NEED
P — Let us pray, dear friends,
that God the almighty Father
may heal the sick, comfort the
dying, give safety to travelers,
free those unjustly deprived
of liberty, and rid the world of
falsehood, hunger, and disease.
(Pause)
ALMIGHTY, ever-living
God, you give strength to the
wear y and new courage to
those who have lost hear t.
Hear the prayers of all who call
on you in any trouble that they
may have the joy of receiving
your help in their need.
We ask this through Christ
our Lord.
All — Amen.
PART II:
VENERATION
OF THE CROSS
Introduction by the
Commentator
From being a symbol of cruelty and
shame, the tree of the cross now
stands for the salvation of the world
because of what Jesus suffered.
Lifting of the Cross
(The veiled cross is carried to the altar,
accompanied by two ministers with
lighted candles. The priest then lifts
the veiled cross three times, intoning
the following invitation, and each time
removing part of the veil.)
For each elevation:
P — This is the wood of the
cross, on which hung the Savior
of the world.
All — Come, let us worship.
(Kneel)
Veneration (Kissing)
of the Cross
(The priest and the faithful approach to
venerate the cross in a kind of procession.
Each one makes a simple genuflection or
kisses the cross. During the veneration
appropriate songs are sung.)
PART III:
HOLY COMMUNION
The Lord’s Prayer
P — Let us pray with con-
fidence to the Father in the
words our Savior gave us:
All — Our Father…
P — Deliver us, Lord…
All — For the kingdom, the
power, and the glor y are
yours, now and for ever.
(The sign of peace is omitted.)
Invitation to Communion
(Kneel)
P — This is Jesus, the Lamb
of God, whose death on the
cross takes away the sins of the
world. Happy are those who are
called to his supper.
All — Lord, I am not worthy to
receive you, but only say the
word and I shall be healed.
Prayer after Communion
(Stand)
P — Let us pray. (Pause)
Almighty and eternal God,
you have restored us to life by
the triumphant death and resur-
rection of Christ. Continue this
healing work within us. May we
who participate in this mystery
never cease to serve you.
We ask this through Christ
our Lord.
All — Amen.
Prayer over the People
(For the dismissal the priest faces the
people, extends his hands toward them,
and says the following prayer:)
P — Lord, send down your
abundant blessing upon your
people who have devoutly re-
called the death of your Son in
the sure hope of the resurrec-
tion. Grant them pardon; bring
them comfort. May their faith
grow stronger and their eternal
salvation be assured.
We ask this through Christ
our Lord.
All — Amen.
(No blessing. All depart in silence. The
altar is stripped at a convenient time.
Evening Prayer is not said by those who
participate in this afternoon’s liturgical
service.)
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EXCERPTS FROM THE MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS
BENEDICT XVI FOR LENT 2011
“You were buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him” (cf. Col 2:12).
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
The Lenten period, which
leads us to the celebration of Holy
Easter, is for the Church a most
valuable and important liturgi-
cal time, in view of which I am
pleased to offer a specific word
in order that it may be lived with
due diligence…
In order to undertake more
seriously our journey towards
Easter and prepare ourselves
to celebrate the Resurrection
of the Lord—the most joyous
and solemn feast of the entire
liturgical year—what could be
more appropriate than allowing
ourselves to be guided by the
Word of God? For this reason,
the Church, in the Gospel texts of
the Sundays of Lent, leads us to
a particularly intense encounter
with the Lord, calling us to retrace
the steps of Christian initiation:
for catechumens, in preparation
for receiving the sacrament of
rebirth; for the baptized, in light
of the new and decisive steps to
be taken in the sequela Christi and
a fuller giving of oneself to him.
The first Sunday of the Lenten
journey reveals our condition as
human beings here on earth. The
victorious battle against tempta-
tion, the starting point of Jesus’
mission, is an invitation to be-
come aware of our own fragility
in order to accept the Grace that
frees from sin and infuses new
strength in Christ—the way, the
truth, and the life (cf. Ordo Initia-
tionis Christianae Adultorum, n.
25). It is a powerful reminder that
Christian faith implies, following
the example of Jesus and in union
with him, a battle “against the
ruling forces who are masters
of the darkness in this world”
(Eph 6:12), in which the devil is
at work and never tires—even
today—of tempting whoever
wishes to draw close to the Lord:
Christ emerges victorious to open
also our hearts to hope and guide
us in overcoming the seductions
of evil.
The Gospel of the Transfigura-
tion of the Lord puts before our
eyes the glory of Christ, which
anticipates the resurrection and
announces the divinization of
man. The Christian community
becomes aware that Jesus leads
it, like the Apostles Peter, James,
and John “up a high mountain by
themselves” (Mt 17:1), to receive
once again in Christ, as sons and
daughters in the Son, the gift of
the Grace of God: “This is my Son,
the Beloved; he enjoys my favor.
Listen to him” (Mt 17:5). It is the
invitation to take a distance from
the noisiness of everyday life in
order to immerse oneself in God’s
presence. He desires to hand
down to us, each day, a Word
that penetrates the depths of
our spirit, where we discern good
from evil (cf. Heb 4:12), reinforc-
ing our will to follow the Lord.
The question that Jesus puts
to the Samaritan woman: “Give
me a drink” (Jn 4:7), is presented
to us in the liturgy of the third
Sunday; it expresses the pas-
sion of God for every man and
woman, and wishes to awaken
in our hearts the desire for the
gift of “a spring of water within,
welling up for eternal life” (Jn
4:14): this is the gift of the Holy
Spirit, who transforms Christians
into “true worshipers,” capable
of praying to the Father “in spirit
and truth” (Jn 4:23). Only this
water can extinguish our thirst
for goodness, truth, and beauty!
Only this water, given to us by
the Son, can irrigate the deserts
of our restless and unsatisfied
soul, until it “finds rest in God,”
as per the famous words of St.
Augustine.
The Sunday of the man born
blind presents Christ as the light
of the world. The Gospel con-
fronts each one of us with the
question: “Do you believe in the
Son of man?” “Lord, I believe!”
(Jn 9:35, 38), the man born blind
joyfully exclaims, giving voice to
all believers. The miracle of this
healing is a sign that Christ wants
not only to give us sight, but also
open our interior vision, so that
our faith may become ever deep-
er and we may recognize him as
our only Savior. He illuminates all
that is dark in life and leads men
and women to live as “children
of the light.”
On the fifth Sunday, when
the resurrection of Lazarus is
proclaimed, we are faced with
the ultimate mystery of our exis-
tence: “I am the resurrection and
the life… Do you believe this?”
(Jn 11:25-26). For the Christian
community, it is the moment to
place with sincerity—together
with Martha—all of our hopes
in Jesus of Nazareth: “Yes, Lord,
I believe that you are the Christ,
the Son of God, the one who
was to come into this world” (Jn
11:27). Communion with Christ in
this life prepares us to overcome
the barrier of death, so that we
may live eternally with him. Faith
in the resurrection of the dead
and hope in eternal life open our
eyes to the ultimate meaning of
our existence: God created men
and women for resurrection
and life, and this truth gives an
authentic and definitive mean-
ing to human history, to the per-
sonal and social lives of men and
women, to culture, politics, and
the economy. Without the light of
faith, the entire universe finishes
shut within a tomb devoid of any
future, any hope.
The Lenten journey finds its
fulfillment in the Paschal Tridu-
um, especially in the Great Vigil
of the Holy Night: renewing our
baptismal promises, we reaffirm
that Christ is the Lord of our life,
that life which God bestowed
upon us when we were reborn of
“water and Holy Spirit,” and we
profess again our firm commit-
ment to respond to the action
of the Grace in order to be his
disciples.
From the Vatican
4 November 2010 
BENEDICTUS PP. XVI