Rev.
Fr. Leonard Goffine's
The Church's Year
PALM
SUNDAY
Why
is this day called Palm Sunday?
In memory of
our Saviour's triumphant entry into Jerusalem, when the multitude
strewed palm branches before Him, for which reason the Church, on
this day, blesses palms, and carries them in procession.
Why
are palms blessed?
That those who
carry them with devotion, or keep them in their houses, may receive
protection of soul and body, as prayed for in the blessing; that
those who carry the palms may, by means of the prayers of the Church,
adorn their souls with good works and thus, in spirit, meet the
Saviour; that, through Christ whose members we are, we may conquer
the kingdom of death and darkness, and be made worthy to share in
His glorious resurrection and triumphant entrance into heaven. St.
Augustine writes of the palms: “They are the emblem of praise, and
sign of victory, because the Lord by death conquered death, and
with the sign of victory, the cross, overcame the devil, the prince
of death." Therefore, preceded by the cross, we go in procession
around the church singing hymns of praise; when we come to the church
door, we find it locked; the priest knocks at it with the cross.
Heaven was closed to us by the sin of Adam, and it is opened to
us by reconciliation through Jesus on the cross.
To move us to
compassion for the suffering Redeemer, the Church, in the person
of Christ, cries in lamenting tones at the Introit:
INTROIT
O Lord, remove not Thy help to a distance from me, look towards
my defence: save me from the lion's mouth, and my lowness from the
horns of the unicorns. O God, my God! look on me, why hast Thou
forsaken me? Far from my salvation are the words of my sins. O Lord!
Remove not, &c. (Ps. XXI.)
COLLECT
Almighty and everlasting God! who didst vouchsafe to send Thy Son,
our Saviour, to take upon Him our flesh, and to suffer death upon
the cross, to give mankind an example of humility; mercifully grant,
that we may both follow the example of His patience, and be made
partakers of His Resurrection. Through the same &c.
EPISTLE
(Philip. II. 5-11.) Brethren, let this mind be in you, which was
also in Christ Jesus: who being in the form of God, thought it not
robbery himself to be equal to God; but debased himself, taking
the form of a servant, being made to the likeness of men, and in
shape found as a man. He humbled himself, becoming obedient unto
death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore, God also hath exalted
him, and hath given him a name, which is above every name: that
in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those that are in
heaven, on earth, and under the earth; and that every tongue should
confess, that the Lord, Jesus Christ, is in the glory of God, the
Father.
INSTRUCTION
In this epistle, the apostle urges us in a special manner to humility
by which we are made like to Christ, our Lord, who putting off the
majesty of His divinity, became man, and humbled Himself in obedience
to the ignominious death of the cross. "Would that all might
hear," exclaims St. Gregory, "that God resists the proud,
and gives His grace to the humble! Would that all might hear: Thou
dust and ashes, why dost thou exalt thyself? Would that all might
hear the words of the Lord: Learn of me, because I am humble of
heart. The only-begotten Son of God assumed the form of our weakness,
suffered mockery, insult and torments for the purpose that the humble
God might teach man not to be proud."
ASPIRATION
Ah, that my sentiments were as Thine,
O my Lord, Jesus! who so humbled Thyself
and were obedient to the most ignominious
death of the cross. Grant me, I beseech
Thee, O my Redeemer, the grace diligently
to follow Thee in humility.
Instead of the
gospel of the Passion, that is, the history of the sufferings of
our Lord according to St. Matthew, (Chaps. XXVI. XXVII.) is read
in this day's Mass, and neither incense, nor lights are used, nor
is the Dominus vobiscum said, thus signifying that Jesus, the Light
of the world, was taken away by death, and that the faith and devotion
of the apostles was shaken, and became almost extinct. When reading
the History of the Passion at the words: and bowing his head, he
gave up the ghost, the priest with all the congregation kneel and
meditate for a short time on the great mystery of the death of Jesus,
by which our redemption was effected.
At the blessing
of the palms, the priest reads the following
GOSPEL
(Matt. XXI. 1-9.) At that time, when Jesus
drew nigh to Jerusalem, and was come to
Bethphage, unto Mount Olivet; then he
sent two disciples, saying to them: Go
ye into the village that is over against
you, and immediately ye will find an ass
tied, and a colt with her; loose them,
and bring them to me; and if any man shall
say any thing to you, say ye that the
Lord hath need of them, and forthwith
he will let them go. Now all this was
done, that the word might be fulfilled,
which was spoken by the prophet, saying:
Tell ye the daughter of Sion, behold thy
king cometh to thee, meek, and sitting
upon an ass, and a colt, the foal of her
that is used to the yoke. And the disciples
going, did as Jesus commanded them. And
they brought the ass and the colt, and
laid their garments upon them, and made
him sit thereon. And a very great multitude
spread their garments in the way; and
others cut down boughs from the trees,
and strewed them in the way; and the multitudes
that went before and that followed, cried,
saying: Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed
is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
Why
did Jesus enter Jerusalem so solemnly and yet so humbly?
To show that
He was the promised Messiah and King of the Jews, as foretold by
the Prophet Zacharias, (IX 9.) and that He had come to conquer the
world, the flesh and the devil, for which He used the weapons of
meekness, humility, and poverty and therefore came seated not on
a proud steed but like a poor person on the weak colt of an ass,
entering Jerusalem in all humility, thus teaching us that meekness
and indifference to earthly goods are our best weapons to gain victory
over our enemies. Jesus entered Jerusalem so humbly to perfect the
type of the Paschal lamb, for on this day the lambs which were to
be sacrificed in the temple on the following Friday, were solemnly
led into the city. Thus Jesus like a meek lamb, entered the city
of Jerusalem to be sacrificed for us.
Why
did the people meet Christ with palm branches?
This happened
by the inspiration of God, to indicate that Christ, the conqueror
of death, hell and the devil, would reconcile man with God, and
open the heavenly Jerusalem to him, for the palm is the emblem of
victory and peace. By this we learn also the inconsistency and mutability
of the world; for the very people who on this day met Christ with
palm branches exclaiming: "Hosanna to the Son of David,"
a few days later shouted: "Crucify him! Crucify him!"
- Learn from this to despise the praise of the world, and be careful
not to imitate the inconsistency of this people by crucifying Him
again by sin (Heb. VI. 6.) after having received Him with joy in
holy Communion.
How
should we take part in the procession on this day?
With the pious
intention of meeting Christ in spirit, with the devout people of
Jerusalem, adoring Him, saying: "Hosanna to the Son of David,
Hosanna to Him who comes in the name of the Lord; Hosanna to the
Highest!" and with the heart-felt prayer to Jesus for His grace,
that with Him we may conquer the world, the flesh and the devil,
and thus merit to be received into the heavenly Jerusalem.
PETITION
O Jesus, Tree of Life! ever fresh and fruitful, grant that we may
by love be like palms ever green, and by the practice of, good works
blossom and bring forth fruit.
THE
PASSION OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST
ACCORDING TO
ST. MATTHEW, CHAP. XXVI., XXVH.
At
that time, Jesus said to his disciples:
You know that after two days shall be
the Pasch, and the Son of Man shall be
delivered up to be crucified. Then were
gathered together the chief priests and
the ancients of the people into the palace
of the high-priest, who was called Caiphas.
And they consulted together, that, by
subtilty, they might apprehend Jesus and
put him to death. But they said: Not on
the festival day, lest there should be
a tumult among the people. And when Jesus
was in Bethania, in the house of Simon
the leper, there came to him a woman having
an alabaster-box of precious ointment,
and poured it on his head, as he was at
table. And the disciples seeing it, had
indignation, saying: To what purpose is
this waste? For this might have been sold
for much, and given to the poor. And Jesus
knowing it, said to them: Why do you trouble
this woman? for she hath wrought a good
work upon me. For the poor you have always
with you: but me you have not always.
For she, in pouring this ointment upon
my body, hath done it for my burial. Amen,
I say to you, wheresoever this gospel
shall be preached in the whole world,
that also which she hath done, shall be
told for a memory of her.
Then went one
of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, to the chief priests,
and said to them: What will you give me, and I will deliver him
unto you? But they appointed for him thirty pieces of silver. And
from thenceforth he sought opportunity to betray him.
And
on the first day of the Azymes, the disciples
came to Jesus, saying: Where wilt thou
that we prepare for thee to eat the Pasch?
But Jesus said: Go ye into the city to
a certain man, and say to him: The master
saith: my time is near at hand, I will
keep the Pasch at thy house with my disciples.
And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed
them, and they prepared the Pasch. Now
when it was evening, he sat down with
his twelve disciples. And whilst they
were eating, he said: Amen, I say to you,
that one of you is about to betray me.
And they being very much troubled, began
everyone to say: Is it I, Lord? But he
answering, said: He that dippeth his hand
with me in the dish, the same shall betray
me. The Son of Man indeed goeth as it
is written of him; but woe to that man,
by whom the Son of Man shall be betrayed:
it were better for that man, if he had
not been born. And Judas that betrayed
him, answering, said: Is it I, Rabbi?
He said to him: Thou hast said it. And
whilst they were at supper, Jesus took
bread, and blessed and broke, and gave
to his disciples, and said: Take ye and
eat: This is my body. And taking the chalice
he gave thanks: and gave to them, saying:
Drink ye all of this. For this is my blood
of the new testament, which shall be shed
for many for the remission of sins. And
I say to you, I will not drink from henceforth
of the fruit of the vine, until that day,
when I shall drink it new with you in
the kingdom of my Father. And when they
had sung a hymn, they went out to Mount
Olivet.
Then Jesus saith
to them: All you shall be scandalized in me this night. For it is
written: I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock
shall be dispersed. But after I shall be risen again, I will go
before you into Galilee. And Peter answering, said to him: Though
all shall be scandalized in thee, I will never be scandalized. Jesus
said to him: Amen, I say to thee, that in this night, before the
cock crow, thou wilt deny me thrice. Peter saith to him: Though
I should die with thee, I will not deny thee. And in like manner
said all the disciples. Then Jesus came with them to a country place
which is called Gethsemani, and he said to his disciples: Sit you
here, till I go yonder, and pray. And taking with him Peter and
the two sons of Zebedee, he began to grow sorrowful and to be sad.
Then he saith
to them: My soul is sorrowful even unto death; stay you here, and
watch with me. And going a little further he fell upon his face,
praying, and saying: O my Father! if it is possible, let this chalice
pass from me. Nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. And
he cometh to his disciples, and findeth them asleep; and he saith
to Peter: What! could you not watch one hour with me? Watch ye,
and pray that ye enter not into temptation. The spirit indeed is
willing, but the flesh is weak. Again he went the second time, and
prayed, saying: O my Father! if this chalice cannot pass away except
I drink it, thy will be done. And he cometh again, and findeth them
asleep; for their eyes were heavy. And leaving them, he went away
again, and he prayed the third time, saying the same words. Then
he cometh to his disciples, and with to them: Sleep on now, and
take your rest: behold the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man shall
be betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us go; behold,
he is at hand that will betray me.
As he yet spoke,
behold, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude
with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the ancients
of the people. And he that betrayed him, gave them a sign, saying:
Whomsoever I shall kiss, that is he: hold him fast. And forthwith
coming to Jesus, he said: Hail, rabbi! And he kissed him. And Jesus
said to him: Friend! whereto art thou come? Then they came up and
laid hands on Jesus, and held him. And behold one of them that were
with Jesus, stretching forth his hand, drew out his sword; and striking
the servant of the high-priest, cut off his ear. Then Jesus saith
to him: Put up again thy sword into its place for all that take
the sword shall perish by the sword. Thinkest thou that I cannot
ask my Father, and he will give me presently more than twelve legions
of Angels? How then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that so it
must be done? In that same hour Jesus said to the multitude: You
are come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to apprehend
me. I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and you laid not
hands on me. Now all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets
might be fulfilled. Then the disciples all leaving him, fled away.
But they holding
Jesus, led him to Caiphas, the high-priest, where the scribes and
the ancients were assembled. But Peter followed him afar off to
the high-priest's palace. And going in, he sat with the servants,
to see the end. Now the chief priests and whole council sought false
witness against Jesus, that they might put him to death: and they
found not, though many false witnesses had come in. And last of
all, there came two false witnesses. And they said: This man said:
I am able to destroy the temple of God, and in three days to rebuild
it. And the high-priest rising up, said to him: Answerest thou nothing
to the things which these witness against thee? But Jesus held his
peace. And the high-priest said to him: I adjure thee by the living
God, that thou tell us if thou be the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus
saith to him: Thou hast said it. Nevertheless I say to you, hereafter
you shall see the Son of Man, sitting on the right hand of the power
of God, and coming in the clouds of heaven. Then the high-priest
rent his garments, saying: He hath blasphemed, what further need
have we of witnesses? Behold, now you have heard the blasphemy.
What think you? But they answering, said: He is guilty of death.
Then they spit
in his face, and buffetted him, and others struck his face with
the palms of their hands, saying: Prophesy unto us, O Christ! who
is he that struck thee? But Peter sat without in the palace, and
there came to him a servant maid, saying: Thou also wast with Jesus
the Galilean. But he denied before them all, saying: I know not
what thou sayest. And as he went out of the gate, another maid saw
him, and she saith to them that were there: This man also was with
Jesus of Nazareth. And again he denied with an oath: I do not know
the man. And after a little while, they that stood by came and said
to Peter: Surely thou also art one of them: for even thy speech
doth discover thee. Then he began to curse and to swear that he
knew not the man.
And immediately
the cock crew. And Peter remembered the word of Jesus which he had
said: Before the cock crow, thou wilt deny me thrice. And going
forth, he wept bitterly.
And when the
morning was come, all the chief priests and ancients of the people
held a council against Jesus, to put him to death. And they brought
him bound, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate, the governor.
Then Judas,
who betrayed him, seeing that he was condemned, repenting himself,
brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and
the ancients, saying: I have sinned, in betraying innocent blood.
But they said: What is that to us? look thou to it.
And casting
down the pieces of silver in the temple, he departed: and went and
hanged himself with a halter. But the chief priests having taken
the pieces of silver, said: It is not lawful to put them into the
corbona, because it is the price of blood. And having consulted
together, they bought with them the potter's field, to be a burying-place
for strangers. Wherefore that field was called Haceldama, that is
the field of blood, even to this day.
Then was fulfilled
that which was spoken by Jeremias the prophet, saying: And they
took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued,
whom they prized of the children of Israel. And they gave them unto
the potter's field, as the Lord appointed to me.
And Jesus stood
before the governor, and the governor asked him, saying: Art thou
the king of the Jews? Jesus saith to him: Thou sayest it. And when
he was accused by the chief priests and ancients, he answered nothing.
Then Pilate saith to him: Dost thou not hear how great testimonies
they allege against thee?
And he answered
him not to any word: so that the governor wondered exceedingly.
Now upon the
solemn day the governor was accustomed to release to the people
one prisoner, whom they would. And he had then a notorious prisoner,
that was called Barabbas. They, therefore, being gathered together,
Pilate said: Whom will you that I release to you, Barabbas, or Jesus,
who is called Christ? For he knew that through envy they had delivered
him up. And as he was sitting on the judgment-seat, his wife sent
to him, saying. Have thou nothing to do with that just man. For
I have suffered many things this day in a dream on account of him.
But the chief priests and ancients persuaded the people, that they
should ask Barabbas, and make Jesus away. And the governor answering,
said to them: Which will you have of the two to be released unto
you? But they said: Barabbas. Pilate saith to them: What shall I
do then with Jesus that is called Christ? They all say: Let him
be crucified. The governor said to them: Why, what evil hath he
done? But they cried out the more, saying: Let him be crucified.
And Pilate seeing that he prevailed nothing, but that rather a tumult
was made; having taken water, washed his hands before the people,
saying: I am innocent of the blood of this just man: look you to
it. And all the people answering, said: His blood be upon us, and
upon our children. Then he released to them Barabbas, and having
scourged Jesus, delivered him to them to be crucified.
Then the soldiers
of the governor, taking Jesus into the hall, gathered together unto
him the whole band. And stripping him, they put a scarlet cloak
about him. And platting a crown of thorns, they put it upon his
head, and a reed in his right hand. And bowing the knee before him,
they mocked him, saying: Hail, king of the Jews!
And spitting
upon him, they took the reed, and struck his head. And after they
had mocked him, they took off the cloak from him, and put on him
his own garments, and led him away to crucify him.
And
going out, they found a man of Cyrene,
named Simon; him they forced to take up
his cross. And they came to the place
that is called Golgotha, which is, the
place of Calvary. And they gave him wine
to drink mingled with gall. And when he
had tasted, he would not drink. And after
they had crucified him, they parted his
garments, casting lots; that the word
might be fulfilled which was spoken by
the prophet, saying: They divided my garments
among them; and upon my vesture they cast
lots. And they sat down, and watched him.
And they put over his head his cause written:
This is Jesus, the King of the Jews. Then
were there crucified with him two thieves;
the one on the right hand, and the other
on the left. And they that passed by blasphemed
him, wagging their heads, and saying:
Vah, thou who destroyest the temple of
God, and in three days buildest it up
again, save thy own self: if thou be the
Son of God, come down from the cross.
In like manner also, the chief priests
with the scribes and ancients, mocking,
said: He saved others; himself he cannot
save: if he be the king of Israel, let
him now come down from the cross, and
we will believe him. He trusted in God,
let him deliver him now if he will save
him: for he said: I am the Son of God.
And the self-same
thing the thieves also, that were crucified with him, reproached
him with. Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the
earth, until the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour, Jesus cried
with a loud voice, saying: Eli, Eli, lamma sabacthani? that is:
My God! my God! why hast thou forsaken me? And some of them that
stood there and heard, said: This man calleth for Elias. And immediately
one of them, running; took a sponge, and filled it with vinegar;
and put it on a reed and gave him to drink. And the others said:
Stay, let us see whether Elias will come to deliver him. And Jesus
again crying with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
And behold the
veil of the temple was rent in two, from the top even to the bottom,
and the earth quaked, and the rocks were rent; and the graves were
opened: and many bodies of the saints that had slept arose: and
coming out of the tombs after his resurrection, came into the holy
city, and appeared to many. Now the centurion, and they that were
with him, watching Jesus, having seen the earthquake and the things
that were done, were greatly afraid, saying: Indeed this was the
Son of God. And there were there many women afar off, who had followed
Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him; among whom was Mary Magdalen,
and Mary, the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the
sons of Zebedee. And when it was evening, there came a certain rich
man of Arimathea, named Joseph, who also himself was a disciple
of Jesus. He went to Pilate and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate
commanded that the body should be delivered. And Joseph taking the
body, wrapped it up in a clean linen cloth. And laid it in his own
new monument, which he had hewed out in a rock; and he rolled a
great stone to the door of the monument, and went his way. And there
was Mary Magdalen, and the other Mary sitting over against the sepulchre.
And
the next day, which followed the day of
the preparation, the chief priests and
the Pharisees came together to Pilate,
saying: Sir, we have remembered that seducer
said, while he was yet alive: After three
days I will rise again. “Command, therefore,
the sepulchre to be guarded until the
third day; lest his disciples come and
steal him away, and say to the people:
He is risen from the dead. So the last
error shall be worse than the first. Pilate
said to them: You have a guard, go guard
it as you know. And they departing, made
the sepulchre sure, with guards, sealing
the stone.
INSTRUCTION
ON HOLY WEEK
Why
is this week called Holy Week?
This week is
called Holy Week because during it we celebrate the most holy mysteries
of our religion, and in all her offices and ceremonies the Church
refers in quiet mournfulness to the passion and death of our Redeemer.
What
remarkable things did Christ do during the first four days of this
week?
After He had
entered the temple at Jerusalem on Palm Sunday amidst the greatest
rejoicings of the people, and was saluted by the children with that
cry of joy: "Hosanna to the Son of David," He drove the
buyers and sellers out of the temple, and when He had spent the
entire day in preaching and healing the sick, He went in the evening
to Bethania, where He remained over night in Lazarus' house, because
in Jerusalem no one wished to receive Him for fear of His enemies.
The three following days He spent in Jerusalem, teaching in the
temple, and passing the night in prayer on Mount Olivet. In His
sermons during these days He strove especially to convince the Jewish
priests, the Doctors of the Law and the Pharisees, that He was really
the Messiah, and that they would commit a terrible sin by putting
Him to death; that they would bring themselves and the whole Jewish
nation to destruction. This ruin of the people He illustrated most
plainly causing the fig-tree to wither under His curse, and by foretelling
the destruction of the city and the temple of Jerusalem. He disputed
with them, and confounded them, and brought them publicly to shame
by parables, so that out of anger and hatred they with one mind
determined to kill Him. The impious Judas aided the most in the
execution of their design; through avarice he sold Him for thirty
pieces of silver (about eighteen dollars in our money) to the chief
priests, and the next day, Thursday, became His betrayer and delivered
Him over into their hands.
|