A Reading – Matthew 28:1-10
1 The day after the Sabbath day was the first day of the week. At dawn on the first day, Mary Magdalene and another woman named Mary went to look at the tomb.
2 At that time there was a strong earthquake. An angel of the Lord came down from heaven, went to the tomb, and rolled the stone away from the entrance. Then he sat on the stone.3 He was shining as bright as lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.4 The soldiers guarding the tomb shook with fear because of the angel, and they became like dead men. Continue reading →

A Reading – John 19:31-42
31 This day was Preparation Day, and the next day was a special Sabbath day. Since the religious leaders did not want the bodies to stay on the cross on the Sabbath day, they asked Pilate to order that the legs of the men be broken and the bodies be taken away.32 So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man on the cross beside Jesus. Then they broke the legs of the man on the other cross beside Jesus.33 But when the soldiers came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs.34 But one of the soldiers stuck his spear into Jesus’ side, and at once blood and water came out.35 (The one who saw this happen is the one who told us this, and whatever he says is true. And he knows that he tells the truth, and he tells it so that you might believe.)36 These things happened to make the Scripture come true: “Not one of his bones will be broken.”37 And another Scripture says, “They will look at the one they stabbed.”

38 Later, Joseph from Arimathea asked Pilate if he could take the body of Jesus. (Joseph was a secret follower of Jesus, because he was afraid of some of the leaders.) Pilate gave his permission, so Joseph came and took Jesus’ body away.39 Nicodemus, who earlier had come to Jesus at night, went with Joseph. He brought about seventy-five pounds of myrrh and aloes.40 These two men took Jesus’ body and wrapped it with the spices in pieces of linen cloth, which is how they bury the dead.41 In the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden. In the garden was a new tomb that had never been used before.42 The men laid Jesus in that tomb because it was nearby, and they were preparing to start their Sabbath day.

The Refrain for the Morning Lessons – Psalm 31:22
I said in my alarm, “I have been cut off from the sight of your eyes.”
Nevertheless , you heard the sound of my entreaty when I cried out to you.

Concluding Prayer of the Church
O God, at whose passion, according to the prophesy of Simeon, a sword of sorrow pierced the sweet soul of the glorious Virgin and Mother Mary, grant in Your my that we, when remembering her pierced soul, through the merits and prayers of all the Saints faithfully standing by Your Cross, may obtain the blessed result of Your passion. Through our Lord. Amen.

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Today’s song is because it was the women who were left weeping by the tomb.  It is an all female arrangement of Tomas Victoria’s Vere Languores Nostros by the Ensemble Femnin Callirhoe.

VERE LANGUORES NOSTROS Tomas Luis de Victoria, Ensemble Feminin Callirhoé

Vere languores nostros ipse tulit,
et dolores nostros ipse portavit: 
cuius livore sanati sumus. 
Dulce lignum, dulces clavos, 
dulcia ferens pondera,
quae sola fuisti digna 
sustinere Regem caelorum, et Dominum.

Verily he hath borne our weaknesses, and he hath taken charge of our sorrows: we are cleansed by his pallor.
Sweet wood, sweet nails,
bearing that sweet weight,
you alone were worthy to sustain
the King of Heaven, and our Lord.

The Refrain for the Morning Lessons
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
and are so far from my cry and from the words of my distress? Continue reading →

A Reading – John 13:1-15
 1 It was before Passover, and Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and to return to the Father. He had always loved his followers in this world, and he loved them to the very end.
    2 Even before the evening meal started, the devil had made Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, decide to betray Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that he had come from God and would go back to God. He also knew that the Father had given him complete power. 4 So during the meal Jesus got up, removed his outer garment, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 He put some water into a large bowl. Then he began washing his disciples’ feet and drying them with the towel he was wearing.

    6 But when he came to Simon Peter, that disciple asked, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

    7 Jesus answered, “You don’t really know what I am doing, but later you will understand.”

    8 “You will never wash my feet!” Peter replied.

   ”If I don’t wash you,” Jesus told him, “you don’t really belong to me.”

    9 Peter said, “Lord, don’t wash just my feet. Wash my hands and my head.”

    10 Jesus answered, “People who have bathed and are clean all over need to wash just their feet. And you, my disciples, are clean, except for one of you.” 11 Jesus knew who would betray him. That is why he said, “except for one of you.”

    12 After Jesus had washed his disciples’ feet and had put his outer garment back on, he sat down again. Then he said: Do you understand what I have done? 13 You call me your teacher and Lord, and you should, because that is who I am. 14 And if your Lord and teacher has washed your feet, you should do the same for each other. 15 I have set the example, and you should do for each other exactly what I have done for you.

The Prayer Appointed for the Week
Almighty God, who through your only-begotten Son Jesus
Christ overcame death and opened to us the gate of everlasting life: Grant that I, who celebrate with joy the day of the Lord’s resurrection, may be raised from the death of sin by your life-giving Spirit; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God now and for ever. Amen.