TUESDAY OF HOLY WEEK

  

TUESDAY OF HOLY WEEK

SIMPLE / PURPLE
The Christian way is not normally the way of violence. The use of authority sometimes requires forceful words, and Jesus Himself used such force. But usually the Christian appeal is simply through presentation of truth and through persuasion. Beyond that, the Christian becomes the sacrificial lamb who, like Christ, brings men to God by example, prayer, and meritorious suffering. Redemption began on the cross and it must continue on the cross. "Behold the lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). What the Baptist said of Christ remains true of every member of Christ.

INTROIT (Gal. 6:14)
But it is fitting that we should glory in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, in whom is salvation, life, and resurrection for us, by whom we are saved and delivered. 
Ps. 66:2. May God have mercy on us and bless us; may He let his face shine upon us; and may He have mercy on us. But it is fitting . . .

COLLECT
Almighty and Eternal God, grant that we may celebrate the sacred rites of our Lord's passion in such a manner that we may be worthy of Your pardon. Through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord . . .

LESSON (Jer. 11:18-20)
In those days, Jeremiah said, "But thou, O Lord, hast shewn me, and I have known: then thou shewedst me their doings. And I was as a meek lamb, that is carried to be a victim: and I knew not that they had devised counsels against me, saying: 'Let us put wood on his bread, and cut him off from the land of the living, and let his name be remembered no more.' But thou, O Lord of Sabaoth, who judgest justly, and triest the reins and the hearts, let me see thy revenge on them: for to thee have I revealed my cause."

GRADUAL (Ps. 34:13, 1-2)
But I, when they were afflicting me, clothed myself in sackcloth, humbled myself with fastings, and prayed with head bent low. 
V. Fight, O Lord, against those who fight me, war upon me. Tale Your sword and shield, and rise up to help me.

THE PASSION OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST
ACCORDING TO SAINT MARK (14:32-72; 15:1-46)
At that time, they came to a farm called Gethsemani. And Jesus saith to his disciples: "Sit you here, while I pray." And he taketh Peter and James and John with him: and he began to fear and to be heavy. And he saith to them: "My soul is sorrowful even unto death. Stay you here and watch." And when he was gone forward a little, he fell flat on the ground: and he prayed that, if it might be, the hour might pass from him. And he saith: "Abba, Father, all things are possible to thee: remove this chalice from me; but not what I will, but what thou wilt."
And he cometh and findeth them sleeping. And he saith to Peter:"Simon, sleepest thou? Couldst thou not watch one hour? Watch ye: and pray that you enter not into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." And going away again, he prayed, saying the same words. And when he returned, he found them again asleep (for their eyes were heavy): and they knew not what to answer him. And he cometh the third time and saith to them: "Sleep ye now and take your rest. It is enough. The hour is come: behold the Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise up: let us go. Behold, he that will betray me is at hand." 
And while he was yet speaking, cometh Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve: and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and the scribes and the ancients. And he that betrayed him had given them a sign, saying: "Whomsoever I shall kiss, that is he. Lay hold on him: and lead him away carefully." And when he was come, immediately going up to him he saith: "Hail, Rabbi!" And he kissed him. But they laid hands on him and held him. And one of them that stood by, drawing a sword, struck a servant of the chief priest and cut off his ear. And Jesus answering, said to them: "Are you come out as to a robber, with swords and staves to apprehend me? I was daily with you in the temple teaching: and you did not lay hands on me. But that the scriptures may be fulfilled."Then his disciples, leaving him, all fled away. And a certain young man followed him, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body. And they laid hold on him. But he, casting off the linen cloth, fled from them naked.
And they brought Jesus to the high priest. And all the priests and the scribes and the ancients assembled together. And Peter followed him afar off, even into the court of the high priest. And he sat with the servants at the fire and warmed himself. And the chief priests and all the council sought for evidence against Jesus, that they might put him to death: and found none. For many bore false witness against him: and their evidences were not agreeing. And some rising up, bore false witness against him, saying: "We heard him say, I Will destroy this temple made with hands and within three days I will build another not made with hands." And their witness did not agree. And the high priest rising up in the midst, asked Jesus, saying: "Answerest thou nothing to the things that are laid to thy charge by these men?" But he held his peace and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him and said to him: "Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed God?" And Jesus said to him: "I am. And you shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of the power of God and coming with the clouds of heaven." Then the high priest rending his garments, saith: "What need we any further witnesses? You have heard the blasphemy. What think you?" Who all condemned him to be guilty of death. And some began to spit on him and to cover his face and to buffet him and to say unto him: "Prophesy." And the servants struck him with the palms their hands.
Now when Peter was in the court below, there cometh one of the maidservants of the high priest. And when she had seen Peter warming himself looking on him, she saith: "Thou also wast with Jesus of Nazareth." But he denied, saying: "I neither know nor understand what thou sayest." And he went forth before the court; and the cock crew. And again a maidservant seeing him, began to say to the standers by: "This is one of them." But he denied again. And after a, while they that stood by said again to Peter: "Surely thou art one of them; for thou art also a Galilean." But he began to curse and to swear, saying: "I know not this man of whom you speak." And immediately the cock crew again. And Peter remembered the word that Jesus had said unto him: "Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt thrice deny me." And he began to weep.
And straightway in the morning, the chief priests holding a consultation with the ancients and the scribes and the whole council, binding Jesus, led him away and delivered him to Pilate. And Pilate asked him: "Art thou the king of the Jews?" But he answering, saith to him: "Thou sayest it." And the chief priests accused him in many things. And Pilate again asked him, saying: "Answerest thou nothing? Behold in how many things they accuse thee." But Jesus still answered nothing: so that Pilate wondered.
Now on the festival day he was wont to release unto them one of the prisoners, whomsoever they demanded. And there was one called Barabbas, who was put in prison with some seditious men, who in the sedition had committed murder. And when the multitude was come up, they began to desire that he would do as he had ever done unto them. And Pilate answered them and said: "Will you that I release to you the king of the Jews?" For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him up out of envy. But the chief priests moved the people, that he should rather release Barabbas to them. And Pilate again answering, saith to them: "What will you then that I do to the king of the Jews?" But they again cried out: "Crucify him." And Pilate saith to them: "Why, what evil hath he done?" But they cried out the more: "Crucify him."
And so Pilate being willing to satisfy the people, released to them Barabbas: and delivered up Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified. And the soldiers led him away into the court of the palace: and they called together the whole band. And they clothed him with purple: and, platting a crown of thorns, they put it upon him. And they began to salute him: "Hail, king of the Jews." And they struck his head with a reed: and they did spit on him. And bowing their knees, they adored him. And after they had mocked him, they took off the purple from him and put his own garments on him: and they led him out to crucify him. And they forced one Simon a Cyrenian, who passed by coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and of Rufus, to take up his cross. And they bring him into the place called Golgotha, which being interpreted is, The place of Calvary.
And they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh. But he took it not. And crucifying him, they divided his garments, casting lots upon them, what every man should take. And it was the third hour: and they crucified him. And the inscription of his cause was written over: "THE KING OF THE JEWS." And with him they crucify two thieves: the one on his right hand, and the other on his left. And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith: "And with the wicked he was reputed." And they that passed by blasphemed him, wagging their heads and saying: "Vah, thou that destroyest the temple of God and in three days buildest it up again: Save thyself, coming down from the cross." In like manner also the chief priests, mocking, said with the scribes one to another: "He saved others; himself he cannot save. Let Christ the king of Israel come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe." And they that were crucified with him, reviled him.
And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole earth until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying: "Eloi, Eloi, lamma sabacthani?" Which is, being interpreted: "My God, My God, Why hast thou forsaken me?"And some of the standers by hearing, said: "Behold he calleth Elias." And one running and filling a sponge with vinegar and putting it upon a reed, gave him to drink, saying: "Stay, let us see if Elias come to take him down." And Jesus, having cried out with a loud voice, gave up the ghost.
And the veil of the temple was rent in two, from the top to the bottom. And the centurion who stood over against him, seeing that crying out in this manner he had given up the ghost. said: "Indeed this man was the son of God." And there were also women looking on afar off: among whom was Mary Magdalen and Mary the mother of James the Less and of Joseph and Salome,
Who also when he was in Galilee followed him and ministered to him, and many other women that came up with him to Jerusalem.
And when evening was now come (because it was the Parasceve, that is, the day before the sabbath), Joseph of Arimathea, a noble counsellor, who was also himself looking for the kingdom of God, came and went in boldly to Pilate and begged the body of Jesus. But Pilate wondered that he should be already dead. And sending for the centurion, he asked him if he were already dead.
And when he had understood it by the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph. And Joseph, buying fine linen and taking him down, wrapped him up in the fine linen and laid him in a sepulchre which was hewed out of a rock. And he rolled a stone to the door of the sepulchre.

OFFERTORY ANTIPHON (Ps. 139:5)
Save me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from the unjust.

SECRET 
O Lord, may this Sacrifice revive us more quickly because of our salutary fast which we offer with it. Through Our Lord . . .

COMMUNION ANTIPHON (Ps. 68:13-14)
They who sit at the gate were working against me, and the wine-bibbers made me the butt of their songs. But I, O Lord, do pray to You; in Your good time, O God, show me Your great mercy.

POSTCOMMUNION 
Almighty God, let Your sanctifying grace cure our inclination to evil and provide us with a never-failing remedy. Through Our Lord . . .

PRAYER OVER THE PEOPLE
O God, by Your mercy prevent us from falling into the habits of our old selves and make us increase in new holiness. Through Our Lord . . .