A Reading from Hosea
6. 1-6
Thus saith the Lord: In their affliction they will rise early to Me: Come, and let us return to the Lord, for He hath taken us, and He will heal us, He will strike, and He will cure us. He will revive us after two days: on the third day He will raise us up and we shall live in His sight. We shall know and we shall follow on, that we may know the Lord. His going forth is prepared as the morning light and He will come to us as the early and the latter rain to the earth. What shall I do to thee, O Ephraim? What shall I do to thee, O Juda? Your mercy is as a morning cloud and as the dew that goeth away in the morning. For this reason have I hewed them by the Prophets, I have slain them by the words of my mouth: and thy judgements shall go forth as the light. For I desired mercy and not sacrifice: and the knowledge of God more than holocausts.
Habacuc 3
O Lord, I have heard Thy hearing and was afraid: I have considered Thy works and trembled.
In the midst of two animals Thou shalt be made known: when the years shall draw nigh Thou shalt be known: when the time shall come, Thou shalt be manifested.
When my soul shall be in trouble, Thou wilt remember mercy, even in Thy wrath.
God will come from Libanus, and the Holy One from the shady and thickly covered mountain.
His majesty covered the heavens: and the earth is full of His praise.
A Reading from the Holy Gospel According to John
And bearing His cross, He went forth to that place which is called Calvary but in Hebrew Golgotha.; where they crucified Him, and with Him two others, one on each side and Jesus in the midst. And Pilate wrote a title also: and he put it upon the cross. And the writing was: Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews. This title therefore many of the Jews did read: because the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city. And it was written in Hebrew, Greek, and in Latin. Then the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate: S. Write not: The King of the Jews; but that He said: I am the King of the Jews. C. Pilate answered: S. What I have written, I have written. C. The soldiers therefore, when they had crucified Him, took His garments and they made four parts, to every soldier a part and also His coat. Now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout. They said then one to another: S. Let us not cut it, but let us cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the Scripture might be fulfilled which saith: They have parted My garemnts among them, and upon My vesture they have cast lots. And the soldiers indeed did these things. Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His Mother, and His Mother's sister, Mary of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalen. When Jesus therefore had seen His Mother and the disciple standing whom He loved, He saith to His Mother: J. Woman, behold thy son. C. After that, He saith to the disciple: J. Behold thy mother. C. And from that hour, the disciple took her to his own. Afterwards, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said: J. I thirst. C. Now there was a vessel set there, full of vinegar. And they, putting a sponge full of vinegar about hyssop, put it to His mouth. Jesus therefore, when He had taken the vinegar, said: J. It is consummated. C. And bowing His head, He gave up the ghost.
Ps 139:2-10, 14
Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil man: rescue me from the unjust man.
Who have devised iniquities in their hearts: all the day long they designed battles.
They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; the venom of asps is under their lips.
Keep me, O Lord, from the hand of the wicked: and from unjust men deliver me.
Who have proposed to supplant my steps. The proud have hidden a net for me.
And they have stretched out cords for a snare for my feet; they have laid for me a stumbling-block by the wayside.
I said to the Lord: Thou art my God. Hear, O Lord, the voice of my supplication.
O Lord, Lord, the strength of my salvation: overshadow my head in the day of battle.
Give me not up from my desire to the wicked: they have plotted against me. Do not Thou forsake me, lest at any time they should triumph.
The head of them compassing me about: the labor of their lips shall overwhelm them.
But the just shall give glory to Thy Name: and the upright shall dwell with Thy countenance.
From Holy Rosary by St. Josemaria Escriva - Jesus Dies on the Cross
For Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews, the throne of triumph is ready. You and I do not see Him writhe on being nailed: suffering all that can be suffered, He spreads His arms with the gesture of an Eternal Priest...
The soldiers take His holy garments and divide them into four parts. —In order not to tear the tunic, they cast lots to decide whose it shall be. —And so, once more, the words of the Scripture are fulfilled: They have parted my garments among them and for my robe they have cast lots (John 19:23-24).
Now He is on high... And close to her Son, at the foot of the Cross, stand Mary... and Mary, the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalen. And John, the disciple whom He loved. Ecce mater tua! —Behold thy mother! —He gives us His Mother for our own.
Earlier they had offered Him wine mingled with gall, and when He had tasted it, He would not drink (Matt 27:34).
Now He thirsts... for love, for souls.
Consummatum est. —It is consummated (John 19:30).
Foolish child, look: all this... He has suffered it all for you... and for me. —Can you keep from crying?
