Verse: We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You. Response: Because by your holy Cross You have redeemed the world.
Scripture: When the soldiers came to Jesus, they saw that he was already dead so that they did not break his legs, but one of them opened his side with a lance, and immediately there came out blood and water. Joseph of Arimathea, because he was a disciple of Jesus (although a secret one for fear of the Jews), besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus. And Pilate gave permission. John 19:33 – 34, 38a
Reflection: Jesus, how brutally you were put to death. How gently you are taken from the cross. Your suffering and pain are ended, and you are put in the lap of your mother. The dirt and blood are gently wiped away; you are treated with love. By taking the power of evil upon yourself, you conquered it. You destroyed the solitude of suffering and illuminated its darkness. Through your suffering and death, you did not remove illness and suffering from the human experience. Instead, you took it upon yourself and transformed them, giving them new meaning. You transformed them because in union with Christ they were no longer negative but positive. You have them new meaning because they no longer have the last word which, instead, is new and abundant life. Help us replace our sorrow and fear with hope and joy so that we, too, proceed on the way to liberation and salvation.
Prayer: Beloved Savior, You returned to the Father all that He had given You, so that He might restore all to You a hundred-fold in the glorious resurrection. Help us to give generously of ourselves in all that we do for You, so that like You we might be made perfect in a new resurrection.
Our Father, who art in heaven; hallowed by Thy name. Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. Amen.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death, AMEN.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end, AMEN.