GOOD FRIDAY Celebration of the Lord's Passion: April 22nd, 2011

In this celebration of the passion and death of the Lord:

1. We listen to the words of scripture and strive to understand the true meaning of his sufferings and the mind that was in him.
2. We pray with His spirit for the needs of the whole world.
3. We worship the cross as the symbol of his triumph and
4. We enter into sacramental communion with Him who is our Saviour and our Life.

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Ours were the sufferings he bore, 

ours the sorrows he carried.  

But we, we thought of him as someone punished, 

struck by God and brought low.  

He was pierced through for our faults, 

crushed for our sins.  

On him lies a punishment that brings us peace, 

and through his wounds we are healed.

(Isaiah 53: 4 -5)

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Scripture Readings of Good Friday's Mass

First Reading: Isaiah 52: 13 - 53:12

Responsorial Psalm 30:2. 6. 12-13. 15-17. 25

R/.  Father into your hands I commend my spirit. (Luke 23:46)

Second Reading: Hebrews 4:14-16; 5: 7-9

Gospel Acclamation Philipians 2: 8-9

GOSPEL: John 18: 1 - 19:42

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'Like a sapling he grew up in front of us, 

like a root in arid ground.  

Without beauty, 

without majesty we saw him, 

no looks to attract our eyes; 

a thing despised and rejected by men, 

a man of sorrows and familiar with suffering, 

a man to make people screen their faces; 

he was despised and we took no account of him.'

(Isaiah 53: 2 -3)

He was led out as a lamb that is led to the slaughterhouse;

harshly dealt with, he never opened his mouth;

He surrendered himself to death and was ranked with sinners.

he was given over to death, so as to give life to his people.
(Isaiah 53: 7,12)

God did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all.

Your ransom was not paid in anything corruptible, 

neither in silver nor gold, 

but in the precious blood of Christ, 

a lamb without blemish.  

Through him 

we all have access 

to the Father in the one Spirit.

The blood of Jesus Christ, 

the Son of God, 

purifies us from all sin.

(1 Pet 1:18-19;  Eph 2:18; 

1 Jn 1:7)

Jesus Christ showed his love for us and freed us from our sins with His life's blood.

We worship you, Lord

We venerate your cross, Lord;

we praise and glorify your holy resurrection:

because of the tree of joy has come into the whole world.

May God be gracious and bless us;

and let His face shed its light upon us.

We worship you, Lord,

we venerate your cross,

we praise your resurrection.

Through the cross you brought joy to the world.

(Song at the Veneration of the Cross)

As a woman feeds her child 

with her own blood and milk, 

so too Christ himself continually feeds 

those whom he has begotten 

with his own blood.

(St John Chrysostom)