1 Great is the LORD—his praise all else excels—In our God’s city, on his holy hill.2 Mount Zion is the joy of all the earth,So high and fair like mountains of the north;Here is the city where the Great King dwells. 3 God is the fortress of Jerusalem.4 When kings joined forces, ready to advance,5 […]
As they went out, they came upon a man from Cyrene named Simon; they compelled this man to carry his cross. Reflection We can but speculate as to whether Simon of Cyrene realised, as he embraced the Cross, the significance of the One for whom he carried it. The gospel states that he was “compelled” […]
I waited long upon the LORD;He heard my cry and turned to me.He raised me from the slimy pitAnd from the mire he pulled me free. He set my feet on solid rock,A place to stand both firm and broad.He put a new song in my mouth,A joyful hymn of praise to God. Many will […]
Who’s Governor? The trial before Governor Pilate has finished. The effort to make respectable, the demands of a select elite, is done. Whether it was Jesus on trial, or justice itself, remains a moot point. Matthew relates that the soldiers then took Jesus to the Governor’s HQ, where the whole cohort was gathered together, for […]
When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. And when he learned that he was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him off to Herod, who was himself in Jerusalem at that time. When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had been wanting to see him for a long […]
When morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people conferred together against Jesus in order to bring about his death. They bound him, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate the Governor. Now Jesus stood before the Governor; and the Governor asked him, “Are you the King of the […]
Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas the high priest, in whose house the scribes and the elders had gathered. But Peter was following him at a distance, as far as the courtyard of the high priest; and going inside, he sat with the guards in order to see how this would end. […]
While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, arrived; with him was a large crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people. Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, ‘The one I will kiss is the man; arrest him.’ At once he came up […]
Sleep is an amazing thing. If you can get any, it brings rest and recuperation from the stresses of life, yet it is the stress of life that often denies us the sleep. The more we try to sleep, the more we stay awake and, as in our reading, the more the disciples try to […]
1 I said, “Now let me watch my waysand keep my tongue from sin.I’ll put a muzzle on my mouthwhile I’m with wicked men.” 2 When I was silent and kept stilland firmly held my peace,Not speaking even what was good,this made my pain increase. 3 Because of this my heart grew hot;the fire burned […]