On the first day of the week, Mary the Magdalene came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark and saw the stone taken away from the tomb.

 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved and said to them:  ‘They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we do not know where they have put him.’ So Peter left, with the other disciple and they were going to the tomb. The two ran together. But the other disciple ran ahead of Peter, (being) faster and he came to the tomb first . Bending over, he saw the linens lying (there), but he did not go in. Then Simon came, following him and he went into the tomb, and he observed the linens lying and the facecloth, which had been on his head, not lying with the linens but apart, folded up in a place by itself. 

Then the other disciple, who had come first, also went into the tomb and he saw and he believed. For they did not yet understand the scripture that it was necessary for him to rise from the dead. So the disciples went away again to their own homes.

On the first day of the week, Mary the Magdalene came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark and saw the stone taken away from the tomb.

 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved and said to them:  ‘They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we do not know where they have put him.’ So Peter left, with the other disciple and they were going to the tomb. They two ran together. But the other disciple ran ahead or Peter, (being) faster and he came to the tomb first . Bending over, he saw the linens lying (there), but he did not go in. Then Simon came, following him and he went into the tomb, and he observed the linens lying and the facecloth, which was on his head, not lying with the linens but apart, folded up in a place by itself. 

Then the other disciple, who had come first, also went into the tomb and he saw and he believed. For they did not yet understand the scripture that it was necessary for him to rise from the dead. So the disciples went away again to their own homes.

Grant, Lord,
that we may hold to you without parting,
worship you without wearying,
serve you without failing;
faithfully seek you,
happily find you,
and forever possess you,
the only God,blessed now and for ever.
Amen

St Anselm

After these things, Joseph from Arimathea (who was a disciple of Jesus, but only in secret, because of fear of the Jewish leaders) asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus. And Pilate let him. So he went and took away his body. 

Nicodemus too, the one who earlier came to him by night, also went, carrying a mixture of myrrh and aloes – about a hundred pounds. 

So they took Jesus’s body and wrapped it in linens with the spices, as is the custom of the Jews to prepare for burial. 

There was in the place where he was crucified a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one ever had been placed. 

So they placed Jesus there, because of the Jewish Day of Preparation, since it was nearby.

Thank you, dear Jesus,
for all you have given me,
for all you have taken away from me,
for all you have left me.

Thomas More (c.1478-1535)

Then the Jewish leaders, 
because it was the Day of Preparation,
so that the bodies might not remain on the crosses on the Sabbath,
for that Sabbath was a great day
asked Pilate that they might break their legs and take them away. 

So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and then the other crucified with him. But coming to Jesus, when they saw he was already dead they did not break his legs. 

But one of the soldiers pierced his side with his spear
and immediately blood and water came out.

And the one who has seen, has testified  and his testimony is true,
and he knows that he speaks the truth so that you also might believe. 

For these things happened so that the Scripture might be fulfilled: ‘His bone will not be broken.’

And again another scripture says ‘They will look on the one whom they have pierced.’

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is discord, union;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy,
For your mercy and for your truth’s sake. Amen

After this, Jesus, knowing that everything now had been completed,
so that the scripture had been fulfilled, said: ‘I am thirsty.’

A jug full of cheap wine was standing there, so they put  a sponge full of cheap wine on some hyssop and they lifted it up to his mouth.

When he had received the wine Jesus said: ‘It is completed’
and bowing his head, he gave up the spirit.

Psalm 69:21

They gave me poison for food,
    and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.

Thanks be to thee,
my Lord Jesus Christ,
for all the benefits thou hast given me,
for all the pains and insults
thou hast borne for me.
O most merciful redeemer, friend and brother,
may I know thee more clearly,
love thee more dearly,
and follow thee more nearly, day by day.
Amen.

Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his clothes and made four parts, for each soldier a part – and there was the tunic. The tunic was seamless, woven throughout, from the top. They said to one another ‘Let us not tear it, but let us draw lots for it to see whose it will be.’ So the scripture was fulfilled:

They divided among themselves my clothes
And they cast lots for my clothing’.

Then the soldiers did these things.

Grant, Lord,
that we may hold to you without parting,
worship you without wearying,
serve you without failing;
faithfully seek you,
happily find you,
and forever possess you,
the only God,blessed now and for ever.
Amen

St Anselm

So they took charge of Jesus, and carrying the cross himself, he went out to what is called the Place of the Skull, that is called Golgotha in Aramaic, where they crucified him, and with him two others on either side, Jesus in the middle. 

Pilate also wrote a notice and he put it on the cross. It was written: Jesus, from Nazareth, the King of the Jews.’ Many of the Jews read this notice, because the place where Jesus was crucified  was near the city. And it was written  in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate: ‘Do not leave it written “The King of the Jews” but “He said ‘I am the King of the Jews.’” Pilate answered ‘What I have written, I have written.’

Thank you, dear Jesus,
for all you have given me,
for all you have taken away from me,
for all you have left me.

Thomas More (c.1478-1535)

So when Pilate heard this word, he was more fearful. 

And he went into the Praetorium again and said to Jesus ‘Where are you from?’
But Jesus did not give him an answer. 

So Pilate said to him: ‘Are you not going to speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to release you and I have authority to crucify you?

Jesus answered: ‘You have no authority whatsoever over me, unless this situation has been given to you from above. Because of this the one who handed me over to you has a greater sin. ‘

For this reason, Pilate sought to release him. 

But the Jewish leaders cried out:
‘If you release this man, you are no friend of Caesar.
Everyone who makes themselves King opposes Caesar.’ 

So Pilate hearing these words led Jesus out and sat upon the Judgement Seat in a place called Stone Pavement – in Hebrew, Gabbatha.

It was the Day of Preparation of the Passover; it was the sixth hour.

And he said to the Jewish leaders: 
‘Behold, your king.’

Then they cried out:
‘Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him. 

Pilate said to them:
‘Shall I crucify  your king?’

The chief priests answered:
‘ We have no king but Caesar. ‘

Then at last he handed him over to be crucified, for them.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is discord, union;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy,
For your mercy and for your truth’s sake. Amen

And having said this, he went out to the Jewish leaders and spoke to them: ‘I, for my part, find no reason for an accusation in him. It is your custom that I release one man to you at Passover. Therefore, do you wish that I release to you the King of the Jews?’ Then they shouted back ‘No! Not this one, but Barabbas’. (Barabbas was a rebel.)

So then Pilate had Jesus taken and flogged. And the soldiers, having twisted together a crown from thorn branches, put it on his head and put a purple cloak on him. And they said  to him ‘Hail, King of the Jews’ and they struck him.

And Pilate went out again and said to them ‘Behold, I am bringing him out to you, that you might know that  I find no reason for accusation in him. So Jesus went out, wearing  the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And he said ‘Behold, the man.’

So when the chief priests and the officials saw him, they cried out ‘Crucify! Crucify!’’

Pilate said to them ‘Take him yourselves, and crucify him.’ For I cannot find a reason for accusation in him.’ 

The Jewish leaders answered ‘We have a law and according to the law he must die, because he has made himself the Son of God.’

O Lord Jesus Christ,
stay beside me to defend me,
within me to guide me,
before me to lead me,
and above me to bless me,
that with you and in you,
I may live, and move and have my being,
for ever and ever.
Amen.

(unknown)

So they led Jesus from Caiaphas to the Praetorium. It was early morning; they didn’t enter the Praetorium so that they would not not be defiled and could eat the Passover 

So Pilate went out to them and said ‘What charge do you bring against this man?’

They answered: ‘If this man were not a criminal, we would not have handed him over to you.’

Pilate said ‘Take him yourselves and judge him according to your law. 

The Jews said to him: ‘It is not lawful for us to kill anyone.’ This was to fulfil the word of Jesus which he spoke indicating what kind of death he was about to die. 

So Pilate went into the Praetorium again and called Jesus and said to him: ‘Are you the King of the Jews?’ 

Jesus replied: ‘Are you saying this on your own account or have others spoken to you about me? 

Pilate answered: ‘I am not a Jew am I? Your own people and the High Priests handed you over to me. What have you done?’

Jesus answered ‘My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom was from this world my ‘officials ‘ would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews. But my Kingdom is not from here. 

So Pilate said to him ‘So you are a king?’ 

Jesus replied ‘You say that I am a king.  For this I was born, and for this I have come into the world, that I might bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears my voice. 

Pilate said to him ‘What is truth?’

God, give me grace to accept with serenity
the things that cannot be changed,
Courage to change the things
which should be changed,
and the Wisdom to distinguish
the one from the other.

Living one day at a time,
Enjoying one moment at a time,
Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace,
Taking, as Jesus did,
This sinful world as it is,
Not as I would have it,
Trusting that You will make all things right,
If I surrender to Your will,
So that I may be reasonably happy in this life,
And supremely happy with You forever in the next.

Amen.