.: † " ..They took the body.... "

Friday, April 3, 2026

† " ..They took the body.... "

On the Friday of the Lord's Passion (Good Friday) the Church commemorates the death of Jesus Christ on the Cross for the sins of all mankind, at the same time the Passover lamb was being killed and prepared for consumption among the Jewish people. On this day the Church does not celebrate Mass. The main altar remains completely bare, and the Tabernacle is empty. It is at the 3 o'clock hour on Good Friday that Jesus expired on the Cross, His Divine Mercy being poured out on the whole world. At this hour the Christian faithful should observe a solemn and prayerful silence in memory of the hour in which our salvation was won at so great a price.

† Quote of the Day

"As they were looking on, so we too gaze on his wounds as he hangs. We see his blood as he dies. We see the price offered by the redeemer, touch the scars of his resurrection. He bows his head, as if to kiss you. His heart is made bare open, as it were, in love to you. His arms are extended that he may embrace you. His whole body is displayed for your redemption. Ponder how great these things are. Let all this be rightly weighed in your mind: as he was once fixed to the cross in every part of his body for you, so he may now be fixed in every part of your soul." -St. Augustine of Hippo

Today's Meditation

"Jesus Christ did not think the sovereign beatitude and glory of Heaven too dearly purchased at the price of unspeakable tortures, and by suffering His sacred flesh to be mangled by nails, thorns, and scourges. Great indeed must be the value of that which cost the Son of God so dear! And yet we esteem it so little, as to be even ready to renounce our claim to it, as, in fact, so many of us do, for the sake of some wretched pleasure or despicable interest! Ye blind and deluded children of men, contemplate the Wounds of your Crucified God, and see in what manner the gates of the kingdom of glory have been opened to you! See what it has cost Him to place you in possession of it, and understand, if possible, how infinite a benefit was bestowed upon you by the Son of God when He purchased for you Heaven, which you had lost by sin! ... Enter in spirit into these sacred Wounds, and you will comprehend the value and sublimity of that eternal felicity which they have acquired for you, and you will learn to detach your heart from the earth and from creatures, so as to place all your affections and desires upon Heaven." —Fr. Ignatius of the Side of Christ, p. 226-227
An excerpt from The School of Jesus Crucified

Daily Verse

Have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus, Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. -Philippians 2:5-11

EWTN Daily Saint

St Richard Of Chichester

St. Richard of Chichester (1197-1253), also known as St. Richard de Wyche, was born in Worcestershire, England to a land-owning squire. His father died when he was young, causing the family to suffer hardship for many years. The situation became dire enough for Richard to suspend his studies to take over the family estates and make them profitable again. He went on to Oxford to study for the priesthood, and was so poor that he and two companions shared a set of clothes which they took turns wearing to class. He obtained degrees at the universities in Paris and Bologna before being appointed as the Chancellor of Oxford University. Richard became well-known for his learning and sanctity. As a result he next became Chancellor for the Archbishop of Canterbury, St. Edmund Rich, to whom he was a faithful companion and advisor. Years later St. Richard was ordained the Bishop of Chichester. In this position he entered into power struggles with King Henry III, who withheld his diocesan revenues and blocked his access to the cathedral. St. Richard had many accomplishments as bishop, including establishing greater order and reverence to the liturgy, vigorously defending the rights of the Church, assisting the poor and the oppressed, and preaching a crusade against the Saracens at the request of the Pope. He died of fever surrounded by his closest friends at about 56 years of age. He was buried in the Chichester Cathedral and his shrine became a popular place of pilgrimage before being destroyed by King Henry VIII. St. Richard's feast day is April 3rd.

Good Friday of the Lord's Passion

Lectionary: 40

Reading I

Isaiah 52:13—53:12

See, my servant shall prosper,

he shall be raised high and greatly exalted.

Even as many were amazed at him--

so marred was his look beyond human semblance

and his appearance beyond that of the sons of man--

so shall he startle many nations,

because of him kings shall stand speechless;

for those who have not been told shall see,

those who have not heard shall ponder it.

Who would believe what we have heard?

To whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?

He grew up like a sapling before him,

like a shoot from the parched earth;

there was in him no stately bearing to make us look at him,

nor appearance that would attract us to him.

He was spurned and avoided by people,

a man of suffering, accustomed to infirmity,

one of those from whom people hide their faces,

spurned, and we held him in no esteem.

Yet it was our infirmities that he bore,

our sufferings that he endured,

while we thought of him as stricken,

as one smitten by God and afflicted.

But he was pierced for our offenses,

crushed for our sins;

upon him was the chastisement that makes us whole,

by his stripes we were healed.

We had all gone astray like sheep,

each following his own way;

but the LORD laid upon him

the guilt of us all.

Though he was harshly treated, he submitted

and opened not his mouth;

like a lamb led to the slaughter

or a sheep before the shearers,

he was silent and opened not his mouth.

Oppressed and condemned, he was taken away,

and who would have thought any more of his destiny?

When he was cut off from the land of the living,

and smitten for the sin of his people,

a grave was assigned him among the wicked

and a burial place with evildoers,

though he had done no wrong

nor spoken any falsehood.

But the LORD was pleased

to crush him in infirmity.

If he gives his life as an offering for sin,

he shall see his descendants in a long life,

and the will of the LORD shall be accomplished through him.

Because of his affliction

he shall see the light in fullness of days;

through his suffering, my servant shall justify many,

and their guilt he shall bear.

Therefore I will give him his portion among the great,

and he shall divide the spoils with the mighty,

because he surrendered himself to death

and was counted among the wicked;

and he shall take away the sins of many,

and win pardon for their offenses.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 31:2, 6, 12-13, 15-16, 17, 25

R (Lk 23:46) Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.

In you, O LORD, I take refuge;

let me never be put to shame.

In your justice rescue me.

Into your hands I commend my spirit;

you will redeem me, O LORD, O faithful God.

R Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.

For all my foes I am an object of reproach,

a laughingstock to my neighbors, and a dread to my friends;

they who see me abroad flee from me.

I am forgotten like the unremembered dead;

I am like a dish that is broken.

R Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.

But my trust is in you, O LORD;

I say, "You are my God.

In your hands is my destiny; rescue me

from the clutches of my enemies and my persecutors."

R Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.

Let your face shine upon your servant;

save me in your kindness.

Take courage and be stouthearted,

all you who hope in the LORD.

R Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.

Reading II

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

Brothers and sisters:

Since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens,

Jesus, the Son of God,

let us hold fast to our confession.

For we do not have a high priest

who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses,

but one who has similarly been tested in every way,

yet without sin.

So let us confidently approach the throne of grace

to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help.

In the days when Christ was in the flesh,

he offered prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears

to the one who was able to save him from death,

and he was heard because of his reverence.

Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered;

and when he was made perfect,

he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.

Verse Before the Gospel

Philippians 2:8-9

Christ became obedient to the point of death,

even death on a cross.

Because of this, God greatly exalted him

and bestowed on him the name which is above every other name.

The passion narratives are proclaimed in full so that all see vividly the love of Christ for each person. In light of this, the crimes during the Passion of Christ cannot be attributed, in either preaching or catechesis, indiscriminately to all Jews of that time, nor to Jews today. The Jewish people should not be referred to as though rejected or cursed, as if this view followed from Scripture. The Church ever keeps in mind that Jesus, his mother Mary, and the apostles all were Jewish. As the Church has always held, Christ freely suffered his passion and death because of the sins of all, that all might be saved.

Gospel

John 18:1—19:42

Jesus went out with his disciples across the Kidron valley

to where there was a garden,

into which he and his disciples entered.

Judas his betrayer also knew the place,

because Jesus had often met there with his disciples.

So Judas got a band of soldiers and guards

from the chief priests and the Pharisees

and went there with lanterns, torches, and weapons.

Jesus, knowing everything that was going to happen to him,

went out and said to them, "Whom are you looking for?"

They answered him, "Jesus the Nazorean."

He said to them, "I AM."

Judas his betrayer was also with them.

When he said to them, "I AM, "

they turned away and fell to the ground.

So he again asked them,

"Whom are you looking for?"

They said, "Jesus the Nazorean."

Jesus answered,

"I told you that I AM.

So if you are looking for me, let these men go."

This was to fulfill what he had said,

"I have not lost any of those you gave me."

Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it,

struck the high priest's slave, and cut off his right ear.

The slave's name was Malchus.

Jesus said to Peter,

"Put your sword into its scabbard.

Shall I not drink the cup that the Father gave me?"

So the band of soldiers, the tribune, and the Jewish guards seized Jesus,

bound him, and brought him to Annas first.

He was the father-in-law of Caiaphas,

who was high priest that year.

It was Caiaphas who had counseled the Jews

that it was better that one man should die rather than the people.

Simon Peter and another disciple followed Jesus.

Now the other disciple was known to the high priest,

and he entered the courtyard of the high priest with Jesus.

But Peter stood at the gate outside.

So the other disciple, the acquaintance of the high priest,

went out and spoke to the gatekeeper and brought Peter in.

Then the maid who was the gatekeeper said to Peter,

"You are not one of this man's disciples, are you?"

He said, "I am not."

Now the slaves and the guards were standing around a charcoal fire

that they had made, because it was cold,

and were warming themselves.

Peter was also standing there keeping warm.

The high priest questioned Jesus

about his disciples and about his doctrine.

Jesus answered him,

"I have spoken publicly to the world.

I have always taught in a synagogue

or in the temple area where all the Jews gather,

and in secret I have said nothing. Why ask me?

Ask those who heard me what I said to them.

They know what I said."

When he had said this,

one of the temple guards standing there struck Jesus and said,

"Is this the way you answer the high priest?"

Jesus answered him,

"If I have spoken wrongly, testify to the wrong;

but if I have spoken rightly, why do you strike me?"

Then Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.

Now Simon Peter was standing there keeping warm.

And they said to him,

"You are not one of his disciples, are you?"

He denied it and said,

"I am not."

One of the slaves of the high priest,

a relative of the one whose ear Peter had cut off, said,

"Didn't I see you in the garden with him?"

Again Peter denied it.

And immediately the cock crowed.

Then they brought Jesus from Caiaphas to the praetorium.

It was morning.

And they themselves did not enter the praetorium,

in order not to be defiled so that they could eat the Passover.

So Pilate came out to them and said,

"What charge do you bring against this man?"

They answered and said to him,

"If he were not a criminal,

we would not have handed him over to you."

At this, Pilate said to them,

"Take him yourselves, and judge him according to your law."

The Jews answered him,

"We do not have the right to execute anyone, "

in order that the word of Jesus might be fulfilled

that he said indicating the kind of death he would die.

So Pilate went back into the praetorium

and summoned Jesus and said to him,

"Are you the King of the Jews?"

Jesus answered,

"Do you say this on your own

or have others told you about me?"

Pilate answered,

"I am not a Jew, am I?

Your own nation and the chief priests handed you over to me.

What have you done?"

Jesus answered,

"My kingdom does not belong to this world.

If my kingdom did belong to this world,

my attendants would be fighting

to keep me from being handed over to the Jews.

But as it is, my kingdom is not here."

So Pilate said to him,

"Then you are a king?"

Jesus answered,

"You say I am a king.

For this I was born and for this I came into the world,

to testify to the truth.

Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice."

Pilate said to him, "What is truth?"

When he had said this,

he again went out to the Jews and said to them,

"I find no guilt in him.

But you have a custom that I release one prisoner to you at Passover.

Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?"

They cried out again,

"Not this one but Barabbas!"

Now Barabbas was a revolutionary.

Then Pilate took Jesus and had him scourged.

And the soldiers wove a crown out of thorns and placed it on his head,

and clothed him in a purple cloak,

and they came to him and said,

"Hail, King of the Jews!"

And they struck him repeatedly.

Once more Pilate went out and said to them,

"Look, I am bringing him out to you,

so that you may know that I find no guilt in him."

So Jesus came out,

wearing the crown of thorns and the purple cloak.

And he said to them, "Behold, the man!"

When the chief priests and the guards saw him they cried out,

"Crucify him, crucify him!"

Pilate said to them,

"Take him yourselves and crucify him.

I find no guilt in him."

The Jews answered,

"We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die,

because he made himself the Son of God."

Now when Pilate heard this statement,

he became even more afraid,

and went back into the praetorium and said to Jesus,

"Where are you from?"

Jesus did not answer him.

So Pilate said to him,

"Do you not speak to me?

Do you not know that I have power to release you

and I have power to crucify you?"

Jesus answered him,

"You would have no power over me

if it had not been given to you from above.

For this reason the one who handed me over to you

has the greater sin."

Consequently, Pilate tried to release him; but the Jews cried out,

"If you release him, you are not a Friend of Caesar.

Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar."

When Pilate heard these words he brought Jesus out

and seated him on the judge's bench

in the place called Stone Pavement, in Hebrew, Gabbatha.

It was preparation day for Passover, and it was about noon.

And he said to the Jews,

"Behold, your king!"

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 he handed him over to them to be crucified.

So they took Jesus, and, carrying the cross himself,

he went out to what is called the Place of the Skull,

in Hebrew, Golgotha.

There they crucified him, and with him two others,

one on either side, with Jesus in the middle.

Pilate also had an inscription written and put on the cross.

It read,

"Jesus the Nazorean, the King of the Jews."

Now many of the Jews read this inscription,

because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city;

and it was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek.

So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate,

"Do not write 'The King of the Jews,'

but that he said, 'I am the King of the Jews'."

Pilate answered,

"What I have written, I have written."

When the soldiers had crucified Jesus,

they took his clothes and divided them into four shares,

a share for each soldier.

They also took his tunic, but the tunic was seamless,

woven in one piece from the top down.

So they said to one another,

"Let's not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it will be, "

in order that the passage of Scripture might be fulfilled that says:

They divided my garments among them,

and for my vesture they cast lots.

This is what the soldiers did.

Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother

and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas,

and Mary of Magdala.

When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved

he said to his mother, "Woman, behold, your son."

Then he said to the disciple,

"Behold, your mother."

And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.

After this, aware that everything was now finished,

in order that the Scripture might be fulfilled,

Jesus said, "I thirst."

There was a vessel filled with common wine.

So they put a sponge soaked in wine on a sprig of hyssop

and put it up to his mouth.

When Jesus had taken the wine, he said,

"It is finished."

And bowing his head, he handed over the spirit.

Here all kneel and pause for a short time.

Now since it was preparation day,

in order that the bodies might not remain on the cross on the sabbath,

for the sabbath day of that week was a solemn one,

the Jews asked Pilate that their legs be broken

and that they be taken down.

So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first

and then of the other one who was crucified with Jesus.

But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead,

they did not break his legs,

but one soldier thrust his lance into his side,

and immediately blood and water flowed out.

An eyewitness has testified, and his testimony is true;

he knows that he is speaking the truth,

so that you also may come to believe.

For this happened so that the Scripture passage might be fulfilled:

Not a bone of it will be broken.

And again another passage says:

They will look upon him whom they have pierced.

After this, Joseph of Arimathea,

secretly a disciple of Jesus for fear of the Jews,

asked Pilate if he could remove the body of Jesus.

And Pilate permitted it.

So he came and took his body.

Nicodemus, the one who had first come to him at night,

also came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes

weighing about one hundred pounds.

They took the body of Jesus

and bound it with burial cloths along with the spices,

according to the Jewish burial custom.

Now in the place where he had been crucified there was a garden,

and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had yet been buried.

So they laid Jesus there because of the Jewish preparation day;

for the tomb was close by.

Praise to You Oh Lord Jesus Christ!

From Word Among Us WAU.org

Daily Meditation: Isaiah 52:13–53:12

He surrendered himself to death. (Isaiah 53:12)

Good Friday ranks as one of the most somber days of the year, and yet we call it good. It is good because on this day, our good God saved us. As we remember the events of Jesus' arrest and death, we contemplate how he freely laid down his life for us and was "obedient to death, even death on a cross" (Philippians 2:8). We look upon our crucified Savior, who offered himself as a sacrifice for our sins. And with eyes of faith, we can see beyond his suffering and death to the empty tomb and to his victory over sin and death for all of us.

So if you want to have a Good Friday, "Behold, your king" today (John 19:14). If you are able, go to church, and celebrate the Stations of the Cross or Good Friday of the Lord's Passion. Sit before the Lord, look upon the cross, and adore your King, Jesus. Even if you can't leave home, you can still behold your God. Look at a crucifix or a holy card—or even the cover of this magazine! You might even watch a movie about Jesus' passion and death if you can. Whatever you do, behold him.

Look upon Jesus as he is crowned with thorns. See his back, torn from scourging at the hands of sinful men. See his bleeding face as he endures mocking and spitting. Watch as he looks down from the cross at his sorrowful mother and St. John and says, "Woman, behold, your son. . . . Behold, your mother" (John 19:26, 27). Look upon his outstretched arms as he offers himself wholly to God. See his pierced hands and feet, nailed to the wood of the cross. Listen as he declares, "It is finished" (19:30).

As you do, ask the Holy Spirit to help you grasp the immensity of Jesus' love for you. Marvel that the Lord of heaven, who could have summoned legions of angels to save him, endured the cross because he loves you. Let the Spirit fill you with wonder and awe as you behold your King surrendering himself for you. Then imitate him by surrendering your burdens and worries, your hopes and dreams, into the open arms of your Savior.

"We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you, because by your holy cross, you have redeemed the world!"

Psalm 31:2, 6, 12-13, 15-17, 25

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

John 18:1–19:42

Reflections with Brother Adrian:

Audio of 2 Cents

From today's Holy Gospel:

".. When Jesus had taken the wine, he said,

"It is finished."

And bowing his head, he handed over the spirit.

Here all kneel and pause for a short time.

Not a bone of it will be broken.

And again another passage says:

They will look upon him whom they have pierced. ..."

From Roberto Juarez:

"Good Friday is not a day for many explanations. It is a day to look at the cross. To stop. To allow ourselves to be questioned. Because on the cross we see how far God's love goes, how much we are worth to Him, how much sin costs, and how much mercy is offered to us.
Today we cannot remain as spectators. The cross asks us for an answer. We can pass by... or we can get closer. We can stay on the surface... Or we can let ourselves be touched by this love. Perhaps today is a good day to give thanks, to ask for forgiveness, to reconcile, to return to God.
Today we contemplate the cross. It is not an empty symbol. It is the sign of the greatest love. A love that does not stop in the face of suffering. A love that does not give up in the face of rejection. A love that gives everything. Let us approach the cross with faith. Let's adore it. And let this love transform our lives. Because from the cross, Christ continues to say to each one of us: "I love you. To the extreme." end quote.

Today...is a solemn day. Of all the beautiful things in the world...of all the sadness of the world, what does all of this mean in light of the crucifixion?
They speak about glory. The glory day.

We tend to think of glory as triumph...but that is not the same. The glory is in the action, in what happened in that time, in life..in history, of a war, and of the basking of the fullness of the deliverance of what life had to offer.

Christ entered. He enters as a warrior. With the help of online search we find:

"Old Testament scriptures portray the Messiah as a divine warrior-king, destined to save Israel, destroy cosmic enemies, and establish justice with immense power

. Key texts include Isaiah 63:1–6 (garments stained in battle), Psalm 110:1-2 (ruling amidst enemies), and Isaiah 42:13 (the Lord going forth as a warrior).

Key Old Testament Warrior Messiah Scriptures

▪	Isaiah 63:1-6: Describes a magnificent figure marching in strength from Edom with crimsoned garments, having trodden the winepress of divine vengeance to save his people.

▪	Psalm 110:1-6: Prophesies the Messiah sitting at God's right hand until enemies are made his footstool, ruling in the midst of enemies, and shattering kings.

▪	Isaiah 42:13-16: Depicts the Lord acting as a man of war, stirring up zeal, raising a war cry, and prevailing against enemies to establish justice.

▪	Numbers 24:17-19: Prophesies a "star" and "scepter" (ruler) rising out of Jacob who will crush the foreheads of Moab.

▪	Zechariah 9:9-10: Portrays a righteous, victorious king who, despite riding a humble donkey, will rule from sea to sea and cut off battle chariots.

▪	Zephaniah 3:17: Identifies the Lord God as the "Mighty Warrior who saves" and takes delight in his people.

▪	Isaiah 59:15-20: Depicts the Redeemer as a warrior armed for battle, putting on righteousness as a breastplate and garments of vengeance.

➪Key Themes of the Warrior Messiah

➾ Divine Vengeance & Victory: The Messiah is portrayed as executing judgment on unrepentant nations and delivering a deathblow to evil.
➾ The "Branch of David": Often tied to the Davidic covenant, ensuring a permanent, royal throne that triumphs over all rivals.
➾ Two-Fold Mission: While appearing lowly in some contexts (Zechariah 9), the same figure returns as a conqueror (Zechariah 12), indicating a two-part mission of suffering and reigning.

➾ Divine Empowerment: He acts not just as a human leader, but as the manifestation of Yahweh's own arm and zeal.

What does the crucifixion mean now? In light of this perspective...what does it mean to you?
If you were baptized into Jesus, into His life and body..you were baptized into His death. What does this mean?

You were chosen in Baptism to represent the Kingdom. Isn't that amazing? A warrior. You were baptized, some of us even as babies...baptized into being a warrior. It is a calling. A calling we should answer in our Confirmation.

Where can you train? Where can you learn about the enemy? Where can you find strength? Where do we do strength training?

The saints have showed us...our strength is in the Lord.

Mother Teresa, and future saint Archbishop Fulton Sheen, all attest to the importance of adoration, of being in His Presence. Ahh!
Now we know why the Lord asks us to be with Him at LEAST one hour a week in Holy Mass on Sunday. But that is the LEAST you should be doing for strength training.
And for more strength? He feeds our souls, physically and spiritually. HE is giving His body from the cross into You...Look at how He is facing as His blood trickles with water out of His heart toward His beloved disciples including His Mother.

"I Am dying for You...to Live".

And we live on...carrying His blood. Carrying His mission. This is not for the weak but for the strong.

We pray today for those that are getting massacred for the name of Christ. The past hundred years have been the most murderous for Christians all over the world. Your faith is being tested. God knows. Such happens in a free will world.
And our Lord Jesus asks for our will ... to be one with His... so we can set the world truly free and on fire for the Love of God who is Love in every sense of the word.

Today, we bask in His blood. May His blood forgive us and heal us. May His last breaths be breathed into our lungs. For the very Breath He breathed is in existence in our world right now.

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Random Bible Verse 1
2 Corinthians 4:16

" So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self1 is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day."

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God Bless You! Peace

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Friday, April 3, 2026