First Reading, Isaiah 50:4-7

The Historical Situation: In the middle section of the book of the prophet Isaiah, chapters 40-55, there are four short passages which scholars have called the Songs of the Suffering Servant. They're about a mysterious figure, who sometimes speaks in the first person, and whom God sometimes addresses. Sometimes the Servant is described as a prophet, sometimes as one whose suffering brings about a benefit for the people. In the original author's mind, the servant was probably a figure for the people of Israel, or for a faithful remnant within the people. Jesus saw aspects of his own life and mission foreshadowed in the Servant Songs, and the church refers to them in this time of solemn meditation on the climax of Jesus' life.

Today's is the third Servant Song. On Good Friday we proclaim the fourth, Isaiah 52:13-53:12. The others are Isaiah 42:1-9 and Isaiah 49:1-6.

Proclaiming It: Read the passage to the assembly slowly, meditatively, in as "personal" a tone as you can muster. Read it as if you're the Servant, talking to yourself, trying to remain convinced that the hardship required by fidelity is worth it. Pause before the last sentence, "The Lord God is my help ..." Then proclaim the sentence with firm resolution.

Second Reading, Philippians 2:6-11

The Literary Background: In the original Greek, this passage has a rhythm that suggests it may be a hymn which Saint Paul is quoting. If so, it may represent a very early Christian understanding of who Jesus is and of how his mission saves us from sin and death. It's something Paul received from those who had been converted to Christ even earlier than he.

(Religious movements have always expressed themselves in song first, before they get around to having their doctrinal debates, heresies, apologists, councils, books, universities, inquisitions, etc. So early hymns offer precious insight into the original genius of the movement. Ideas with a musical expression get down deep into our memories, and our souls, in a way that merely verbal formulas cannot. That's why we remember the words of songs, even nursery songs from forty, sixty, eighty years ago, better than we remember other sentences we've read and heard more recently and more often.)

Christians reading this passage today are joined with the first people who ever pondered the meaning of Jesus' life and mission. We're singing their song, reciting their creed, at the time of year we're remembering the most important things Our Lord did.

The Theological Background: This passage sums up the most important things about Jesus, heedless of the less relevant details. Note the structure of Jesus' life:

• Jesus was divine from all eternity ("in the form of God")
• But he didn't cling to that
• Rather, he emptied himself (of divine status) and became human
• He accepted further humbling by obeying the human condition even unto death by crucifixion
• So God highly exalted him, giving him the highest title in the universe
• We acclaim him with that title, Lord
• All creation so acclaims him

The Lector's Proclamation: The early martyrs staked their lives on this kernel of gospel truth. So it demands a solemn proclamation, slow and, if possible, rhythmic. Make it rise to a crescendo at the end, as you summon every tongue, every tongue in heaven and on earth, to proclaim that

Jesus Christ is Lord!

Links to Passion texts online

As the discussion below from 2015 shows, Stephan Peters diligently searched the Web for online versions of the passion narratives. (I have been remiss in not thanking Stephan publicly until now.) For 2018, I've confirmed his findings, and happily direct you to:

• A complete Holy Week Missal from the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong. Translation matches the U.S.A. Catholic version. Passion Sunday gospel passages are found as follows (Reconfirmed in 2022, page numbers as they appear in the .pdf, rather than how your browser might suggest):
  

  	year A, Matthew, long form: p. 16, short form: p. 28
  	year B, Mark,    long form: p. 32, short form: p. 42
  	year C, Luke,    long form: p. 45, short form: p. 55
        

• A Microsoft Word document with procession and passion narratives, Matthew, Mark & Luke, years A, B & C, also from Catholic Hong Kong (and reconfirmed in 2022).


• New here in 2021, from Saint Didacus Church, Sylmar, California, USA:
  • Passion according to Mark, 4 voices, Narrator's parts in bold.
  
  

Here are links to the Passion narratives in the New American Bible web pages, not in lectionary format, at the site of the U.S. Catholic Conference of Catholic Bishops:

Passion Sunday, year A Matthew 26:14-27:66

Passion Sunday, year B Mark 14:1-15:47

Passion Sunday, year C Luke 22:14-23:56