St. Edmund of Canterbury & St. Thomas More
Palm Sunday of the Passion, Year c, 2022
Dear Friends in Christ THIS IS HOLY WEEK
We are about to embark upon our Holy Week 2022. Thank God we are able to gather with some semblance of normality once again for our Holy Week Services, journeying with Our Blessed Lord and accompanying Him in faith and love, through his Pasion & Death, and, to share in the triumph of resurrection Faith on East Easter Day.
Our Palm Sunday celebration reminds us of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the Holy City, to cries of ‘Hosanna to the Son of David’. This, of course, is overshadowed by the religious authorities and crowds, who in a few days’ time will be baying for his blood with the words, ‘Crucify him, crucify him!’ This Palm Sunday sets the scene for the rest of our Holy Week.
THE SACRED TRIDUUM: The three Holy Days – are seen as one continuous celebration of faith. On Holy Thursday we celebrate the Mass of the Lord’s Supper where the institution of the Holy Eucharist took place; the eternal gift the Lord gave to the Apostles on the night before he died. He journey’s to Gethsemane where he prays to the Father. The arrest takes place in the garden; and the Apostles flee in fear.
Good Friday: this sacred and solemn day calls to mind, the cruel treatment of Jesus, the scourging at the pillar, the crowning with thorns, his condemnation through false evidence brought against him. Pilate washes his hands of Jesus, and he begins the journey up the Hill of Calvary to his brutal Crucifixion & Death.
Holy Saturday: Commences with the silence of the Tomb. And yet God raises Jesus out of death. We celebrate the first Mass of Easter at our Vigil celebration. Jesus triumphs over sin and death and invites us to share in the New Life of Resurrection faith.
My Dear Friends in Christ, Palm Sunday 2022
As we enter into the Greatest Week of the Church’s liturgical year, we accompany the Lord Jesus in the days ahead, journeying with him to Jerusalem, the Holy City, to the beauty of the Last Supper & the Lord’s great witness of Service through the Washing of Feet, to the giving of the first Eucharist. His betrayal by Judas, and his arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane. The denial by Peter; the orchestrated and mock trial. His eventual condemnation to death by Pilate; and the horrendous nature of death by Crucifixion. But of course for the Christian this is not the end of the story. Easter Resurrection is our joy and hope. A New Life will begin – the Church was born – and here we are over two thousand years later still celebrating this great event of faith. PLEASE MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO BE A PART OF OUR HOLY WEEK CELEBRATIONS.
PARISH LENTEN PENITENTIAL SERVICE: Traditionally, part of our spiritual preparation for Easter would be to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation. This year on Tuesday 12th April we will have our Penance Service at 8.00pm. There will be visiting priests to help celebrate the Sacrament of Confession; also a Polish priest to accommodate our Polish parishioners. Please can I appeal to all of our parishioners to make a very special effort this year and join us for the Penance Service and receive God’s merciful and loving forgiveness! There is no greater feeling than to be free from the burdens of sin. Unfortunately due to Covid over the past two years we missed out on our Penance Service. Even more reason this year to celebrate the Sacrament.
NORTH AMERICAN COLLEGE STUDENTS: it is with great joy that we welcome back once again Deacons and Seminarians from the Pontifical North American College who will be with us for this Palm Sunday weekend, Holy Week & Easter. There will be ten students during this period, not all at the same time, but we will have five with us for the Triduum & Easter. You are always so kind to them when they’re here. Can I make an appeal to your generosity? My housekeeper is truly wonderful feeding these boys; but could I ask for some desserts. My experience through the years is that they all love desserts, especially home-made desserts, apple pies, trifles, etc. also as you can appreciate they like a drink as well; if anyone has any spare bottles of Whiskey, Gin or Port, it would not be wasted. I hope you don’t mind me asking! Thanking you in anticipation.
Wishing you A Blessed Holy Week,
YOUR PERSONAL EASTER OFFERTORY TO FR JOHN:
ELECTRONIC EASTER OFFERING: This year, as always, envelopes will be available for us to make our Easter Offering, which, as you know, is an opportunity in every Catholic Church for parishioners to make an Easter gift to their Parish Priest, which goes to make up their salary for the Year. This year our Easter Offering can also be made electronically. We just need to transfer the money to the parish account with the reference ‘Easter Offering’; please also quote you Gift Aid Number. Any questions please ask Iain McLay (bloggeriain@gmail.com). The details of the bank account are:
Sort Code: 40-13-22
Account Number: 11019651 ‘EASTER OFFERING’ + Gift Aid Number
Account Name: Catholic Church Loughton St Edmund
WEEKLY OFFERTORY: My sincere thanks to those who are making their weekly contribution of Gift Aid envelopes and through the banking system that has been set up through the Diocese whereby your Offertory can be paid directly into the Parish Account, details below:
Or you can use Parish Bank Account: Using Online Banking
HSBC Sort Code 40-13-22 PLEASE BE GENEROUS IN YOUR
Account Number: 11019651 GIFT TO GOD & HIS CHURCH
EPPING FOREST FOODBANK DONATIONS: Thank you to all parishioners who continue to generously donate items for the Foodbank. They are truly grateful for the generosity our parish has shown and our donations are still needed desperately as more and more people in our community are finding it hard to make ends meet. They will be running their initiative to support families with food over the Easter holidays and these are the items we can help them with: UHT milk, long-life juice, tinned tomatoes, tinned meat, rice pudding, custard, packet noodles, instant mash, tinned spaghetti, tinned fruit, breakfast bars/ snack bars, jam, chocolate spread, sponge puddings, chocolate bars, bottled sauces (Ketchup/brown sauce), small jars of coffee, toilet roll, laundry powder/tablets, razors, shampoo/conditioner and washing up liquid. You can also keep up to date with the Foodbank news via their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/EppingForestFoodbank/
PLEASE TRY TO JOIN US FOR ALL THE BEAUTIFUL
HOLY WEEK CEREMONIES THIS YEAR 2022
RITE OF CHRISTIAN INITIATION OF ADULTS I commend to your prayers Neil MacKinnon & Mark Shelton who are at the final stages of preparation to be received into full communion in the Roman Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil 8.00pm Easter Saturday 16th April. Please come and support Neil & Mark on this very special occasion, celebrating the First Mass of Resurrection. If you want to know more about the RCIA (Journey of Faith) programme, please contact Fr John Telephone No: 020 8508 3492
MASS INTENTIONS: Every day in the parish Holy Mass is offered for various intentions; these are usually at the request of you the parishioners. Most intentions are for deceased loved ones, anniversaries, etc. The origin of the Mass Stipend is very ancient, and goes back to making provision for the priest for one day, as they do not earn a salary as such. At present I only have about two weeks of Mass Intentions booked up. If any parishioner would like a mass intention for any occasion whatsoever, e.g. deceased, birthdays, anniversaries, sick, etc. please complete Mass Intention envelope in the Porch.
SPECIAL APPEAL To all our parishioners who contribute to your parish weekly. Would you please consider to transferring your Weekly Offertory over to a Direct Debit. With the closing of the local HSBC Bank it has been quite difficult paying in the Offertory, and with many banks now only offering a machine deposit service. Please think about this request. Thank you!
PARISH FINANCES: As you can appreciate, during this pandemic the parish income took a severe hit, and we are still not back at the same levels as we were prior to 2020. My sincere and grateful thanks to those who have signed up for online giving and Gift Aid, this is helping. Many parishioners have not returned to the regular practice of faith, and many Gift Aid boxes were not collected this year. Please consider your weekly offertory to God.
PLEASE COLLECT YOUR GIFT AID BOXES THIS WEEKEND
STATIONS OF THE CROSS: The traditional devotion during the Lenten Season. I would encourage all our parishioners to attend the Stations of the Cross either on Fridays at 10.30am or Sundays at 5.00pm. This beautiful devotion follows the last journey made by Jesus on Good Friday to Calvary.
Special Stations of the Cross for Children on Good Friday at 11.00am
CHILDREN’S SUNDAY LITURGY: Thank you for starting children’s Sunday Liturgy again. But we need more help. Parents, can you spare one Sunday every two months to help the children during the 11.00am Mass? We need more parents to join our lovely group. Please contact Mrs Elena Manara at e_vismara@yahoo.com Thank you and we hope to hear from you soon.
Class Teacher vacancy KS2/1/EYFS at St John Fisher, Loughton.
The Governors of St John Fisher Catholic Primary School wish to appoint an excellent, enthusiastic, and caring classroom teacher to join our successful team.Visits to the school are warmly welcomed and encouraged. The closing date for application is Closing date for Applications: 25th April 2022 with interviews 3rd April. Please email finance@st-johnfisher.essex.sch.uk or alternatively call 02085086135. For further details please visit https://www.st-johnfisher.essex.sch.uk/
BIG CHURCH CLEAN FOR HOLY WEEK & EASTER: There will be a Big Church Clean for Easter on Tuesday 12th April from 9.30 onwards – immediately after the 9.00am Mass. Please note that there will be no private prayer after Mass. If you can come for an hour or so to assist with the cleaning of the Church, all volunteers will be most welcome. Please! Please! Please! We need your help. Thank you!
Lilies at Easter 2022
Every year at Easter we remember
our deceased loved one by decorating
the Church with White Lilies.
If you would like to have a stem of lilies placed in
the arrangements throughout the Easter Season,
in memory of a deceased loved one, relatives or friends.
Please complete this form below and return to the
Presbytery in an envelope by Maundy Thursday 14th
April 2022
…………………………………………………………………
St. Edmund of Canterbury: _________
Names: of those remembered: (Please print clearly)
……………………………… ………………………………
……………………………… ………………………………
……………………………… ………………………………
………………………………. .……………………………..
Amount enclosed £……………… Gift Aid No:……………..
From:……………………………………………………
ALL DONATIONS CAN BE GIFT AIDED
Please Use Your Spare Gift Aid Envelopes
PLEASE PRAY FOR THOSE SICK IN OUR PARISH
Carmen Antaki, Margaret Baldwin, Evelyn Bearne, Karl Britz, Carlos Camacho, Jane Downs, Steve Dalgliesh, Pat Fenn, Veronica Godsave, Bernadette Hall, Ann Hawkes, Claire Howes, Jackie Ilines, Noel Johnson, Shaun Keel, Bridget Kinsella, Angela Long, Lilian Mothersole, John McKernan, Rosemary O’Rourke, Geraldine Taylor, Vera Taylor, Mary Witten, James Wright. And all our loved ones.
ANNIVERSARIES: Sheila Tremble RIP. Please pray for all whose anniversaries occur at this time and for all of our deceased loved ones, Requiescant in Pace.
HOLY WEEK VISITATION TO THE SICK: Fr John will bring Holy Communion to the Sick & Housebound during this Holy Week
Diocesan Pilgrimage to Walsingham – 28th May 2022: Join Bishop Alan and other parishes around the Diocese of Brentwood in Walsingham as we celebrate the Year of the Family ‘Hearing and Doing the Word of God’. We will celebrate Mass at the Basilica before walking the Holy Mile to the grounds of Walsingham Abbey to celebrate Vespers and Benediction on the site of the Holy House. If you would like to come we would need to organise a Parish pilgrimage from the Church.
PARISH REPOSITORY: There is a lot of new stock in the repository. A variety of Candles – large and small. Greetings Cards for all occasions. There are some beautiful Easter Cards from Quidenham Carmelite Monastery. Mass Cards for deceased. Children’s books about Lent. There are also a number of CTS little books in a special stand on all sorts of different issues, the saints etc
MASS INTENTIONS, HOLY WEEK & EASTER – APRIL 2022
| Sat 9th | 9.00am | Tony Ironside RIP (Margaret Duffy) |
| Vigil Mass for Sunday. Confessions at 5.30pm | ||
| Sat 9th | 6.00pm | People of the Parish |
| Sun 10th | 9.00am | Sheila Tremble RIP (Tremble Family) |
| Sun 10th Lenten Devotions | 11:00am 5.00pm | Marcela Sanchez RIP (Bacani Family) Holy Hour / Stations of Cross / Benediction |
| Mon 11th | 10.00am | Graham Howes RIP (Howes Family) |
| Tues 12th | 9.00am 8.00pm | Alan & Doreen Wiltshire RIP (Smith Family) Parish Penance Service with visiting clergy |
| Wed 13th | 9.00am 11.00am | Michael O’Donoghue RIP (G O’Donoghue) Chrism Mass at Brentwood Cathedral |
| Thurs 14th | 9.00am 8.00pm | Tenebrae (Office of Readings & Morning Pr) THE MASS OF THE LAST SUPPER Bill Ronan RIP (Mary Ryan) |
| Fri 15th Good Friday | 9.00am 11.00am 3.00pm 7.00pm | Tenebrae (Office of Readings & Morning Pr) Children’s Stations of the Cross THE PASSION OF OUR LORD Solemn Stations of the Cross. All welcome |
| Sat 16th | 10.30am 11.00am | Confessions Rehearsal for Easter Vigil |
| Vigil Mass for Sunday. Confessions at 5.30pm | ||
| Sat 16th | 8.00pm | SOLEM EASTER VIGILJohn & Mary Harvey RIP (Fr John) |
| Sun 17th Easter Day | 9.00am | Catarina Frazoni RIP (Mrs M Cobelli) |
| Sun 17th | 11:00am | Peter Smith RIP (Paul Falco) |
REQUIESCANT IN PACE: In your mercy please pray for the repose of the soul of Elizabeth Quigley RIP, late of this parish, who passed away recently. Her Requiem Mass will take place on Wednesday 20th April at 12.15pm and interment at Barkingside Cemetery at 2.00pm. We extend our condolences to her family in this time of loss.
ALSO: Please pray for the repose of the soul of Vivienne Roe RIP, whose Requiem Mass will take place on Thursday 21st April at 12.15pm, followed by burial at Theydon Bois Cemetery. Our condolences to her family in this time of loss.
Palm Sunday
First Reading : Isaiah 50:4-7
The Lord has given me
a disciple’s tongue.
So that I may know how to reply to the wearied
he provides me with speech.
Each morning he wakes me to hear,
to listen like a disciple.
The Lord has opened my ear.
For my part, I made no resistance,
neither did I turn away.
I offered my back to those who struck me,
my cheeks to those who tore at my beard;
I did not cover my face
against insult and spittle.
The Lord comes to my help,
so that I am untouched by the insults.
So, too, I set my face like flint;
I know I shall not be shamed.
Responsive Psalm : Psalm 21(22):8-9,17-20,23-24
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
All who see me deride me.
They curl their lips, they toss their heads.
‘He trusted in the Lord, let him save him;
let him release him if this is his friend.’
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Many dogs have surrounded me,
a band of the wicked beset me.
They tear holes in my hands and my feet
I can count every one of my bones.
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
They divide my clothing among them.
They cast lots for my robe.
O Lord, do not leave me alone,
my strength, make haste to help me!
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
I will tell of your name to my brethren
and praise you where they are assembled.
‘You who fear the Lord give him praise;
all sons of Jacob, give him glory.
Revere him, Israel’s sons.
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Second Reading : Philippians 2:6-11
His state was divine,
yet Christ Jesus did not cling
to his equality with God
but emptied himself
to assume the condition of a slave
and became as men are;
and being as all men are,
he was humbler yet,
even to accepting death,
death on a cross.
But God raised him high
and gave him the name
which is above all other names
so that all beings
in the heavens, on earth and in the underworld,
should bend the knee at the name of Jesus
and that every tongue should acclaim
Jesus Christ as Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Gospel : Luke 22:14-23:56
Key: N. Narrator. ✠ Jesus. O. Other single speaker. C. Crowd, or more than one speaker.
N. When the hour came, Jesus took his place at table, and the apostles with him. And he said to them,
✠ I have longed to eat this passover with you before I suffer; because, I tell you, I shall not eat it again until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.
N. Then, taking a cup, he gave thanks and said,
✠ Take this and share it among you, because from now on, I tell you, I shall not drink wine until the kingdom of God comes.
N. Then he took some bread, and when he had given thanks, broke it and gave it to them, saying,
✠ This is my body which will be given for you; do this as a memorial of me.
N. He did the same with the cup after supper, and said,
✠ This cup is the new covenant in my blood which will be poured out for you.
And yet, here with me on the table is the hand of the man who betrays me. The Son of Man does indeed go to his fate even as it has been decreed, but alas for that man by whom he is betrayed!
N. And they began to ask one another which of them it could be who was to do this thing.
A dispute arose also between them about which should be reckoned the greatest, but he said to them,
✠ Among pagans it is the kings who lord it over them, and those who have authority over them are given the title Benefactor. This must not happen with you. No; the greatest among you must behave as if he were the youngest, the leader as if he were the one who serves. For who is the greater: the one at table or the one who serves? The one at table, surely? Yet here am I among you as one who serves!
You are the men who have stood by me faithfully in my trials; and now I confer a kingdom on you, just as my Father conferred one on me: you will eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and you will sit on thrones to judge the twelve tribes of Israel.
Simon, Simon! Satan, you must know, has got his wish to sift you all like wheat; but I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail, and once you have recovered, you in your turn must strengthen your brothers.
N. He answered,
O. Lord, I would be ready to go to prison with you, and to death.
N. Jesus replied,
✠ I tell you, Peter, by the time the cock crows today you will have denied three times that you know me.
N. He said to them,
✠ When I sent you out without purse or haversack or sandals, were you short of anything?
N. They answered,
C. No.
N. He said to them,
✠ But now if you have a purse, take it; if you have a haversack, do the same; if you have no sword, sell your cloak and buy one, because I tell you these words of scripture have to be fulfilled in me: He let himself be taken for a criminal. Yes, what scripture says about me is even now reaching its fulfilment.
N. They said,
C. Lord, there are two swords here now.
N. He said to them,
✠ That is enough!
N. He then left to make his way as usual to the Mount of Olives, with the disciples following. When they reached the place he said to them,
✠ Pray not to be put to the test.
N. Then he withdrew from them, about a stone’s throw away, and knelt down and prayed, saying,
✠ Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me. Nevertheless, let your will be done, not mine.
N. Then an angel appeared to him, coming from heaven to give him strength. In his anguish he prayed even more earnestly, and his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood.
When he rose from prayer he went to the disciples and found them sleeping for sheer grief. He said to them,
✠ Why are you asleep? Get up and pray not to be put to the test.
N. He was still speaking when a number of men appeared, and at the head of them the man called Judas, one of the Twelve, who went up to Jesus to kiss him. Jesus said,
✠ Judas, are you betraying the son of Man with a kiss?
N. His followers, seeing what was happening, said,
C. Lord, shall we use our swords?
N. And one of them struck out at the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. But at this Jesus spoke:
✠ Leave off! That will do!
N. And touching the man’s ear he healed him.
Then Jesus spoke to the chief priests and captains of the Temple guard and elders who had come for him. He said,
✠ Am I a brigand, that you had to set out with swords and clubs? When I was among you in the Temple day after day you never moved to lay hands on me. But this is your hour; this is the reign of darkness.
N. They seized him then and led him away, and they took him to the high priest’s house. Peter followed at a distance. They had lit a fire in the middle of the courtyard and Peter sat down among them, and as he was sitting there by the blaze a servant-girl saw him, peered at him, and said,
O. This person was with him too.
N. But he denied it.
O. Woman, I do not know him.
N. Shortly afterwards someone else saw him and said,
O. You are another of them.
N. But Peter replied,
O. I am not, my friend.
N. About an hour later another man insisted, saying,
O. This fellow was certainly with him. Why, he is a Galilean.
N. Peter said,
O. My friend, I do not know what you are talking about.
N. At that instant, while he was still speaking, the cock crew, and the Lord turned and looked straight at Peter, and Peter remembered what the Lord had said to him, ‘Before the cock crows today, you will have disowned me three times.’ And he went outside and wept bitterly.
Meanwhile the men who guarded Jesus were mocking and beating him. They blindfolded him and questioned him, saying,
C. Play the prophet. Who hit you then?
N. And they continued heaping insults on him.
When day broke there was a meeting of the elders of the people, attended by the chief priests and scribes. He was brought before their council, and they said to him,
C. If you are the Christ, tell us.
N. He replied,
✠ If I tell you, you will not believe me, and if I question you, you will not answer. But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the Power of God.
N. Then they all said,
C. So you are the Son of God then?
N. He answered:
✠ It is you who say I am.
N. They said,
C. What need of witnesses have we now? We have heard it for ourselves from his own lips.
N. The whole assembly then rose, and they brought him before Pilate.
They began their accusation by saying,
C. We found this man inciting our people to revolt, opposing payment of the tribute to Caesar, and claiming to be Christ, a king.
N. Pilate put to him this question:
O. Are you the king of the Jews?
N. He replied,
✠ It is you who say it.
N. Pilate then said to the chief priests and the crowd,
O. I find no case against this man.
N. But they persisted,
C. He is inflaming the people with his teaching all over Judaea; it has come all the way from Galilee, where he started, down to here.
N. When Pilate heard this, he asked if the man were a Galilean; and finding that he came under Herod’s jurisdiction he passed him over to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time.
Herod was delighted to see Jesus; he had heard about him and had been wanting for a long time to set eyes on him; moreover, he was hoping to see some miracle worked by him. So he questioned him at some length; but without getting any reply. Meanwhile the chief priests and the scribes were there, violently pressing their accusations. Then Herod, together with his guards, treated him with contempt and made fun of him; he put a rich cloak on him and sent him back to Pilate. And though Herod and Pilate had been enemies before, they were reconciled that same day.
Pilate then summoned the chief priests and the leading men and the people. He said,
O. You brought this man before me as a political agitator. Now I have gone into the matter myself in your presence and found no case against the man in respect of all the charges you bring against him. Nor has Herod either, since he has sent him back to us. As you can see, the man has done nothing that deserves death, So I shall have him flogged and then let him go.
N. But as one man they howled,
C. Away with him! Give us Barabbas!
N. (This man had been thrown into prison for causing a riot in the city and for murder.)
Pilate was anxious to set Jesus free and addressed them again, but they shouted back,
C. Crucify him! Crucify him!
N. And for the third time he spoke to them,
O. Why? What harm has this man done? I have found no case against him that deserves death, so I shall have him punished and then let him go.
N. But they kept on shouting at the top of their voices, demanding that he should be crucified. And their shouts were growing louder.
Pilate then gave his verdict: their demand was to be granted. He released the man they asked for, who had been imprisoned for rioting and murder, and handed Jesus over to them to deal with as they pleased.
As they were leading him away they seized on a man, Simon from Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and made him shoulder the cross and carry it behind Jesus. Large numbers of people followed him, and of women too, who mourned and lamented for him. But Jesus turned to them and said,
✠ Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep rather for yourselves and for your children. For the days will surely come when people will say, ‘Happy are those who are barren, the wombs that have never borne, the breasts that have never suckled!’ Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us!’; to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ For if men use the green wood like this, what will happen when it is dry?
N. Now with him they were also leading out two other criminals to be executed.
When they reached the place called The Skull, they crucified him there and the two criminals also, one on the right, the other on the left. Jesus said,
✠ Father, forgive them; they do not know what they are doing.
N. Then they cast lots to share out his clothing.
The people stayed there watching him. As for the leaders, they jeered at him, saying,
C. He saved others, let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.
N. The soldiers mocked him too, and when they approached to offer vinegar they said,
C. If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.
N. Above him there was an inscription: ‘This is the King of the Jews.’
One of the criminals hanging there abused him, saying,
O. Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us as well.
N. But the other spoke up and rebuked him:
O. Have you no fear of God at all? You got the same sentence as he did, but in our case we deserved it: we are paying for what we did. But this man has done nothing wrong. Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.
N. He replied,
✠ Indeed, I promise you, today you will be with me in paradise.
N. It was now about the sixth hour and, with the sun eclipsed, a darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. The veil of the Temple was torn right down the middle; and when Jesus had cried out in a loud voice, he said,
✠ Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.
N. With these words he breathed his last.
All kneel and pause a moment
When the centurion saw what had taken place, he gave praise to God and said,
O. This was a great and good man.
N. And when all the people who had gathered for the spectacle saw what had happened, they went home beating their breasts.
All his friends stood at a distance; so also did the women who had accompanied him from Galilee, and they saw all this happen.
Then a member of the council arrived, an upright and virtuous man named Joseph. He had not consented to what the others had planned and carried out. He came from Arimathaea, a Jewish town, and he lived in the hope of seeing the kingdom of God. This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. He then took it down, wrapped it in a shroud and put him in a tomb which was hewn in stone in which no one had yet been laid. It was Preparation Day and the sabbath was imminent.
Meanwhile the women who had come from Galilee with Jesus were following behind. They took note of the tomb and of the position of the body.
Then they returned and prepared spices and ointments. And on the sabbath day they rested, as the Law required.
St Edmund of Canterbury 