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The Crucifixion of Christ
As they were
going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry
the cross. They came to a place called Golgotha (which
means The Place of the Skull). There they offered Jesus
wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, he refused to drink it. When
they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots. And
sitting down, they kept watch over him there. Above his
head they placed the written charge against him: THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE
JEWS. Two robbers were crucified with him, one on his
right and one on his left. Those who passed by hurled
insults at him, shaking their heads and saying,
"You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save
yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!"
In the same way the chief priests,
the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. "He
saved others," they said, "but he can't save himself! He's the King of
Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. He
trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, 'I am the
Son of God.' " In the same way the robbers who were
crucified with him also heaped insults on him.
From the sixth hour until the
ninth hour darkness came over all the land. About the
ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"—which
means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
When some of those standing there heard this, they said, "He's calling Elijah."
Immediately one of them ran and
got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it
to Jesus to drink. The rest said, "Now leave him
alone. Let's see if Elijah comes to save him."
And when Jesus had cried out again
in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.
At that moment the curtain of the
temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. The
tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to
life. They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus'
resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.
When the centurion and those with
him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they
were terrified, and exclaimed, "Surely he was the Son of God!"
Many women were there, watching
from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs. Among
them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of
Zebedee's sons.
Text: Matthew 27: 32 - 56
Image: EWTN