Holy Friday

After this, aware that everything was now finished, in order that the Scripture might be fulfilled, Jesus said, "I thirst."  John 19:28

Chorus and Chorale: 

Kommt, ihr Töchter, helft mir klagen! Sehet !Wen? Den Bräutigam. 

Come, ye daughters, help me lament! Behold! Whom? The Bridegroom. 

Seht ihn! Wie? Als wie ein Lamm! Sehet! Was? Seht die Geduld. 

Behold him! How? Like a lamb. Behold! What? Behold his patience.

Seht! Wohin? Auf unsre Schuld. Sehet ihn aus Lieb und Huld 

Behold! Where? Behold our guilt. Behold Him, out of love and graciousness, 

Holz zum Kreuze selber tragen!

Himself carrying the wood of the cross. 

Chorale: 

O Lamm Gottes, unschuldig am Stamm des Kreuzes geschlachtet, 

O guiltless Lamb of God, slaughtered on the stem of the cross, 

Allzeit erfunden geduldig, wiewohl du warest verachtet. 

Always found patient, although thou wast despised. 

All Sünd hast du getragen, sonst müßten wir verzagen.

All sin hast thou borne, else we must have despaired. 

Holz zum Kreuze selber tragen! 

Himself carrying the wood of the cross. 

Erbarm dich unser, o Jesu!

Have mercy upon us, O Jesus!

Passion Friday

Christ suffered for you and left you an example, to have you follow in his footsteps. In his own body he brought your sins to the cross, so that all of us, dead to sin, could live in accordance with God's will. By his wounds you were healed.

1 Peter 2:21, 24 (Office of Vespers)

As the firstborn among many, Christ suffered his passion and death are not merely an example for us to follow, an inspiration or exhortation, but an act by which he took on all human suffering. In the infinite depths of God's suffering, all human suffering becomes a participation, a share of inheritance through adoption as sons through Jesus Christ so that we might have a share in his glory. Our suffering is then never wholly our own, but an invitation for deeper union with God when his fear and pain frees us from our own.

Chorale: 

Erkenne mich, mein Hüter, mein Hirte, nimm mich an!

Know me, my keeper, my Shepherd, take me to thee!

Von dir, Quell aller Güter, ist mir viel Gut's getan.

By thee, Source of all good things, hath much good befallen me.

Dein Mund hat mich gelabet mit Milch und süßer Kost.

Thy mouth hath refreshed me with milk and sweetmeats.

Dein Geist hat mich begabet mit mancher Himmelslust.

Thy spirit hath favored me with many a heavenly longing.

Ich will hier bei dir stehen; verachte mich doch nicht!

I would here stand beside thee; do not then scorn me!

Von dir will ich nicht gehen, wenn dir dein Herze bricht;

From thee I would not depart even if thy heart is breaking;

Wenn dein Herz wird erblaßen im letzten Todesstoß,

When thy heart shall turn pale in the last pang of death,

Alsdann will ich dich faßen in meinen Arm und Schoß.

Even then I would enfold thee in my arms and lap.

O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden, voll Schmerz und voller Hohn!

O Head, full of blood and wounds, full of sorrow and full of scorn!

O Haupt, zum Spott gebunden mit einer Dornenkron!

O Head, for mockery bound with a crown of thorns!

O Haupt, sonst schön gezieret mit höchster Ehr' und Zier,

O Head, once beautifully adorned with the highest honor and renown,

Jetzt aber höchst schimpfieret: gegrüßet sei'st du mir!

But now most abused: hailed be thou by me!

Du edles Angesichte, davor sonst schrickt und scheut

Thou noble countenance, before which shrinks and shies

Das große Weltgewichte, wie bist du so bespeit!

The great weight of the world, how thou art spat upon!

Wie bist du so erbleichet! Wer hat dein Augenlicht,

How thou art turned so pallid! Who has thine eyes,

Dem sonst kein Licht nicht gleichet, so schändlich zugericht't?

Them to which no light is equal, so shamefully abused?

Wenn ich einmal soll scheiden, so scheide nicht von mir;

When once I must depart, then do not depart from me;

Wenn ich den Tod soll leiden, so tritt du dann herfür!

When I my death must suffer, then stand thou beside me!

Wenn mir am allerbängsten wird um das Herze sein,

When most filled with fear my heart will be,

So reiß mich aus den Ängsten Kraft deiner Angst und Pein!

Then pluck me from the terrors of fear and pain by thy strength!

Passion Wednesday

“If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples,

and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

If the Son frees you, then you will be free indeed."

John 8:31b-32, 36

Chorale:

Christe, du Lamm Gottes, der du trägst die Sünd der Welt, erbarm dich unser. 

O Christ, thou Lamb of God, thou that takest the sins of the world, have mercy on us.

Christe, du Lamm Gottes, der du trägst die Sünd der Welt, erbarm dich unser. 

O Christ, thou Lamb of God, thou that takest the sins of the world, have mercy on us.

Christe, du Lamm Gottes, der du trägst die Sünd der Welt, gib uns deinen Frieden. Amen.

O Christ, thou Lamb of God, thou that takest the sins of the world, give unto us thy peace. Amen.

For freedom Christ has set us free. Freedom in Christ is fundamentally different from how we understand human freedom. By our free will, we have the power to do as we choose; in Christ, we have freedom from sin and the power to do God's will, the fulfillment of freedom. 

The world proclaims that by exercising our will we shall be more ourselves, but exercise of our independence is not the purpose of our being; our deepest longing is for love, a longing that is only fulfilled by Love itself, and upon finding one pearl of great value, there is no hesitation to sacrifice everything to obtain it. 

Passion Monday

“Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you? Neither do I condemn you; go, and do not sin any more.”

John 8:10, 11b

Chorale:
Herzliebster Jesu, was hast du verbrochen, Dass man ein solch scharf Urteil hat gesprochen?
Dearest Jesus, what hast thou perpetrated that man so harsh a sentence hath spoken?

Was ist die Schuld, in was für Missetaten Bist du geraten?
What is your guilt, and for what evil deeds art thou convicted?


Jesus, although himself sinless, condemned no sinners. As the Truth, he judged those guilty of sin for the purpose of calling them to conversion. Truth reveals sin but condemnation is self-inflicted by the one who persists unrepentant. Jesus was judged unjustly, oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; but although Truth judged all sinners by this act, he still did not condemn but promised the repentant sinner today you shall be with me in paradise.