HOSANNA!
NARRATOR: When the great crowd of people coming to Jerusalem for the Passover feast heard Jesus was coming into the city, they took palm branches and went out to meet him.
CROWD: Hosanna. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
NARRATOR: Jesus found a young donkey and rode it, as is written in scripture, “Fear not, daughter Zion. Your king comes sitting on the foal of a donkey.”
MEAL
NARRATOR: Jesus sent two disciples ahead to prepare a Passover meal. As the sun set, Jesus and the Twelve arrived and reclined at the table.
JESUS: One of you is about to betray me.
DISCIPLES: (one by one) Not I.
JESUS: One of you who is dipping in the same dish with me.
NARRATOR: During the meal Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to his disciples.
JESUS: Take this; this is my body.
NARRATOR: In the same way he took a cup, gave thanks and passed it to them, and all drank from it.
JESUS: This is my blood, the blood of the covenant, to be poured out on behalf of many. I will never drink again of the fruit of the vine until the day I drink it new in the kingdom of God.
NARRATOR: They sang songs of praise, then walked out to the Mount of Olives.
GARDEN
JESUS: Your faith in me will be shaken. The scripture says it, “I will strike down the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered.” But after I am raised up, I will go to Galilee ahead of you.
PETER: My faith in you will never be shaken.
JESUS: Tonight before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times.
PETER: If I have to die with you, I will not deny you.
DISCIPLES: Count us in, too.
NARRATOR: Jesus took Peter, James, and John to a garden place called Gethsemani.
JESUS: My heart is full of sorrow. Sit here and stay awake. (Goes on and bows to the ground.) Abba, you have power to do all things. Take this cup from me. But let it be according to your will, not mine.
NARRATOR: After he prayed, Jesus found his friends asleep.
JESUS: Peter, you couldn’t stay awake for an hour? Pray that you are not put to the test.
NARRATOR: Judas and a crowd with swords and clubs found Jesus. The chief priests and some of the other religious leaders sent them. Judas had arranged to point Jesus out by kissing him.
JUDAS: Teacher. (Kisses, embraces Jesus.)
NARRATOR: The crowd arrested Jesus and led him off to the high priest’s house. Jesus’ disciples all fled, except Peter who followed at a distance to the high priest’s courtyard.
TRIAL
NARRATOR: The chief priests and many leaders who were part of the religious council called the Sanhedrin gathered together to hear witnesses against Jesus.
HIGH PRIEST: Have you an answer to these witnesses?
NARRATOR: Jesus remained silent.
HIGH PRIEST: Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?
JESUS: I am. And you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power and coming with the clouds of heaven.
HIGH PRIEST: You have heard this blasphemy. What is your verdict?
SANHEDRIN: Guilty.
NARRATOR: Some spit on him. They blindfolded him and hit him, asking him to play the prophet and tell who did it. Meanwhile in the courtyard outside, a servant girl noticed Peter.
SERVANT: You have been with Jesus of Nazareth.
PETER: I don’t know what you are talking about.
NARRATOR: A cock crowed.
SERVANT: (to bystander) That man is one of them.
PETER: No, I am not.
BYSTANDER: You are, too, one of them. You’re from Galilee, aren’t you?
PETER: I don’t even know the man you are talking about.
NARRATOR: At that moment a cock crowed a second time. Peter heard it, remembered Jesus’ prediction, and began to weep.
PILATE
NARRATOR: At daybreak, the Sanhedrin bound Jesus, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate, the chief Roman official in Israel.
PILATE: Are you the king of the Jews?
JESUS: You are the one who is saying it.
NARRATOR: The chief priests accused him of plots against the government.
PILATE: Surely you have an answer to these accusations.
NARRATOR: Jesus made no further answer. Pilate wanted to honor the custom of releasing a prisoner on the Passover feast. He spoke to the crowd.
PILATE: Do you want me to release the king of the Jews?
CROWD: We want Barabbas.
PILATE: What shall I do with the king of the Jews?
CROWD: Crucify him.
NARRATOR: Pilate released the rebel Barabbas and ordered Jesus to be scourged and crucified. Roman soldiers took him inside their fortress, dressed him in purple, wove a crown of thorns, and put it on him.
SOLDIERS: Hail, king of the Jews.
NARRATOR: They hit his head with reeds, spit at him, and genuflected before him. When they finished mocking him, they led him away to crucify him.
CROSS
NARRATOR: The soldiers made a man named Simon from Cyrene in Africa carry Jesus’ cross. They walked Jesus outside the city to the hill called Golgotha. They offered him drugged wine but he refused. They crucified him and rolled dice for his garments. The inscription proclaiming his offense read: “The King of the Jews.” They crucified two rebels, one on either side of him. It was about nine in the morning.
PEOPLE: Save yourself by coming down from that cross.
CHIEF PRIESTS: He saved others but he cannot save himself.
SCRIBES: Let the Messiah and King of Israel come down from that cross, so that we can see it and believe in him.
JESUS: My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
BYSTANDERS: He’s calling Elijah. Let’s see if Elijah comes and takes him down.
NARRATOR: Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last. At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the temple tore from top to bottom.
CENTURION: Surely this man was the Son of God.
NARRATOR: Many women watched at a distance. Mary Magdalene, Mary, the mother of James the younger and Joses, and Salome were among them. They had followed Jesus from Galilee and served him.
NARRATOR: Joseph of Arimathea, a member of the Sanhedrin, who believed in Jesus, asked Pilate for his body and buried him before the sun set and Sabbath began. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses observed where he had been laid.
TOMB
NARRATOR: Mary Magdalene, Mary, the mother of James, and Salome bought sweet-smelling oil to anoint Jesus. Very early in the morning on the day after Sabbath, they went to the tomb.
MARY: Who will roll back the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?
NARRATOR: When they arrived, the huge stone had been rolled back. They entered the tomb and saw a young man sitting at the right dressed in a white robe. They were startled.
YOUNG MAN: Don’t be afraid. You are seeking Jesus of Nazareth, the one who was crucified. He has been raised up; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. Go tell his disciples and Peter, “He is going ahead of you to Galilee, where you will see him just as he told you.”
NARRATOR: The women hurried out and fled from the tomb. They were beside themselves and trembling. They told no one anything, for they were afraid.
Mark 14.1-16.8