Responsorial Psalm
I rejoiced with those who said to me,
"Let us go to the house of the Lord!"
And now we have set foot
within your gates, O Jerusalem!
Jerusalem, just like a city,
where everything falls into place!
There the tribes go up,
the tribes of the Lord, the assembly of Israel,
to give thanks to the Lord's name,
There the tribes go up,
the tribes of the Lord, the assembly of Israel,
to give thanks to the Lord's name,
There stand the courts of justice
the offices of the house of David.
2nd. READING (Col 1,12-20)
Constantly give thanks to the Father who has empowered us to receive our share in the
inheritance of the saints in his kingdom of light. He rescued us from the power of
darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son. In him we are
redeemed and forgiven. He is the image of the unseen God, and for all creation he is
the firstborn, for in him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and
invisible: thrones, rulers, authorities, powers... All was made through him and for him.
He is before all and all things hold together in him. And he is the head of the body,
that is the Church, for he is the first, the first raised from the dead that he may be the
first in everything, for God was pleased to let fullness dwell in him. Through him God
willed to reconcile all things to himself, and through him, through his blood shed on
the cross, God establishes peace, on earth as in Heaven.
Gospel
The people stood by watching. As for the rulers, they jeered at him, saying to one
another, "Let the man who saved others now save himself, for he is the Messiah, the
chosen one of God!" The soldiers also mocked him and when they drew near to offer
him bitter wine, they said, "So you are the king of the Jews? Free yourself!" For
above him was an inscription which read, "This is the King of the Jews." One of the
criminals hanging with Jesus insulted him, "So you are the Messiah? Save yourself
and us as well!" But the other rebuked him, saying, "Have you no fear of God, you
who received the same sentence as he did? For us it is just: this is payment for what
we have done. But this man has done nothing wrong." And he said, "Jesus, remember
me when you come into your kingdom." Jesus replied, "Truly, you will be with me
today in paradise."
