Memorial Reading for Sunday, April 5, 2009

Luke 22:29-44

Nisan 9, 33 C.E.
And when he got near to Bethphage and Bethany at the mountain called Mount of Olives, he sent forth two of the disciples, saying: "Go into the village that is within sight of you, and in it after you pass in you will find a colt tied, on which none of mankind ever sat. Loose it and bring it. But if anyone asks you, 'Why is it you are loosing it?' You must speak in this way, 'The Lord needs it.'" So those who were sent forth departed and found it just as he said to them. But as they were loosing the colt the owners of it said to them: "Why are you loosing the colt?" They said: "The Lord needs it." And they led it to Jesus, and they threw their outer garments upon the colt and set Jesus upon it.

As he moved along they kept spreading their outer garments on the road. As soon as he got near the road down the Mount of Olives all the multitude of the disciples started to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice concerning all the powerful works they had seen, saying: "Blessed is the One coming as the King in Jehovah’s name! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest places!" However, some of the Pharisees from the crowd said to him: "Teacher, rebuke your disciples." But in reply he said: "I tell you, If these remained silent, the stones would cry out."

And when he got nearby, he viewed the city and wept over it, saying: "If you, even you, had discerned in this day the things having to do with peace—but now they have been hid from your eyes. Because the days will come upon you when your enemies will build around you a fortification with pointed stakes and will encircle you and distress you from every side, and they will dash you and your children within you to the ground, and they will not leave a stone upon a stone in you, because you did not discern the time of your being inspected."