Responsive Reading: Matthew 5 : 6, 8, 11, 12, 43-46, 48

6.     Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

8.     Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

11.     Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

12.     Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

43.     Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.

44.     But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

45.     That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

46.     For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

48.     Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

1. Matthew 26 : 6-8 (to 2nd ,), 10, 12, 13, 20-29, 32, 36, 38-40, 42, 43 (to :), 44, 45, 46 (behold), 47, 49, 50

6     Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper,

7     There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat.

8     But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation,

10     When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me.

12     For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial.

13     Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.

20     Now when the even was come, he sat down with the twelve.

21     And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.

22     And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I?

23     And he answered and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me.

24     The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born.

25     Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said.

26     And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.

27     And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;

28     For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

29     But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.

32     But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee.

36     Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.

38     Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.

39     And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

40     And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?

42     He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.

43     And he came and found them asleep again:

44     And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.

45     Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.

46     …behold, he is at hand that doth betray me.

47     And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people.

49     And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him.

50     And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him.

2. John 19 : 16 (And), 17, 18 (to ,), 41 (to ,), 42 (to Jesus)

16     And they took Jesus, and led him away.

17     And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha:

18     Where they crucified him,

41     Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre,

42     There laid they Jesus … .

3. Matthew 28 : 1-3, 5, 6 (to 1st .), 7 (to 1st ;), 8, 9 (to 1st .), 10

1     In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.

2     And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.

3     His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:

5     And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.

6     He is not here: for he is risen, as he said.

7     And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead;

8     And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.

9     And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail.

10     Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me.

4. John 21 : 1, 4 (when), 6, 7 (to 1st .), 8 (to ;), 9, 12-14, 25

1     After these things Jesus shewed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and on this wise shewed he himself.

4     …when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus.

6     And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.

7     Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord.

8     And the other disciples came in a little ship;

9     As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread.

12     Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord.

13     Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise.

14     This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead.

25     And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.

1. 26 : 21-23

Jesus' teaching and practice of Truth involved such a sacrifice as makes us admit its Principle to be Love.

2. 117 : 16-23

As a divine student he unfolded God to man, illustrating and demonstrating Life and Truth in himself and by his power over the sick and sinning. Human theories are inadequate to interpret the divine Principle involved in the miracles (marvels) wrought by Jesus and especially in his mighty, crowning, unparalleled, and triumphant exit from the flesh.

3. 314 : 10-12, 19-22

The Jews, who sought to kill this man of God, showed plainly that their material views were the parents of their wicked deeds. … This materialism lost sight of the true Jesus; but the faithful Mary saw him, and he presented to her, more than ever before, the true idea of Life and substance.

4. 47 : 10 (Judas)-26

Judas conspired against Jesus. The world's ingratitude and hatred towards that just man effected his betrayal. The traitor's price was thirty pieces of silver and the smiles of the Pharisees. He chose his time, when the people were in doubt concerning Jesus' teachings.

A period was approaching which would reveal the infinite distance between Judas and his Master. Judas Iscariot knew this. He knew that the great goodness of that Master placed a gulf between Jesus and his betrayer, and this spiritual distance inflamed Judas' envy. The greed for gold strengthened his ingratitude, and for a time quieted his remorse. He knew that the world generally loves a lie better than Truth; and so he plotted the betrayal of Jesus in order to raise himself in popular estimation. His dark plot fell to the ground, and the traitor fell with it.

5. 32 : 3-14

In ancient Rome a soldier was required to swear allegiance to his general. The Latin word for this oath was sacramentum, and our English word sacrament is derived from it. Among the Jews it was an ancient custom for the master of a feast to pass each guest a cup of wine. But the Eucharist does not commemorate a Roman soldier's oath, nor was the wine, used on convivial occasions and in Jewish rites, the cup of our Lord. The cup shows forth his bitter experience, — the cup which he prayed might pass from him, though he bowed in holy submission to the divine decree.

6. 586 : 23-25

Gethsemane. Patient woe; the human yielding to the divine; love meeting no response, but still remaining love.

7. 47 : 31-9

During his night of gloom and glory in the garden, Jesus realized the utter error of a belief in any possible material intelligence. The pangs of neglect and the staves of bigoted ignorance smote him sorely. His students slept. He said unto them: "Could ye not watch with me one hour?" Could they not watch with him who, waiting and struggling in voiceless agony, held uncomplaining guard over a world? There was no response to that human yearning, and so Jesus turned forever away from earth to heaven, from sense to Soul.

8. 39 : 1-9

Meekly our Master met the mockery of his unrecognized grandeur. Such indignities as he received, his followers will endure until Christianity's last triumph. He won eternal honors. He overcame the world, the flesh, and all error, thus proving their nothingness. He wrought a full salvation from sin, sickness, and death. We need "Christ, and him crucified." We must have trials and self-denials, as well as joys and victories, until all error is destroyed.

9. 32 : 28-10

The Passover, which Jesus ate with his disciples in the month Nisan on the night before his crucifixion, was a mournful occasion, a sad supper taken at the close of day, in the twilight of a glorious career with shadows fast falling around; and this supper closed forever Jesus' ritualism or concessions to matter.

His followers, sorrowful and silent, anticipating the hour of their Master's betrayal, partook of the heavenly manna, which of old had fed in the wilderness the persecuted followers of Truth. Their bread indeed came down from heaven. It was the great truth of spiritual being, healing the sick and casting out error. Their Master had explained it all before, and now this bread was feeding and sustaining them.

10. 33 : 13-26

For this truth of spiritual being, their Master was about to suffer violence and drain to the dregs his cup of sorrow. He must leave them. With the great glory of an everlasting victory overshadowing him, he gave thanks and said, "Drink ye all of it."

When the human element in him struggled with the divine, our great Teacher said: "Not my will, but Thine, be done!" — that is, Let not the flesh, but the Spirit, be represented in me. This is the new understanding of spiritual Love. It gives all for Christ, or Truth. It blesses its enemies, heals the sick, casts out error, raises the dead from trespasses and sins, and preaches the gospel to the poor, the meek in heart.

11. 34 : 18-18 next page

Through all the disciples experienced, they became more spiritual and understood better what the Master had taught. His resurrection was also their resurrection. It helped them to raise themselves and others from spiritual dulness and blind belief in God into the perception of infinite possibilities. They needed this quickening, for soon their dear Master would rise again in the spiritual realm of reality, and ascend far above their apprehension. As the reward for his faithfulness, he would disappear to material sense in that change which has since been called the ascension.

What a contrast between our Lord's last supper and his last spiritual breakfast with his disciples in the bright morning hours at the joyful meeting on the shore of the Galilean Sea! His gloom had passed into glory, and his disciples' grief into repentance, — hearts chastened and pride rebuked. Convinced of the fruitlessness of their toil in the dark and wakened by their Master's voice, they changed their methods, turned away from material things, and cast their net on the right side. Discerning Christ, Truth, anew on the shore of time, they were enabled to rise somewhat from mortal sensuousness, or the burial of mind in matter, into newness of life as Spirit.

This spiritual meeting with our Lord in the dawn of a new light is the morning meal which Christian Scientists commemorate. They bow before Christ, Truth, to receive more of his reappearing and silently to commune with the divine Principle, Love. They celebrate their Lord's victory over death, his probation in the flesh after death, its exemplification of human probation, and his spiritual and final ascension above matter, or the flesh, when he rose out of material sight.

12. 35 : 25-29

Our Eucharist is spiritual communion with the one God. Our bread, "which cometh down from heaven," is Truth. Our cup is the cross. Our wine the inspiration of Love, the draught our Master drank and commended to his followers.

13. 497 : 24 (And)-27

And we solemnly promise to watch, and pray for that Mind to be in us which was also in Christ Jesus; to do unto others as we would have them do unto us; and to be merciful, just, and pure.