Deacon: Wisdom! Arise! Hear the Holy Gospel!

Priest:    Peace to you all. 

People:  And to your spirit.

Deacon:  A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Saint John (12:1-18)

People:  Glory to You Lord. Glory to You.

Priest:   Listen!

Deacon:

Six days before the Passover, Jesus went to Bethany. Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead, was there. They gave a dinner for Jesus. Martha waited on them and Lazarus was among those dining.

Mary brought in a pound of very costly ointment, pure nard. With it she annointed the feet of Jesus and wiped them with her hair. The house was full of the scent of the ointment.

One of his disciples, Jesus Iscariot, who was to betray him said, 'Why wasn't this ointment sold for 300 denarii, and the money given to the poor?'  He did not say this because he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief. He was in charge of the common fund, and used to help himself to the contributions.

Jesus said, 'Leave her alone. She has kept this scented ointment for the day of my burial.  You have the poor with you always, but you will not always have me.'

Meanwhile, a large number of Jews heard he was there. They did not come only because of Jesus, but also to see Lazarus whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests decided to kill Lazarus as well, since because of him many of the Jews were leaving them, and believing in Jesus.

The next day, the crowds who had come for the festival, heard Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm fronds, and went out to meet him saying, 'Hosanna! Blessings, on the King of Israel. He comes in the name of the Lord.'

Jesus found a young donkey and mounted it. As scripture says 'do not be afraid daughter of Zion. See your king is coming, mounted on a young male donkey.'

At the time his disciples did not understand this. But later after Jesus had been glorified, they remembered this had been written about him, and they had in fact received him like this.

All who had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb, and raised him from the dead, were telling how they had witnessed it.  It was because of this too, that the crowd came out to meet him.  They had heard he had done this sign.   

People: Glory to You Lord. Glory to You.