Friday in Passion Week
The Roman Breviary
At MATINS
The reading of the holy Gospel according to John
Lesson i: c. 11, 47-54
At that time: The chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council against Jesus and said, What do we; for this man doth the miracles? If we let him alone so, all will believe in him; and the Roman will come, and take away our place and nation. But one of them, named Caiphas, being the high priest that year, said to them: you know nothing. Neither do you consider that it is expedient for you that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not. And this he spoke not of himself: but being the high of that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for the nation. And not only for the nation, but to gather together in one the children of God, that were dispersed. From that day therefore they devised to put him to death. Wherefore Jesus walked no more openly among the Jews; but he went into a country near the desert, unto a city that is called Ephrem, and there he abode with his disciples.

Homily of St. Augustine, Bishop
Treatise 49 on John
The chief priest and the Pharisees took counsel together; and yet they did not say: Let us believe. For these abandoned men took more thought how to do harm, that they might destroy him, than how to take counsel for themselves, that they might escape destruction; and yet they were afraid, and did in a manner take counsel together. For they said: What do we, for this man doth miracles? If we let him alone so, a;; will believe in him; and the Romans will come, and take way our place and nation. They feared to lose temporal things, and took no thought for eternal life, and thus they lost both together.
R.Thou art my God , depart not from me: For trouble is very near, and there is none to help me.
V. But thou, O Lord, remove not thy help far from me: look towards my defense.

Lesson ii
For after the Lord had suffered and was entered into glory, the Romans took away from them their place and nation, by conquering them and carrying them away; and that pursues them, which was said elsewhere: But the children of the kingdom shall go into the exterior darkness. But this was what they feared, that, if all should believe in Christ, there would be none left to defend the city and temple of God against the Romans; for they imagined that the teaching of Christ was directed against that temple and against the laws of their fathers.
R. I am cast upon thee from the womb, from my mother's womb thou art my God, depart not from me: For trouble is very near, and there is none to help me.
V. Save me from the lion's mouth, and my lowliness from the horns of the unicorns.

Lesson iii
But one of them, named Caiphas, being the high-priest that year, said to them: You know nothing; neither do you consider that it is expedient for you that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not. And this he spoke not of himself: but being the high priest of that year, he prophesied. From this we learn that even wicked men may foretell the future by the spirit of prophecy; this, however, the Evangelist ascribed to a divine sacrament, for this man was the pontiff, that is to say, the High Priest.
R. O Lord, my trouble is very near and there is none to help me: before they pierce my hands and feet, deliver me from the mouth of the lion, That I may declare thy name unto my brethren.
V. O God, deliver my soul from the sword, and my only one from the power of the dog.

Collect
Mercifully infuse thy grace into our hearts, we beseech thee, O Lord: that, refraining from sin by voluntary chastisement, we may be rather afflicted in time than condemned to punishment for eternity. Through Our Lord.
Collect
Grant, we beseech there, almighty God: that we who seek the grace of thy protection, may, being freed from all evils, serve thee with an easy mind. Through Our Lord.