Born in Liverpool in 1945, Vincent Nichols studied for the priesthood in Rome. He was ordained in 1969 for the Archdiocese of Liverpool and then served parishes in Wigan and Toxteth. In 1992, he became an auxiliary bishop to Westminster and then Archbishop of Birmingham in 2000. In 2009, he was installed as the eleventh Archbishop of Westminster and welcomed Pope Benedict during the papal visit to the UK in 2010. On 22 February 2014, he was created Cardinal by Pope Francis.

In addition to being patron of a number of Catholic charities, including the Passage and the Cardinal Hume Centre, Cardinal Nichols is the first Chancellor of St Mary’s University, Twickenham. Recently, he launched the Santa Marta Group to combat human trafficking and opened Bakhita House in London, a refuge for survivors of this appalling crime.

Cardinal Nichols is acknowledged as a strong campaigner for the vulnerable in society and a leading advocate for interfaith cooperation and integration. He is also a keen, lifelong fan of Liverpool Football Club.

First published in Great Britain in 2019

Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge

36 Causton Street

London SW1P 4ST

www.spck.org.uk

Copyright © Vincent Nichols 2019

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

SPCK does not necessarily endorse the individual views contained in its publications.

Scripture quotations are taken from the The Holy Bible, English Standard Version* (ESV*) and the ESV Catholic Edition Bible. Copyright © 2001, 2009, 2017 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV* Catholic Edition Bible Text: 2017.

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

ISBN 978–0–281–08197–4

eBook ISBN 978–0–281–08198–1

1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2

Typeset by Manila Typesetting Company

Printed in Great Britain by Jellyfish Print Solutions

eBook by Manila Typesetting Company

Produced on paper from sustainable forests

Contents

Introduction

Part 1
WATER FROM THE ROCK (PALM SUNDAY)

1 Jesus enters the city

2 Looking up to Jesus

3 Following Jesus

Part 2
LIGHT FROM DARKNESS (MAUNDY THURSDAY)

4 Jesus washes the disciples’ feet

5 This is my body

6 Love one another

Part 3
VICTORY FROM REJECTION (GOOD FRIDAY)

7 Jesus gives his life

8 The loving sacrifice

9 The glorious victory

Part 4
LIFE FROM THE TOMB (EASTER SUNDAY)

10 Jesus is risen!

11 The one who goes before

12 The new creation

Introduction

In this book I invite you to join me on a pilgrimage, as together we accompany the Lord on his journey through suffering, death and resurrection.

As we walk together on this pilgrimage, there is an image I would like you to keep in mind. It is a vivid image, and it comes to us from the story of the Exodus: ...