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Sunday, March 24, 2013

CATHOLIC NEWS WORLD : PALM SUNDAY SPECIAL - MARCH 24, 2013 - SHARE


2013












POPE FRANCIS FULL TEXT AND VIDEO - PALM SUNDAY MASS

WHAT IS PALM SUNDAY? - AWESOME SHORT VIDEO - JESUS DIED FOR YOU

TODAY'S SAINT : MARCH 24 : ST. CATHERINE OF SWEDEN

Vatican Radio REPORT: Below we publish the text of Pope Francis’ Homily for Palm Sunday:
1. Jesus enters Jerusalem. The crowd of disciples accompanies him in festive mood, their garments are stretched out before him, there is talk of the miracles he has accomplished, and loud praises are heard: “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord. Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” (Lk 19:38). 

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Crowds, celebrating, praise, blessing, peace: joy fills the air. Jesus has awakened great hopes, especially in the hearts of the simple, the humble, the poor, the forgotten, those who do not matter in the eyes of the world. He understands human sufferings, he has shown the face of God’s mercy, he has bent down to heal body and soul. Now he enters the Holy City! This is Jesus.This is the heart that looks on all of us, watching our illnesses, our sins. The love of Jesus is great. He enters Jerusalem with this love and watches all of us. 

 
It is a beautiful scene, the light of the love of Jesus, that light of his heart, joy, celebration.

At the beginning of Mass, we repeated all this. We waved our palms, our olive branches, we sang “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord” (Antiphon); we too welcomed Jesus; we too expressed our joy at accompanying him, at knowing him to be close, present in us and among us as a friend, a brother, and also as a King: that is, a shining beacon for our lives. Jesus is God, but he humbled himself to walk with us. He is our friend, our brother. Here, he enlightens us on the journey. And so today we welcome Him And here the first word that comes to mind is “joy!” Do not be men and women of sadness: a Christian can never be sad! Never give way to discouragement! Ours is not a joy that comes from having many possessions, but from having encountered a Person: Jesus, from knowing that with him we are never alone, even at difficult moments, even when our life’s journey comes up against problems and obstacles that seem insurmountable, and there are so many of them! It is at this time that the enemy comes, the devil comes, often disguised as an angel who insidiously tells us his word. Do not listen to him! We follow Jesus! 
We accompany, we follow Jesus, but above all we know that he accompanies us and carries us on his shoulders. This is our joy, this is the hope that we must bring to this world of ours. Let us bring the joy of the faith to everyone! Let us not be robbed of hope! Let us not be robbed of hope! The hope that Jesus gives us!

2. A second word: why does Jesus enter Jerusalem? Or better: how does Jesus enter Jerusalem? The crowds acclaim him as King. And he does not deny it, he does not tell them to be silent (cf. Lk 19:39-40). But what kind of a King is Jesus? Let us take a look at him: he is riding on a donkey, he is not accompanied by a court, he is not surrounded by an army as a symbol of power. He is received by humble people, simple folk, who sense that there is more to Jesus, who have the sense of faith that says, "This is the Savior." 
Jesus does not enter the Holy City to receive the honours reserved to earthly kings, to the powerful, to rulers; he enters to be scourged, insulted and abused, as Isaiah foretold in the First Reading (cf. Is 50:6). He enters to receive a crown of thorns, a staff, a purple robe: his kingship becomes an object of derision. He enters to climb Calvary, carrying his burden of wood. And this brings us to the second word: Cross. Jesus enters Jerusalem in order to die on the Cross. And it is here that his kingship shines forth in godly fashion: his royal throne is the wood of the Cross! I think of what Benedict XVI said to the cardinals: "You are princes but of a Crucified King"that is Christ's throne. Jesus takes it upon himself..why? Why the Cross? Jesus takes upon himself the evil, the filth, the sin of the world, including our own sin, and he cleanses it, he cleanses it with his blood, with the mercy and the love of God. Let us look around: how many wounds are inflicted upon humanity by evil! Wars, violence, economic conflicts that hit the weakest, greed for money, which no-one can bring with him. My grandmother would say to us children, no shroud has pockets! Greed for money, power, corruption, divisions, crimes against human life and against creation! And - each of us knows well - our personal sins: our failures in love and respect towards God, towards our neighbour and towards the whole of creation. Jesus on the Cross feels the whole weight of the evil, and with the force of God’s love he conquers it, he defeats it with his resurrection. This is the good that Christ brings to all of us from the Cross, his throne. Christ’s Cross embraced with love does not lead to sadness, but to joy! The joy of being saved and doing a little bit what he did that day of his death. 


3. Today in this Square, there are many young people: for 28 years Palm Sunday has been World Youth Day! This is our third word: youth! Dear young people, I think of you celebrating around Jesus, waving your olive branches. I think of you crying out his name and expressing your joy at being with him! You have an important part in the celebration of faith! You bring us the joy of faith and you tell us that we must live the faith with a young heart, always, even at the age of seventy or eighty.! A young heart! With Christ, the heart never grows old! Yet all of us, all of you know very well that the King whom we follow and who accompanies us is very special: he is a King who loves even to the Cross and who teaches us to serve and to love. And you are not ashamed of his Cross! On the contrary, you embrace it, because you have understood that it is in giving ourselves that we have true joy and that God has conquered evil through love. You carry the pilgrim Cross through all the Continents, along the highways of the world! You carry it in response to Jesus’ call: “Go, make disciples of all nations” (Mt 28:19), which is the theme of World Youth Day this year. You carry it so as to tell everyone that on the Cross Jesus knocked down the wall of enmity that divides people and nations, and he brought reconciliation and peace. Dear friends, I too am setting out on a journey with you, from today, in the footsteps of Blessed John Paul II and Benedict XVI. We are already close to the next stage of this great pilgrimage of Christ’s Cross. I look forward joyfully to next July in Rio de Janeiro! I will see you in that great city in Brazil! Prepare well – prepare spiritually above all – in your communities, so that our gathering in Rio may be a sign of faith for the whole world. Young people need to tell the world: "It is good to follow Jesus, it is good to go with Jesus, the message of Jesus is good, it is good to come out of ourselves, from the edges of existence of the world and to bring Jesus to others!" 

Three words: Joy, Cross and Youth.
Let us ask the intercession of the Virgin Mary. She teaches us the joy of meeting Christ, the love with which we must look to the foot of the Cross, the enthusiasm of the young heart with which we must follow him during this Holy Week and throughout our lives. Amen.

VATICAN RADIO REPORT: 
(Vatican Radio) Below we publish the text of Pope Francis' Angelus address this Palm Sunday:
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
At the end of this celebration, we invoke the intercession of the Virgin Mary, that she may accompany us during Holy Week. May she, who followed her Son with faith all the way to Calvary, help us to walk behind him, carrying his Cross with serenity and love, so as to attain the joy of Easter. May Our Lady of Sorrows support especially those who are experiencing difficult situations. My thoughts turn to the people afflicted with tuberculosis, as today is the World Day against this disease. To Mary I entrust especially you, dear young people, and your path towards Rio de Janeiro.
May all of you have a good journey!

WHAT IS PALM SUNDAY? - AWESOME SHORT VIDEO - JESUS DIED FOR YOU

PALM SUNDAY OR PASSION SUNDAY is the Sunday before Easter. It commemorates Jesus' entry into Jerusalem on a donkey. The donkey was a symbol of peace. The biblical account can be found in the Gospels:
Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: Tell ye the daughter of Sion: Behold thy king cometh to thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of her that is used to the yoke.
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 And the disciples going, did as Jesus commanded them. And they brought the ass and the colt, and laid their garments upon them, and made him sit thereon. And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way: and others cut boughs from the trees, and strewed them in the way: And the multitudes that went before and that followed, cried, saying: Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest. And when he was come into Jerusalem, the whole city was moved, saying: Who is this?(Matt. 21: 4-10) Palm leaves are blessed and given out to the congregation at Church. This is a Solemnity in the Church Calendar and the liturgical colors are red for this day. The palms are kept and burned the next year for Ash Wednesday.(Image Share : Google)



EGYPT : POLICE ON STRIKE - VIGILANTE JUSTICE - ANARCHY

ASIA NEWS REPORT
These are some of the fruits of the police strike. The Attorney General Talaat invites people to stop the criminals. In the villages, private guards administer justice. In the Nile Delta, the "vigilantes" hang and torture two men suspected of kidnapping.


Cairo (AsiaNews / Agencies) - The clash between the Muslim Brotherhood and the police on strike for weeks, has further transformed an already unstable Egypt into a land of anarchy where the only law that applies is sharia. The appeal made a few days ago by the Attorney General Talaat Abdullah, who encouraged civilians to arrest the criminals and bring them to police, has sparked hangings, lynchings, mutilations and attempted crucifixion in villages and suburbs. In a few weeks the Islamists have organized groups of "vigilantes" to administer justice. Most of them belong to Gamaa al-Islamiya, which recently asked the authorities for permission to carry arms. In a press conference, Interior Minister Ahmed Mekki described the recent lynchings as "the death of the state" criticizing the appeal launched by Talaat Abdullah.
The security vacuum that started with the police strike is throwing the country into chaos. The cases of beatings and attempts at private justice are increasing day by day. Yesterday in the village of el-Guindiya in the province of Sharqiya (500 km north of Cairo), in the Nile Delta region, an angry mob tied a man suspected of stealing to a tree beating him to death. On 17 March, a group of "vigilantes" in the village of Sammound in the governorate of Gharbiya hanged two people accused of trying to kidnap a girl who was on board a rickshaw. They were first lynched, then stripped naked and then hanged from a tree. Once dead improvised guards them hung upside down as a warning to criminals. The incident occurred in front of the whole village who shouted "Kill them, kill them." A photographer who witnessed the scene told The Associated Press (AP) that he had received death threats if he took pictures of the lynchings. Another case occurred on the following day in Mahallah Ziad in the same governorate. A crowd of hundreds of people surrounded one of the few active police stations trying to capture and execute a man suspected of kidnapping a local girl. Al-Muneer, spokesman for the Gharbiya Muslim Brotherhood stresses that the lynchings are the result of a wave of rapes and robberies by criminal gangs, who have been plaguing the region for months. The man explains that police are too few in the governorate and fail to administer justice, so the people have decided to take matters into their own hands.
There is a similar situation in Upper Egypt, where crime is compounded by clashes between Muslims and Coptic Christians. To "restore" order the Al-Gamaa Al-Islamiya and the Muslim Brotherhood have offered to replace the police with private security gangs with the right to bear arms and make arrests.
SHARED FROM ASIA NEWS IT

AUSTRALIA : ABORIGINAL ARTIST CAMPBELL - SPIRITUAL JOURNEY


Catholic Communications, Sydney Archdiocese,
21 Mar 2013

A member of the Stolen Generation, art offered Richard Campbell a release as well as joy
Richard J. Campbell is one of Australia's best known artists. His remarkable, moving and inspiring Aboriginal paintings of the Black Madonna and the Stations of the Cross are a beloved and a much admired feature of the Church of Reconciliation at La Perouse.
Tomorrow evening, Friday 22 March, the 56-year-old the artist will share his spiritual journey of faith and hope at the Church of Reconciliation.
Organised by the Archdiocese of Sydney's Aboriginal Catholic Ministry, the evening is a chance to hear Richard talk about his art and how his Catholic faith and talent for drawing served as an inspiration and escape from the brutality and abuse he suffered as a member of the Stolen Generation.
At nine years of age Richard was taken from his large and loving family and placed in Kempsey's notorious state-run Kinchela Boys Home at Kempsey.  His elder brother was also taken away while his three young siblings went to other homes. It would be more than 12 years before he was reunited with his parents. But during the years he was separated from them and his uncles and aunties as well as his brothers and sisters, Richard says he clung to his faith in the Lord and what he had been taught by his parents, particularly his mother, about God, the Gospel and Christ's all-embracing love and compassion.
"I grew up Catholic and went to a Catholic school in Bowraville before I was taken away," he says.

The Black Madonna by Richard Campbell for the Church of Reconciliation at La Perouse
But this all changed at the Kinchela Boys Home.
"It was a hideous time. Physical, mental and sexual abuse - it all happened there," he says. His voice is low and measured and despite all he suffered, surprisingly shows no bitterness.
Even at nine, he says, he knew that despite being taken from his family, his parents had done no wrong and that the years spent at Kinchela were not their fault or the result of anything they had done.
"My father was a Dunghutti man and my mother was a Gumbaynggir woman," he says proudly and says while his family never had much money, what they didn't have materially was more than made up for by love.
"As kids at home we were surrounded by love not only from our parents but all the aunties and uncles. Dad fished and hunted and no matter how tight money was, we always had food on the table," he says.
From early childhood, Richard loved to draw. At Kinchela he continued to sketch whatever he saw.  "I'd draw animals and people and fauna and pretty much everything I saw. When they put me in a government school in Kempsey, I remember winning some big art competition."
Despite this, Richard's talent was not encouraged at Kinchela and the grim-faced officials who ran the home quickly realised the best punishment they could mete out to Richard for some real or perceived mischief was to confiscate his pencils.

Crucifixion by artist Richard Campbell
By 16 Richard had managed to escape Kinchela . Finding work as a manual labourer it wasn't long before he headed for Sydney basing himself at Redfern which is where so many of the Stolen Generation went in a bid to find their families and siblings.
Calling this period his  "wild years," he admits he was pretty much out of control. This changed in the 1990s when he returned to Kempsey and for the next 10 years worked for Telecom as a linesman.
Despite being employed full time, at any and every chance he got, he continued to draw. This remained his outlet, hobby and escape; and may have remained so if he had not decided to complete his education and obtain his HSC.
"I wanted to get my life on track and get an education," he explains.
Enrolling at the local TAFE he commenced his studies and during this time, happened to pass a class on Aboriginal art and on impulse, asked if he could join.
"I knew about sketching but I didn't know how to mix colours or anything like that," he says.
The art class was a turning point. His teacher quickly recognised Richard was an outstanding and exceptionally gifted student and gave him much needed encouragement, that not only helped build his self esteem but his confidence in his ability as an artist.

A depiction of the Madonna and Child by Richard Campbell
Inspired by the Biblical stories his mother had told him as a child, which he describes as "very like the stories of Dreamtime," he began painting in earnest.  Reunited with his  family more than a decade before, it was his sister Louise who was responsible for Richard's first-ever commission.
This would change his life and eventually lead to him being able to become an in demand and full-time professional artist.
"A priest in Maitland, who passed away a few years ago, was looking for someone to paint some religious Aboriginal artworks for his church and he happened to ask Louise if she knew anyone who might be able to do it. She hadn't known I painted but a few months before I had shown her some of my work and she suggested to the priest that he contact me."
Richard's first commission was for an Aboriginal painting of the Annunciation and one of the Crucifixion.  Within a short time, this led to many more commissions from parishes and schools and community groups across Australia, including the spectacular and extremely moving Stations of the Cross and the Black Madonna for the Church of Reconciliation at La Perouse.
"So far I think I've done about five or six Black Madonnas and about the same number of Crucifixions," he says with a smile adding that his most recent work is one of the Last Supper which he has dubbed "the Last Corroboree."
Richard loves what he does, is inspired by his faith and the Lord, and strongly believes that for  Aboriginal Catholics to have the Gospel interpreted by an Indigenous artist helps give a real sense of identity and an acknowledgement that they are an important and integral part of the Australian Church.

Art by Aboriginal artist Richard Campbell was a feature of WYD08 in Sydney
One of his own highlights was having his paintings of the Crucifixion and of the Black Madonna chosen to be part of the Canonisation Ceremony of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop in Rome in 2010.
"I was over the moon, to tell you the truth, when I was told they wanted my paintings," he admits adding the Sisters of St Joseph also invited him to be in Rome for the Canonisation.
In spite of the cruel, loveless and brutal years spent at the Kempsey's Kinchela Boys Home, Richard harbours no bitterness. His life is one of profound faith interwoven with his proud heritage as an Aboriginal man and a spiritual inheritor of the land.
 A Spiritual Journey with Uncle Richard Campbell, renowned religious artist, begins at 7 pm, Friday 22 March at the Aboriginal Catholic Ministry's Reconciliation Church, Yarra Road, Philip Bay.

SHARED FROM ARCHDIOCESE OF SYDNEY

AMERICA : COLOMBIA : CALL FOR PEACE WITH SMALL GESTURES

Agenzia Fides REPORT - The archbishop of Cali, Monsignor Dario Monsalve Mejía, urged the armed groups to engage in a"truce of God" during Holy Week, to show a "sign of hope for peace."
In a statement, sent to Fides, Mgr. Monsalve Mejía asks everyone to engage in the choice of non-violence publicly showing such option "in writing or by any means at their disposal." May this, hopes the Archbishop be, "a simple gesture in favor of spirituality and non-violence, of reflection and prayer that are necessary for peace and reconciliation."
The Archbishop of Cali has also asked the government to order "a setback in the offensive war against guerrillas and criminal gangs also made of violent actions and ambushes, so that "reason will prevail in the talks." The Archbishop asked the different armed criminal groups in action in the region to refrain from any violent aggression towards ordinary citizens and authorities, putting away their arms and to avoid disturbance of the peace in places where there are religious celebrations or where people practice sports and try to live quiet moments of conviviality. Concluding his appeal, Msg. Monsalve Mejia asked everyone to wear white clothes during Holy Week to show their support for the request of truce, and even dialogues of peace between the government and the guerrillas of the FARC currently underway in Cuba (CE) (Agenzia Fides 23/03/2013)


SUNDAY MASS ONLINE : PALM SUNDAY MARCH 24, 2013


Mar 24, 2013 - Passion Palm Sun















Isaiah 50:
 4 - 7


4The Lord GOD has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with a word him that is weary. Morning by morning he wakens, he wakens my ear to hear as those who are taught.
5The Lord GOD has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious, I turned not backward.
6I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard; I hid not my face from shame and spitting.
7For the Lord GOD helps me; therefore I have not been confounded; therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame;
Psalms 22: 8 - 9, 17 - 20, 23 - 24


8"He committed his cause to the LORD; let him deliver him, let him rescue him, for he delights in him!"9Yet thou art he who took me from the womb; thou didst keep me safe upon my mother's breasts.17I can count all my bones -- they stare and gloat over me;18they divide my garments among them, and for my raiment they cast lots.19But thou, O LORD, be not far off! O thou my help, hasten to my aid!20Deliver my soul from the sword, my life from the power of the dog!23You who fear the LORD, praise him! all you sons of Jacob, glorify him, and stand in awe of him, all you sons of Israel!24For he has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; and he has not hid his face from him, but has heard, when he cried to him.
Philippians 2: 6 - 11


6who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,7but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.8And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross.9Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name,10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Luke 22: 14 - 71

14And when the hour came, he sat at table, and the apostles with him.
15And he said to them, "I have earnestly desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer;
16for I tell you I shall not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God."
17And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, "Take this, and divide it among yourselves;
18for I tell you that from now on I shall not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes."
19And he took bread, and when he had given thanks he broke it and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me."
20And likewise the cup after supper, saying, "This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.
21But behold the hand of him who betrays me is with me on the table.
22For the Son of man goes as it has been determined; but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed!"
23And they began to question one another, which of them it was that would do this.
24A dispute also arose among them, which of them was to be regarded as the greatest.
25And he said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and those in authority over them are called benefactors.
26But not so with you; rather let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves.
27For which is the greater, one who sits at table, or one who serves? Is it not the one who sits at table? But I am among you as one who serves.
28"You are those who have continued with me in my trials;
29and I assign to you, as my Father assigned to me, a kingdom,
30that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
31"Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat,
32but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail; and when you have turned again, strengthen your brethren."
33And he said to him, "Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death."
34He said, "I tell you, Peter, the cock will not crow this day, until you three times deny that you know me."
35And he said to them, "When I sent you out with no purse or bag or sandals, did you lack anything?" They said, "Nothing."
36He said to them, "But now, let him who has a purse take it, and likewise a bag. And let him who has no sword sell his mantle and buy one.
37For I tell you that this scripture must be fulfilled in me, `And he was reckoned with transgressors'; for what is written about me has its fulfilment."
38And they said, "Look, Lord, here are two swords." And he said to them, "It is enough."
27And there followed him a great multitude of the people, and of women who bewailed and lamented him.
28But Jesus turning to them said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.
29For behold, the days are coming when they will say, `Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never gave suck!'
30Then they will begin to say to the mountains, `Fall on us'; and to the hills, `Cover us.'
31For if they do this when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?"
32Two others also, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him.
33And when they came to the place which is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on the right and one on the left.
34And Jesus said, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." And they cast lots to divide his garments.
35And the people stood by, watching; but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, "He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!"
36The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him vinegar,
37and saying, "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!"
38There was also an inscription over him, "This is the King of the Jews."
39One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, "Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!"
40But the other rebuked him, saying, "Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?
41And we indeed justly; for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong."
42And he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."
43And he said to him, "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise."
44It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour,
45while the sun's light failed; and the curtain of the temple was torn in two.
46Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, "Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit!" And having said this he breathed his last.
47Now when the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God, and said, "Certainly this man was innocent!"
48And all the multitudes who assembled to see the sight, when they saw what had taken place, returned home beating their breasts.
49And all his acquaintances and the women who had followed him from Galilee stood at a distance and saw these things.
50Now there was a man named Joseph from the Jewish town of Arimathe'a. He was a member of the council, a good and righteous man,
51who had not consented to their purpose and deed, and he was looking for the kingdom of God.
52Then Jesus said to the chief priests and officers of the temple and elders, who had come out against him, "Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs?
53When I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness."
54Then they seized him and led him away, bringing him into the high priest's house. Peter followed at a distance;
55and when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them.
56Then a maid, seeing him as he sat in the light and gazing at him, said, "This man also was with him."
57But he denied it, saying, "Woman, I do not know him."
58And a little later some one else saw him and said, "You also are one of them." But Peter said, "Man, I am not."
59And after an interval of about an hour still another insisted, saying, "Certainly this man also was with him; for he is a Galilean."
60But Peter said, "Man, I do not know what you are saying." And immediately, while he was still speaking, the cock crowed.
61And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said to him, "Before the cock crows today, you will deny me three times."
62And he went out and wept bitterly.
63Now the men who were holding Jesus mocked him and beat him;
64they also blindfolded him and asked him, "Prophesy! Who is it that struck you?"
65And they spoke many other words against him, reviling him.66When day came, the assembly of the elders of the people gathered together, both chief priests and scribes; and they led him away to their council, and they said,67"If you are the Christ, tell us." But he said to them, "If I tell you, you will not believe;68and if I ask you, you will not answer.69But from now on the Son of man shall be seated at the right hand of the power of God."70And they all said, "Are you the Son of God, then?" And he said to them, "You say that I am."71And they said, "What further testimony do we need? We have heard it ourselves from his own lips."
1Then the whole company of them arose, and brought him before Pilate.2And they began to accuse him, saying, "We found this man perverting our nation, and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ a king."3And Pilate asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" And he answered him, "You have said so."4And Pilate said to the chief priests and the multitudes, "I find no crime in this man."5But they were urgent, saying, "He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee even to this place."6When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean.7And when he learned that he belonged to Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him over to Herod, who was himself in Jerusalem at that time.8When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had long desired to see him, because he had heard about him, and he was hoping to see some sign done by him.9So he questioned him at some length; but he made no answer.10The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing him.11And Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him; then, arraying him in gorgeous apparel, he sent him back to Pilate.12And Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day, for before this they had been at enmity with each other.13Pilate then called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people,14and said to them, "You brought me this man as one who was perverting the people; and after examining him before you, behold, I did not find this man guilty of any of your charges against him;15neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us. Behold, nothing deserving death has been done by him;16I will therefore chastise him and release him."18But they all cried out together, "Away with this man, and release to us Barab'bas" --19a man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection started in the city, and for murder.20Pilate addressed them once more, desiring to release Jesus;21but they shouted out, "Crucify, crucify him!"22A third time he said to them, "Why, what evil has he done? I have found in him no crime deserving death; I will therefore chastise him and release him."23But they were urgent, demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified. And their voices prevailed.24So Pilate gave sentence that their demand should be granted.25He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, whom they asked for; but Jesus he delivered up to their will.26And as they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyre'ne, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus.

27And there followed him a great multitude of the people, and of women who bewailed and lamented him.
28But Jesus turning to them said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.
29For behold, the days are coming when they will say, `Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never gave suck!'
30Then they will begin to say to the mountains, `Fall on us'; and to the hills, `Cover us.'
31For if they do this when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?"
32Two others also, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him.
33And when they came to the place which is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on the right and one on the left.
34And Jesus said, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." And they cast lots to divide his garments.
35And the people stood by, watching; but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, "He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!"
36The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him vinegar,
37and saying, "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!"
38There was also an inscription over him, "This is the King of the Jews."
39One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, "Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!"
40But the other rebuked him, saying, "Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?
41And we indeed justly; for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong."
42And he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."
43And he said to him, "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise."
44It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour,
45while the sun's light failed; and the curtain of the temple was torn in two.
46Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, "Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit!" And having said this he breathed his last.
47Now when the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God, and said, "Certainly this man was innocent!"
48And all the multitudes who assembled to see the sight, when they saw what had taken place, returned home beating their breasts.
49And all his acquaintances and the women who had followed him from Galilee stood at a distance and saw these things.
50Now there was a man named Joseph from the Jewish town of Arimathe'a. He was a member of the council, a good and righteous man,
51who had not consented to their purpose and deed, and he was looking for the kingdom of God.
52This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.
53Then he took it down and wrapped it in a linen shroud, and laid him in a rock-hewn tomb, where no one had ever yet been laid.
54It was the day of Preparation, and the sabbath was beginning.
55The women who had come with him from Galilee followed, and saw the tomb, and how his body was laid;
56then they returned, and prepared spices and ointments. On the sabbath they rested according to the commandment.

TODAY'S SAINT : MARCH 24 : ST. CATHERINE OF SWEDEN


St. Catherine of Sweden
CO-FOUNDRESS OF THE BRIGITTINES, DAUGHTER OF ST. BRIGID OF SWEDEN
Feast: March 24


Information:
Feast Day:March 24
Born:1331 at Sweden
Died:24 March 1381
Canonized:1484 (cultus confirmed) by Pope Innocent VIII
Patron of:against abortion, against miscarriages
The fourth child of St. Bridget and her husband, Ulf Gudmarsson, born 1331 or 1332; died 24 March, 1381. At the time of her death St. Catherine was head of the convent of Wadstena, founded by her mother; hence the name, Catherine Vastanensis, by which she is occasionally called. At the age of  seven she was sent to the abbess of the convent of Riseberg to be educated and soon showed, like her mother, a desire for a life of self-mortification and devotion to spiritual things. At the command of her father, when about thirteen or fourteen years, she married a noble of German descent, Eggart von Kürnen. She at once persuaded her husband, who was a very religious man, to join her in a vow of chastity. Both lived in a state of virginity and devoted themselves to the exercise of Christian perfection and active charity. In spite of her deep love for her husband, Catherine accompanied her mother to Rome, where St. Bridget went in 1349. Soon after her arrival in that city Catherine received news of the death of her husband in Sweden. She now lived constantly with her mother, took an active part in St. Bridget's fruitful labours, and zealously imitated her mother's ascetic life. Although the distinguished and beautiful young widow was surrounded by suitors, she steadily refused all offers of marriage. In 1372 St. Catherine and her brother, Birger, accompanied their mother on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land; after their return to Rome St. Catherine was with her mother in the latter's last illness and death.
In 1374, in obedience to St. Bridget's wish, Catherine brought back her mother's body to Sweden for burial at Wadstena, of which foundation she now became the head. It was the motherhouse of the Brigittine Order, also called the Order of St. Saviour. Catherine managed the convent with great skill and made the life there one in harmony with the principles laid down by its founder. The following hear she went again to Rome in order to promote the canonization of St. Bridget, and to obtain a new papal confirmation of the order. She secured another confirmation both from Gregory XI (1377) and from Urban VI (1379) but was unable to gain at the time the canonization of her mother, as the confusion caused by the Schism delayed the process. When this sorrowful division appeared she showed herself, like St. Catherine of Siena, a steadfast adherent of the part of the Roman Pope, Urban VI, in whose favour she testified before a judicial commission. Catherine stayed five years in Italy and then returned home, bearing a special letter of commendation from the pope. Not long after her arrival in Sweden she was taken ill and died. In 1484 Innocent VIII gave permission for her veneration as a saint and her feast was assigned to 22 March in the Roman martyrology. Catherine wrote a devotional work entitled "Consolation of the Soul" (Sielinna Troëst), largely composed of citations from the Scriptures and from early religious books; no copy is known to exist. Generally she is represented with a hind at her side, which is said to have come to her aid when unchaste youths sought to ensnare her.

(Taken from Catholic Encyclopedia)


source: http://www.ewtn.com/saintsHoly/saints/C/stcatherineofsweeden.asp#ixzz1q269PON6