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April 23, 2014Wednesday in the Octave of Easter    Reading 1 Acts 3:1-10 Peter and John were going up to the temple areafor the three o’clock hour of prayer.And a man crippled from birth was carriedand placed at the gate of the temple called “the Beautiful Gate” every day to beg for alms from the people who entered the temple.When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple,he asked for alms.But Peter looked intently at him, as did John,and said, “Look at us.”He paid attention to them, expecting to receive something from them.Peter said, “I have...

Was the Spring Sphere Eggstravaganda a success?Absolutely. There was no video of Big Guy missing a dozen shots in a row like last year.If I miss this one, confiscate all the iPhonesWe’ve been practicing shooting our hoops ever since last year’s embarrassing showing. Too bad we didn’t put as much time into practicing our foreign relations.And the old tennis game looked pretty good too:Big Guy, showing Putin and David Brooks that he’s got balls too.As always, this year’s Roll kicked off on the Truman balcony with the National Anthem. For those of you wondering why Lady M didn’t have her...

Children who took Easter eggs to class allegedly had them confiscated by “Muslim morality squads” patrolling a school in Birmingham, England, according to press reports. The school is at the centre of an investigation into claims Islamic hardliners are attempting to infiltrate and run secular state schools in the city. The mother of one of the students — who did not want to be named for fear of reprisals — told the Daily Express that groups of older students were taking the eggs from younger children and teachers were ignoring their actions. “My daughter tried to bring in an Easter...

April 22, 2014Tuesday in the Octave of Easter    Reading 1 Acts 2:36-41 On the day of Pentecost, Peter said to the Jewish people,“Let the whole house of Israel know for certainthat God has made him both Lord and Christ,this Jesus whom you crucified.” Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart,and they asked Peter and the other Apostles,“What are we to do, my brothers?”Peter said to them,“Repent and be baptized, every one of you,in the name of Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of your sins;and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.For the...

This Easter Sunday in Ukraine was unlike any other in the history of this nation in crisis. As Ukrainian Christians gathered together at Kiev’s Central Baptist Church to worship and celebrate the resurrection, they heard a special message delivered in person by Alexander Turchynov, the country’s acting president. SGA’s Sergei Omelchenko wrote to tell us about the extraordinary day . . . Turchinov 4-21-14 Acting Ukrainian president Alexander Turchynov proclaims the Gospel at the pulpit of Central Baptist Church in Kiev—a truly historic moment! Pastor Vyacheslav Nesteruk, president of the Ukrainian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists (UECB), preached the main message...

With a margin of error +/- 3%, Rasmussen found “Americans’ belief in the divinity of Jesus Christ remains strong.” 86% of American adults believe that Jesus Christ walked the Earth 2,000 years ago, while just seven percent (7%) don’t share this belief. Furthermore, 77% of those polled believe Jesus rose from the dead.  This is only a percentage point lower (within the margin of error) than in 2011 and 2010, when 78% espoused the same belief. Rasmussen claims a 95% level of confidence in their report.

Sure… Sunday was Easter Sunday (the most important day of the year for the world’s 2-3 billion Christians). But, c’mon! It was 4:20 dude! And while millions of Americans flocked to their churches and Cathedrals, the Denver Post thought the front-page story of the day ought to be Colorado’s annual “toke-out” at Civic Center Park in Denver. Heck… The 15 year anniversary of the Columbine High School shooting was even pushed back to accommodate the “high times” of Civic Center potheads. Living a mere handful of blocks from Denver’s Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, I can personally attest to...

April 21, 2014Monday in the Octave of Easter    Reading 1 Acts 2:14, 22-33 On the day of Pentecost, Peter stood up with the Eleven,raised his voice, and proclaimed:“You who are Jews, indeed all of you staying in Jerusalem.Let this be known to you, and listen to my words. “You who are children of Israel, hear these words.Jesus the Nazorean was a man commended to you by Godwith mighty deeds, wonders, and signs,which God worked through him in your midst, as you yourselves know.This man, delivered up by the set plan and foreknowledge of God,you killed, using lawless men...

'The Lord is waiting'Pope baptizes 10 at Easter Vigil Catholic.net photoPope Francis enters a darkened St. Peter Basilica carrying a lone candle. Homily of Pope Francis, Easter Vigil The Gospel of the resurrection of Jesus Christ begins with the journey of the women to the tomb at dawn on the day after the Sabbath. They go to the tomb to honour the body of the Lord, but they find it open and empty. A mighty angel says to them: "Do not be afraid!" (Mt 28:5) and orders them to go and tell the disciples: "He has been raised from...

A Good And Blessed Happy Easter! Christ is Risen, He is Risen indeed!

Another bizarre Obama holiday address… In his Easter Address this year Barack Obama reminds us that the great religions, including Islam, teach us to “love our neighbors as we love ourselves.” From the White House website: Hi, everybody. For millions of Americans, this time of year holds great meaning… …For me, and for countless other Christians, Holy Week and Easter are times for reflection and renewal. We remember the grace of an awesome God, who loves us so deeply that He gave us his only Son, so that we might live through Him. We recall all that Jesus endured for...

FARMINGTON, Mo. • It is a special Easter for Wilma Whitworth, who is undergoing a spiritual rebirth, just a week before her 78th birthday. Whitworth is celebrating her first day as a full-fledged Catholic this holiday. And she’s doing so in a largely Protestant town that is undergoing a kind of Catholic revival. St. Joseph Catholic Church, or St. Joe’s as the locals call it, has had 24 children and adults, ages 7 and above, convert to the faith in the past year. There is no one answer for the rise in Catholic conversion in this town of 17,000 an...

…For me, and for countless other Christians, Holy Week and Easter are times for reflection and renewal. We remember the grace of an awesome God, who loves us so deeply that He gave us his only Son, so that we might live through Him. We recall all that Jesus endured for us – the scorn of the crowds, the agony of the cross – all so that we might be forgiven our sins and granted everlasting life. And we recommit ourselves to following His example, to love and serve one another, particularly “the least of these” among us, just as...

Commercialism versus true meaning has been an ongoing battle for years when it comes to religious holidays, and Easter is no exception. In the eyes of many, chocolate bunnies and Easter egg hunts are much too recognized in the place of a sunrise service on Easter morning ... especially when it comes to children who may be easily influenced by commercialism. So, is there enough room to balance the commercial aspect and biblical meaning behind Easter? The Aiken Standard posed this question to pastors and Christian leaders in the local community. Battling the distractions For the Rev. Douglas Slaughter, pastor...

"Do you have any butter lambs?” When I called the Schenectady meat store, the woman who answered knew exactly what I wanted. “We don’t have them, but my sister gets them in Utica,” she said. I called another store, this time in Niskayuna, and was referred to the manager. “Come again?” he said. “I’m not sure what that is.” The butter lamb is an Easter tradition for Polish-Americans, and since the Middle Ages, the lamb has been a symbol for Jesus Christ. A small block of butter, molded into the shape of a seated sheep, is put into a basket...

People in North Mississippi prepared for Easter on Good Friday. "[We're] shopping for the kids, making sure the kids have their Easter dresses," Tupelo resident Andre Johnson said. The Mall at Barnes Crossing was the place to be Friday. Many start their holiday weekend by searching for not just any outfit, but a special Easter look. "Something that looks like spring and doesn't look like it's going to rain outside," Fulton resident Judy McFadden said. "Something bright and cheery." Painting and hunting Easter eggs is also on the top of the list. "I like to draw and stuff, so that's...

Tradition is the simple matter of doing something once because it’s the right thing to do, and then doing it again (and again) for no good reason at all. And traditions that have withstood the warping effects of hundreds of passing years are even harder to explain than those with a clear mandate from the recent past. The British Isles are riddled with traditions like these, especially around Easter, when superstitions around crops and growth get muddled up with Christian imagery and a sudden glut of rabbits and eggs. Some of them are eccentric, some are downright dangerous, but to...

Tradition that goes back centuries is kept alive by faithfulOn Sunday morning, as Christians in the region and around the world take part in the Easter traditions they enjoy, an observer might be tempted to ask: How do the ways they celebrate the holiday reflect its meaning? Children pet bunnies and gobble jelly beans. Wal-Mart sells more than 500 types of Easter confection, including unicorn- and space alien-themed baskets. Just a few of them allude to Christianity. How does eating a package of Peeps recall the man Christians believe redeemed the world by rising from the dead nearly 2,000 years...

I'm not a Christian but nearly all my friends are Christians and I have great respect for them. There are two stories that have been circulating around the Internet for years. I'd like to dedicate these to my Christian friends. Three Trees Once there were three trees on a hill in the woods. They were discussing their hopes and dreams when the first tree said, "Someday I hope to be a treasure chest. I could be filled with gold, silver and precious gems. I could be decorated with intricate carving and everyone would see the beauty." Then the second tree...