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April 25, 2017 Feast of Saint Mark, Evangelist Reading 1 1 Pt 5:5b-14Beloved: Clothe yourselves with humilityin your dealings with one another, for: God opposes the proudbut bestows favor on the humble. So humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God,that he may exalt you in due time.Cast all your worries upon him because he cares for you. Be sober and vigilant.Your opponent the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lionlooking for someone to devour.Resist him, steadfast in faith,knowing that your brothers and sisters throughout the worldundergo the same sufferings.The God of all gracewho called you to his...

April 24, 2017 Monday of the Second Week of Easter Reading 1 Acts 4:23-31After their release Peter and John went back to their own peopleand reported what the chief priests and elders had told them.And when they heard it,they raised their voices to God with one accordand said, "Sovereign Lord, maker of heaven and earthand the sea and all that is in them,you said by the Holy Spiritthrough the mouth of our father David, your servant: Why did the Gentiles rageand the peoples entertain folly?The kings of the earth took their standand the princes gathered togetheragainst the Lord and against...

April 23, 2017 Second Sunday of Easter (or Sunday of Divine Mercy) Reading 1 Acts 2:42-47They devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles and to the communal life, to the breaking of bread and to the prayers.Awe came upon everyone,and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.All who believed were together and had all things in common;they would sell their property and possessionsand divide them among all according to each one's need.Every day they devoted themselvesto meeting together in the temple areaand to breaking bread in their homes.They ate their meals with exultation and sincerity of...

“Easter Joy Continues!” (John 20:19-31; Acts 5:29-42; 1 Peter 1:3-9) Alleluia! Christ is risen! (He is risen indeed! Alleluia!) Yes, he is risen indeed! And guess what? He is still risen! Christ didn’t stop being risen once Easter Day was over. And so the Easter season continues--and with it, our Easter joy. It’s the Second Sunday “of” Easter! Thus our theme for this morning: “Easter Joy Continues!” The Easter joy was certainly evident last Sunday. Easter Day at St. Matthew’s was a day of great joy. As soon as the resurrection was announced at the start of the service, we...

April 22, 2017 Saturday in the Octave of Easter Reading 1 Acts 4:13-21Observing the boldness of Peter and Johnand perceiving them to be uneducated, ordinary men,the leaders, elders, and scribes were amazed,and they recognized them as the companions of Jesus.Then when they saw the man who had been cured standing there with them,they could say nothing in reply.So they ordered them to leave the Sanhedrin,and conferred with one another, saying,"What are we to do with these men?Everyone living in Jerusalem knows that a remarkable signwas done through them, and we cannot deny it.But so that it may not be...

April 21, 2017 Friday in the Octave of Easter Reading 1 Acts 4:1-12After the crippled man had been cured,while Peter and John were still speaking to the people,the priests, the captain of the temple guard,and the Sadducees confronted them,disturbed that they were teaching the peopleand proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.They laid hands on Peter and Johnand put them in custody until the next day,since it was already evening.But many of those who heard the word came to believeand the number of men grew to about five thousand. On the next day, their leaders, elders, and scribeswere...

April 20, 2017 Thursday in the Octave of Easter Reading 1 Acts 3:11-26As the crippled man who had been cured clung to Peter and John,all the people hurried in amazement toward themin the portico called "Solomon's Portico."When Peter saw this, he addressed the people,"You children of Israel, why are you amazed at this,and why do you look so intently at usas if we had made him walk by our own power or piety?The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob,the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesuswhom you handed over and denied...

Pondering Some of the Teachings of the Easter Vigil in its Afterglow Msgr. Charles Pope • April 18, 2017 • The Easter Vigil so recently celebrated provides a rich fare for reflection. Alas, its memories pass so quickly. The shadowy yet wonderful Easter Vigil is the greatest and most elaborate liturgy of the Church year.Due to its length and late hour, many Catholics have never rejoiced in the somber glow of its initial moments or in the blaze of glory and sacraments that follow. It features a presentation of the dramatic battle between darkness and light; the light wins,...

April 19, 2017 Wednesday in the Octave of Easter Reading 1 Acts 3:1-10Peter 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 neither...

The MSM, who never attended any Obama event that wasn’t wonderful, was highly critical of the first Trump Easter Egg Roll. The low whine started weeks ago with the press complaining that an “understaffed” White House was “unorganized” and “got a slow start planning the party.” And then, when it seemed to come off without a hitch yesterday they harped on  “the noticeably delayed preparation, reportedly low attendance, and now-predictable Trump gaffes.” Like when Melania nudged the President to put his hand over his heart during the National Anthem.Too bad there wasn’t anyone around to nudge Barry to do the...

In years past, the event was over by noon. "Why are they still here?" I wondered. I soon found out. As I approached the gate, I overheard a young mother complaining to another mom, as both of their four-year-olds screamed their lungs out, "Can you believe this? We've been waiting four hours now, and the line isn't moving. My kids are hungry, and there's no food."

This year’s most notable attack occurred in Egypt, where two Coptic Christian churches were bombed during Palm Sunday mass, leaving 50 dead and 120 injured. While this incident received some coverage in Western media, attacks on churches in Egypt on or around Easter are not uncommon. For instance, this last April 12, just two days after the Palm Sunday attacks, authorities thwarted another Islamic terror attack targeting a Coptic monastery in Upper Egypt. Similarly, on April 12, 2015, Easter Sunday, two explosions targeting two separate churches took place in Egypt. Although no casualties were reported, hence no reporting in Western...

April 18, 2017 Tuesday in the Octave of Easter Reading 1 Acts 2:36-41On 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 promise...

The President Trump first family celebrate Easter at the White House with the annual Easter Egg Roll festivities: (videos)

A Meditation on the Hiddenness of the Resurrection Msgr. Charles Pope • April 16, 2017 • There is something of a hidden quality to the resurrection appearances that has always puzzled me. St. Peter gives voice to this when he says to Cornelius,God raised Jesus from the dead on the third day and granted that he be visible, not to all people, but to us, the witnesses chosen by God in advance, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commissioned us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the...

Shedding the blood of Christians and murdering them is preferable to allowing them to flaunt their opposition to Muhammad’s teachings Why are some Christians murdered and many more terrorized in the name of Islam every Easter holiday? This year’s most notable attack occurred in Egypt, where two Coptic Christian churches were bombed during Palm Sunday mass, leaving 50 dead and 120 injured.

At Google , Easter isn't as important as these important dates.

Why are some Christians murdered and many more terrorized in the name of Islam every Easter holiday?   This year’s most notable attack occurred in Egypt, where two packed Coptic Christian churches were bombed during Palm Sunday mass, leaving 50 dead and 120 injured.   While this incident received some coverage in Western media, attacks on churches in Egypt on or around Easter are not uncommon.  For instance, two days after the Palm Sunday attacks, on April 12, authorities thwarted another Islamic terror attack targeting a Coptic monastery in Upper Egypt.   Similarly, on April 12, 2015, Easter Sunday, two explosions...

There are not many FReepers saying to one another today: "Have a Blessed Easter" So, to All: I hope you had and are having a Blessed Easter!

April 17, 2017 Monday in the Octave of Easter Reading 1 Acts 2:14, 22-33On 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 to...