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“In Jesus, Peace; In the World, Tribulation” (John 16:23-33)Hear again the words of Jesus at the end of John 16, verse 33: “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” This is our text. “In Jesus, Peace; In the World, Tribulation.” This is what our Lord says his followers can expect. It was that way for his disciples back then. It is that way for his disciples still now. On the one hand, peace; on the other hand, tribulation....

BEGIN TRANSCRIPT RUSH: So Benghazi, that's "a long time ago." "Benghazi happened a long time ago." I mean, why is everybody bringing that up now? Yet everything remains the fault of George W. Bush. From the Weekly Standard: "White House spokesman Jay Carney said in response to a question about the September 11, 2012 Benghazi terror attack that it 'happened a long time ago.' 'Let's be clear,' said Carney. "'Benghazi happened a long time ago. We are unaware of any agency blocking an employee who would like to appear before Congress to provide information related to Benghazi.'" Really? See, this...

“A Little While” (John 16:12-22)“We do not know what he is talking about.” Maybe you say that sometimes towards the end of my sermons. “We don’t know what he’s talking about!” Well, if so, then I’m in good company, because that’s what the disciples said about a sermon Jesus was preaching. We heard it in today’s Gospel from John 16. “We do not know what he is talking about,” the disciples said. What was it they were puzzled about? It was this. Jesus had just told them: “A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a...

“Never before have I seen such contempt for law enforcement officers as what I’ve seen from the Gang of Eight” - Chris Crane, ICE Agent union president.- Last week, ICE union chief Chris Crane won a stunning initial court victory in his lawsuit against the Obama Administration. As we reported, Federal Judge Federal Judge Reed O’Connor told the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that they had no power to refuse to deport illegal aliens, and that he was likely to strike down Obama's virtual "DACA" amnesty for millions of illegal aliens. The ruling stunned Washington, and Crane's lawsuit could derail...

Above: ICE Union President Chris Crane, who filed the lawsuit against DHS.- In a stunning order, a federal judge Wednesday said that the Obama administration is likely violating the law by telling immigration agents and officers not to arrest illegal aliens they deem "low priority", in a lawsuit brought by ICE agents that could derail Obama’s plan to undermine immigration enforcement nationwide.Federal Judge Reed O'Connor said in a court order Tuesday that Congress, not the president, sets priority for arresting illegal immigrants, and said the law requires them to be put in deportation proceedings.“The court finds that DHS does not...

“The Good Shepherd Cares for His Sheep” (John 10:14-15, 22-30; Acts 20:17-35; Revelation 7:9-17)Today is what is usually called “Good Shepherd Sunday.” Every year on this Sunday in the Easter season, the theme of all the parts of the service is Jesus as the Good Shepherd of the sheep, his flock, the church. He lays down his life for the sheep and takes it up again--that’s the Easter connection. On Good Shepherd Sunday, the Holy Gospel is always a portion of John 10, in which Jesus identifies himself as that shepherd several times. The other two readings also fit the...

“By the Charcoal Fire” (John 21:1-19)It’s been a couple of weeks now since Jesus rose from the dead and appeared to his disciples. Last Sunday, Jesus came and appeared to them a second time, on that occasion especially to bring Thomas to repent of his unbelief and confess his faith. Now today Jesus appears to the disciples--seven of them, at least--he appears to them a third time, this time not in Jerusalem, as on the previous two occasions, but now back up in Galilee, the home base for many of the disciples. Jesus appears to them, unexpectedly, while they’re out...

“Words of Life” (John 20:19-31; Acts 5:12-32; Revelation 1:4-18)To those sitting in prison, facing a death sentence, filled with fear at what awaits them, nothing is more welcome than someone coming with a message of pardon and release. Those words come as words of life in a world of fear and death. “Words of Life.” That’s what we hear in our readings today--in all three of them: the First Reading, from Acts; the Epistle, from Revelation; and the Holy Gospel, from John. Words of life, to people sitting in prison, overcoming their fear and giving them the faith and the...

“Lessons from the Paschal Candle” (John 1:4-5)“In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” John chapter 1, verses 4 and 5. On this Easter Day, the most glorious day of the year, we join with the whole Christian church around the world in proclaiming and rejoicing in the Resurrection of Our Lord: “Alleluia! Christ is risen!” (“He is risen indeed! Alleluia!”) Not only do we proclaim this great good news with our mouth, but also visually, the sacred artwork and appointments of the...

by John HillStand With ArizonaWebsite | Facebook | Twitter Maricopa County, Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio and his deputies have smashed a human smuggling ring that has brought hundreds and perhaps thousands of illegal aliens in and through Arizona over the past 4 years. The suspects are part of a suspected multi-million dollar illegal alien smuggling ring. After a five month investigation, Maricopa County Sheriff's detectives tracked the leader of a human smuggling operation to a home in Laveen, eight miles outside Phoenix. That's where they found the operation's leader, a man who'd already been deported eight times!That man  is 35-year-old...

John Guandolo : President, Guandolo Associates Robert Spencer Jihad Watch

by John HillStand With ArizonaWebsite | Facebook | Twitter Americans are furious over the outrageous, lawless release of thousands of criminal illegal aliens from ICE detention - hundreds in Arizona alone - endangering families and communities from coast-to-coast. As the controversy swirled today, an angry Governor Jan Brewer (R-AZ) appeared on FoxNews' Neil Cavuto show to react to both the detainee releases, as well as to two days of finger-pointing and avoidance of responsibility on the part of the White House and DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano. “The American people are fed up. We have all of this outrageous activity going on.  And,...

Respect for private property at riskAt least you have to give President Obama high marks for creativity in his latest attempt to curtail freedom and individual rights. Specifically, I’m talking about Mr. Obama’s assault on private property rights through the abuse of the Endangered Species Act. I strongly support protecting endangered species. No one I know wants to see a species go anywhere near extinction. The far-left environmentalists in the Obama administration, however, have gone way beyond this by settling litigation with their allies in environmental groups behind closed doors. Through these secret settlements, they are advancing a much more...

“Marriage and the Family: The Cultural Slide and the Christian Response” (Isaiah 62:1-5; Psalm 128:1-6; John 2:1-11)The readings for today--the Old Testament Reading, the Psalm, and the Holy Gospel--these readings are filled with references to marriage and the family. They use the language and imagery of marriage and the family--and in the Gospel’s case, even the occasion of a wedding--to describe God’s love for humanity. The blessings of marriage and children are gifts that God gives to all people, and they are also pictures of the relationship that God has with his own people, the church. Look at how that...

Excellent, and not just the Libya stuff. Stick with it for Paul’s questions about how smart it is to be arming the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt when Morsi is already wheezing about Jews controlling the media in official diplomatic sessions with the U.S. If you’re wondering why it fell to Paul to ask this question instead of any of the more senior senators who preceded him, it’s because the Senate was perfectly happy to have Obama act unilaterally on Libya. The Iraq war authorization came back to haunt many of them; no one knew at the time how messy Libya...

John Bohener being re-elected as House Speaker GUARANTEES that after each dog & pony show - the GOP will capitulate to Obama and betray authentic Americans on every issue. DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME WITH THESE USELESS IDIOTS. Shore up your State Legislatures.

"Hezbollah started out as purely a terrorist organization back in the early ’80s and has evolved significantly over time. And now it has members of parliament, in the cabinet. There are lawyers, doctors, others who are part of the Hezbollah organization... And so, quite frankly, I’m pleased to see that a lot of Hezbollah individuals are in fact renouncing that type of terrorism and violence and are trying to participate in the political process [in Lebanon] in a very legitimate fashion. " AUDIOWhite House counterterrorism adviser and nominee for Director of the CIA, John Brennan

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as it were of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. Gospel of St. John 1, 14 ............... Today we celebrate a creator choosing to become creation. Wishing everyone a blessed Christmas.

“A Blessed Visitation” (Luke 1:39-45)It was a meeting of the moms. Two expectant mothers, one old, one young. One was six months along; the other, newly pregnant. And the fact that they were expecting was totally unexpected! Both of them were pregnant when really neither one of them should have been, under normal circumstances. But these circumstances were anything but normal. What was happening was much better than normal. This meeting of the moms was the visitation of Mary to Elizabeth. Elizabeth was the older woman; Mary, the younger. Elizabeth was in her sixth month; Mary’s pregnancy had just started....

This begs the question of what Obama knew about Petraeus and his "lifestyle" when he appointed him. The Soviet style of this regime makes me wonder about John Roberts. This is just pure speculation about a public figure, not an accusation. But my first reaction to the inexplicable Roberts decision is "what the hell does Obama have over this guy?". Obama didn't appoint Roberts of course but I'd bet he, Axelrod and the Chicago gang know everything there is to know about his personal life and are adroit when in comes to influencing behavior.