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This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.

Join with fellow FREEPERS to pray for PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP/VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE and AMERICA: Government, Family, Military, Business, Education, Churches, Farmers, Sanctity of Life, Health Care, and the MediaReligion Forum threads labeled “Prayer” are closed to debate of any kind. I said to the LORD: You are my God; Hear the voice of my supplications, O LORD. O GOD the Lord, the strength of my salvation, You have covered my head in the day of battle. Do not grant, O LORD, the desires of the wicked; Do not further his wicked scheme, Lest they be exalted. Psalm 140:6-8

The first reading for Sunday Mass speaks to us of the call of Samuel. In examining it, we can see what it is that makes a great prophet. Put more theologically, we can see the ways in which God’s graces form a great prophet.Samuel was surely one of the most significant prophets of the Old Testament and lived at a critical time, as Israel shifted from the time of the judges to the time of the monarchy. Ultimately, it was he who would see Israel through the difficult time of Saul’s reign and prepare and anoint them for David’s...

“Whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house” (Proverbs 17:13).

January 17 2021 Memorial of St. Fursey of Ireland Cathedral of Christ the King, Atlanta, Georgia Lectionary 65Readings at MassLiturgical Colour: Green.First reading1 Samuel 3:3-10,19 ©'Speak, Lord, your servant is listening'Samuel was lying in the sanctuary of the Lord, where the ark of God was, when the Lord called, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ He answered, ‘Here I am.’ Then he ran to Eli and said, ‘Here I am, since you called me.’ Eli said, ‘I did not call. Go back and lie down.’ So he went and lay down. Once again the Lord called, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ Samuel got up and went to...

Biden’s Lying Catholic ApologistsThey are trying to use the Capitol Hill mayhem to silence his critics.The recent condemnations of “reckless rhetoric” come mainly from liberals who engage in it. They froth at the mouth over the mayhem on Capitol Hill, making wild charges about “those responsible for it.” They spread the blame far and wide in the hopes of silencing and discrediting their political opponents.Joe Biden’s religious apologists have joined in this opportunism, using it to settle scores against Christian supporters of Trump. These religious liberals have poured scorn on the government of Donald Trump for four years, often indulging...

Pope Francis and Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI receive their first doses of the Covid-19 vaccine in the Vatican. By Vatican News The vaccination campaign against Covid-19 in the Vatican which began on Wednesday continues with both Pope Francis and Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI receiving their first doses of the vaccine.

Hindus, Muslims Reject Animal-Tainted VaxCatholic, evangelical leaders accept vaccines using abortion cell lines MUMBAI, India (ChurchMilitant.com) - Hindu and Muslim leaders are urging followers to reject COVID-19 vaccines potentially using cow blood or pig gelatin, as Britain co-opted imams to preach sermons Friday reassuring Muslims that the vaccines are halal (permissible).John Stevens, pro-vax and pro-lockdown evangelical leader The Sunni-Muslim Raza Academy has written to the World Health Organization (WHO), while the All India Hindu Grand Assembly (ABHM) has sent a memorandum to India's president demanding to know if the vaccines contain pig or cow extracts.Consumption of pork in any form...

ROME – Austrian Cardinal Christoph Schönborn Friday weighed in on the breach of the US Capitol by pro-Trump rioters that took place nearly 10 days ago, condemning the violence and the lies he said caused the riot in the first place. Schönborn, who has been Archbishop of Vienna for 25 years, sent a tweet referring to the US Capitol breach Jan. 15 saying, “Nothing justifies violence. Even less the lies that led to the violence. This is what happens when truth is no longer distinguished from lies. What a warning against the power of lies!” His tweet included the link...

Washington D.C., Jan 15, 2021 / 01:01 pm MT (CNA).- The 2021 March for Life will take place virtually, organizers announced Friday. The March for Life Education and Defense Fund, the organization behind the annual March for Life in Washington, D.C., said the decision was made due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the risk of unrest in the nation’s capital. This year’s march, now virtual, will take place Jan. 29. In a Jan. 15 statement announcing the decision, Jeanne Mancini, the president of the March for Life, said, “The protection of all of those who participate in the annual...

Pro-Trump Fr. Frank Pavone has award withdrawn for 'political' reasonsROME (ChurchMilitant.com) - A pontifical university known for its unique commitment to bioethical research has reversed its decision to award a prominent pro-life priest with its "A Life for a Life" award 2021. Rome's Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum announced Wednesday it was revoking the prestigious "Una vita per la vita" prize for 2021 awarded to Fr. Frank Pavone "after taking into account aspects that were not considered in the original decision." The sudden decision to rescind the award was taken days after the high-profile pro-life campaigner and national director of Priests...

BAGHDEDE, Iraq — After much effort and work, the statue of the Virgin Mary was raised on the tower of Tahira Church in Baghdede (Qaraqosh) in Nineveh Plains in northern Iraq. The four-meter-long statue is made of plaster and is the work of sculptor Thabet Mikhail. Tahira Church is one of the largest churches in Iraq, opened in 1948 after a popular effort by the people of Baghdede over a 16-year period. The church was completely destroyed by the Islamic State (ISIS) and is currently being reconstructed. The tower of the church is the tallest and most ornate building in...

The 117th United States Congress is made up of 88% Christians, according to an analysis by the Pew Research Center. In a report called “Faith on the Hill,” the Pew Research Center analyzed the religious affiliations of all 531 members of the 117th Congress and compared them to the religious demographics of the U.S. as a whole. Pew obtained the data from a questionnaire conducted by CQ Roll Call asking members about their religious backgrounds. The publication of the Pew report came just one day after the 117th Congress was sworn into session on Jan. 3. Pew has been analyzing...

‘We need the Lord to cast out demon of division in our nation,’ cardinal saysWASHINGTON (CNS) — Celebrating a livestreamed Mass for the community of Archbishop Carroll High School in Washington Jan. 13, Cardinal Wilton D. Gregory noted how sometimes the readings of the day “fit our lives so perfectly.”They “somehow almost mystically describe where we are at this moment,” he said.Washington’s archbishop then pointed out how that day’s Gospel reading, Mark 1: 29-39, which described Jesus curing Peter’s mother-in-law of a fever and later casting out evil spirits, could be connected to the COVID-19 pandemic and to the Jan....

Pray For the Peace of JerusalemLambs, Sheep, and Shepherds.Isaiah 5:8-17Woes and Judgments 8 Woe to you who add house to house and join field to field till no space is left and you live alone in the land. 9 The Lord Almighty has declared in my hearing: “Surely the great houses will become desolate, the fine mansions left without occupants. 10 A ten-acre vineyard will produce only a bath[a] of wine; a homer[b] of seed will yield only an ephah[c] of grain.” 11 Woe to those who rise early in the morning to run after their drinks, who stay up...

Are you surprised by America's sudden meltdown? Over the past 12 months, we have witnessed the greatest public health crisis in 100 years, the lockdowns that were instituted to control the pandemic resulted in the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression of the 1930s, widespread civil unrest erupted in the aftermath of George Floyd's death and has not stopped since, and now we are witnessing the greatest political turmoil since the Civil War. Despite all of this chaos, many Americans remain absolutely convinced that the greatest days of the United States are still ahead of us. To them, the...

Of all 150 Psalms, Psalm 34 is my absolute favorite. It is all about our Lord’s faithfulness to deliver his children from great trials and crises. David declares, “I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears…The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them…The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles… Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all” (Psalm 34:4,7,17,19). Note David’s claim in this Psalm: “I sought the Lord…this...

“Let your way of life be free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, ‘I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,’ so that we confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What shall man do to me?’” (Hebrews 13:5-6). Your relationship with God allows you to enjoy genuine contentment. In view of yesterday’s lesson, you may be asking, “But how can I enjoy contentment and be satisfied with what I have?” You can begin by realizing God’s goodness and believing that He...

THE BIBLICAL LAST DAYS by Charles Meek Years ago, when I began studying the Bible seriously, I decided to "test all things" to see if what I was being taught about Christian doctrine was correct, as the Bible itself instructs us to do in 1 Thessalonians 5:21. I wanted to know and to teach the truth, even if the truth was contrary to my previous assumptions. I did extensive studies of all the popular doctrines of classical Christianity, including: the evidence for God, the divinity of Christ, the Trinity, the atonement, the resurrection, the inspiration of Scripture, the sinful nature...

Biden's Catholicism is all about healing. Now, he will lead a suffering AmericaPitching himself as president, Joe Biden promised to heal America’s hurting soul. His experiences with suffering and healing were well known, including the deaths of his wife and two of his children, his struggle against stuttering and many political losses. On a bigger stage than ever, Biden was trying to show the country how he did it.Through his Catholic faith.“For me, faith, it’s all about hope and purpose and strength,” Biden said in a February video ad. “Faith sees best in the dark.”“Weeping may endure for the night,...