Pope's Comments on Easter

VATICAN CITY — Pope Benedict XVI carried a tall, lit candle symbolizing Christian hope into a dramatically darkened St. Peter's Basilica packed with faithful Saturday night in the traditional start of the Vatican's vigil Mass on the eve of Easter.
A chant of "Lumen Christi" (Latin for "Light of Christ") echoed in the cavernous basilica.
Then the vast space began twinkling with light as cardinals and other prelates lit their candles from the flame on the pope's Easter candle and, one by one, members of the congregation lit their neighbor's candle in a quick succession of lights.
A light switch was thrown, and the Mass began, led by Benedict, dressed in gold-and-white colored vestments.
Easter Sunday is Christianity's most important feast day, when faithful mark their belief in the resurrection of Christ after Jesus' death by crucifixion. For Christians worldwide, Easter represents God's promise of eternal life after death, of love's triumph over death.
"The gravitational pull of love is stronger than that of hatred; the force of gravity of life is stronger than that of death," Benedict said in his homily reflecting on the mystery of Christian belief in the resurrection.

A motif of life overcoming difficult trials figured in Benedict's Good Friday homily, as he sought to encourage survivors of Italy's devastating quake to cling to hope and take solace in Easter's joy. The temblor in the central Apennine mountain region of Abruzzo claimed at least 293 lives and left 40,000 people homeless.
The endurance of the Catholic church itself through the ages was praised by Benedict in his vigil Mass homily, saying "it always seems as if she ought to be sinking, and yet she is already always saved."
The pope did not specify challenges facing the church he leads.
But recent months have seen Benedict criticized, including by prelates in his own church, over his efforts to reach out to excommunicated ultraconservative Catholic bishops who rejected modernizing reforms of the 1960s, including the move away from Latin to modern languages during Masses.
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Keeping with Easter vigil traditions, Benedict baptized five adults during the Mass: two Italian men, and one woman each from Italy, China and the United States.
Using a shell-shaped silver scooper to take water from a basin, the pope poured water over the bowed heads of each of the members of the church, after he called them by name, one by one.
Before moving up the aisle of the vast basilica, Benedict took a knife and carved the Greek letters "alpha" and "omega" into the candle. Then he inserted five grains of incense into the wax.
On Sunday morning, Benedict will celebrate Mass in St. Peter's Square, then read his Easter message for the world at noon Vatican time (6 a.m. EDT.)
The "Urbi et Orbi" (Latin for "to the city and to the world") message often takes the form of a review of the world's hotspots and political and social tensions.
Some 2 1/2 hours into Saturday night's ceremony, the pope started sounding hoarse. But the stamina of Benedict, who turns 82 on April 16, has appeared to hold up well during Holy Week ceremonies, including a Way of the Cross procession he watched on Good Friday night from a terrace overlooking the Colosseum.

Happy Easter

There's so much happening in the world right now. It seems since President Obama was elected, things have been speeding up, getting closer to "end times" things coming to fruition. It's like his swearing in ushered in the next phase of the end times. I don't think he is intentionally doing it, but the things he is doing are forcing our country down the path to the end. Socialism is here, preparations for a one world government, one world monetary system and the rise of the anti-christ are coming.

All this going on, our president goes over to Europe, Turkey and Saudi Arabia. Doesn't pay respects to the graves of fallen soldiers in Normandy or anywhere else we have Americans buried, but takes the time to tell the Turks we are "arrogant." He also takes the time to bow down to the Saudi king, and no American president has ever done that, not even Bill Clinton.

Obama and his administration blame everything on America. Captain of an American cargo ship gets kidnapped by thugs and thieves? It's America's fault. Terror attacks? America's fault again. Muslim radical terrorists hate us? Must be our fault. When is America going to wake up?

Lastly, Obama tells the world that America is no longer a Christian nation. Yes, America's population may have sunk to a low of 20% true Christians or less, but we were founded on Christian principles, our laws were established based on the bible. So, until the rapture of the church occurs, we must maintain our status of a Christian nation. Deuteronomy 28 tells us all. We are on the side of God's curses right now.

But have hope in this, that while we were still Sinners - Christ died for us! Not only that, Jesus was raised on the third day and is sitting at the right hand of God!!!! Thank God for Jesus, no matter what happens when Obama gives America up to the world, we are saved through the shed blood of Jesus. It's a free gift from God - all you have to do is accept it from Him.

Confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and Savior, believe that God raised Him on the third day, call on the name of the Lord and you will be saved.

God Bless.

Been too long

It has been too long since I have posted, but I am going to start posting at least weekly to this blog. Things are happening so fast, especially since America elected President Obama.

Please pray for our leaders, our nation and this world. Pray that we will turn from our evil ways and turn back to God. Pray that we will be obedient to God's word, and each of us follow the commandments given to us. Pray this nation will be a nation Under God again, and stand up for the innocent and abolish the murder of babies and define marriage in our constitution the way God defined it - between a man and a woman!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

America - wake up - we are on the wrong side of Deuteronomy 28!