Pope Francis’ Easter Message: End Violence & Oppression … Pope Called for an End to “the Present Absurd Bloodshed and all Barbarous Acts of Violence” of Radical Islam

Pope Francis Easter Message: “Oh God, who on this day through your only begotten son have conquered death and unmarked for us the path to eternity. [...] We ask peace above all for beloved Syria and Iraq. That the roar of arms cease and that peaceful relations be restored”.

During Pope Francis’ message this Easter Sunday, he called for an end to the bloodshed in Libya, Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Nigeria and in Africa and called for the international community not stand by before the immense humanitarian tragedy unfolding in these countries. Francis  prayed for an end to the violence and persecution of Christians, specifically mentioning the recent slaughter of students massacred by Islamist militants at Garissa University in Kenya.

Pope Francis prayed for an end to the persecution of Christians in his Easter Sunday address, commemorating the students massacred by Islamist militants at Garissa University in Kenya.

Calling for peace in Libya, where last February Islamic State militants beheaded 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians, the pope called for an end to “the present absurd bloodshed and all barbarous acts of violence”.

He prayed for peace in Syria, Iraq and Yemen, Sudan, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Nigeria, where Boko Haram Islamist militants have also targeted Christian churches.

“We ask for peace and freedom for the many men and women subject to old and new forms of enslavement on the part of criminal individuals and groups,” he said.

CNN

Pope Francis reminded the world of the Vatican’s status as a state and his role as a moral diplomat in his traditional speech given at the end of Easter Mass.

The Pontiff lamented the suffering of people in the conflicts currently making headlines and called for violence everywhere to end.

Foremost, he asked that bloodshed end in Iraq and Syria and that humanitarian aid get to those in need.

“May the international community not stand by before the immense humanitarian tragedy unfolding in these countries and the drama of the numerous refugees,” he said in his “urbi et orbi” address, Latin for “to the city (Rome) and to the world.”

Then he turned to the Holy Land, expressing the wish that the peace process between Israelis and Palestinians resume.

Francis mentioned Libya; the nuclear talks with Iran in Lausanne, Switzerland; Yemen; Nigeria; South Sudan; and the shooting at the Garissa University College in Kenya.

The Full Easter Mass can be seen below

Official Vatican Text of Pope Francis’ Easter Message:

“Jesus Christ is risen! Love has triumphed over hatred, life has conquered death, light has dispelled the darkness!

Out of love for us, Jesus Christ stripped himself of his divine glory, emptied himself, took on the form of a slave and humbled himself even to death, death on a cross. For this reason God exalted him and made him Lord of the universe. Jesus is Lord! By his death and resurrection, Jesus shows everyone the way to life and happiness: this way is humility, which involves humiliation. This is the path which leads to glory. Only those who humble themselves can go towards the “things that are above”, towards God (cf. Col 3:1-4). The proud look “down from above”; the humble look “up from below”.

On Easter morning, alerted by the women, Peter and John ran to the tomb. They found it open and empty. Then they drew near and “bent down” in order to enter it. To enter into the mystery, we need to “bend down”, to abase ourselves. Only those who abase themselves understand the glorification of Jesus and are able to follow him on his way.

The world proposes that we put ourselves forward at all costs, that we compete, that we prevail. But Christians, by the grace of Christ, dead and risen, are the seeds of another humanity, in which we seek to live in service to one another, not to be arrogant, but rather respectful and ready to help.

This is not weakness, but true strength! Those who bear within them God’s power, his love and his justice, do not need to employ violence; they speak and act with the power of truth, beauty and love.

From the risen Lord we ask the grace not to succumb to the pride which fuels violence and war, but to have the humble courage of pardon and peace. We ask Jesus, the Victor over death, to lighten the sufferings of our many brothers and sisters who are persecuted for his name, and of all those who suffer injustice as a result of ongoing conflicts and violence.

We ask for peace, above all, for Syria and Iraq, that the roar of arms may cease and that peaceful relations may be restored among the various groups which make up those beloved countries. May the international community not stand by before the immense humanitarian tragedy unfolding in these countries and the drama of the numerous refugees.

We pray for peace for all the peoples of the Holy Land. May the culture of encounter grow between Israelis and Palestinians and the peace process be resumed, in order to end years of suffering and division.

We implore peace for Libya, that the present absurd bloodshed and all barbarous acts of violence may cease, and that all concerned for the future of the country may work to favor reconciliation and to build a fraternal society respectful of the dignity of the person. For Yemen too we express our hope for the growth of a common desire for peace, for the good of the entire people. (the rest of the message)

Happy Easter 2015 from Scared Monkeys: HE IS RISEN. TRUELY, HE IS RISEN

MAY EVERYONE HAVE A HAPPY AND BLESSED EASTER …

He is risen, truly, He is risen. Easter represents the true meaning of hope eternal and the rebirth of our Lord Jesus Christ as he died and rose again. As you have your Easter egg hunts, open your Easter baskets and enjoy Easter dinner, please remember that the resurrection of our Lord provides us with eternal hope and rebirth. As stated in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” And with the crucifixion of Jesus, we are provided with his resurrection … Christ the Lord is Risen.

King’s College Choir – Jesus Christ is Risen Today

Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!
Sing, ye heavens, and earth reply, Alleluia!

Love’s redeeming work is done, Alleluia!
Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia!
Death in vain forbids him rise, Alleluia!
Christ has opened paradise, Alleluia!

Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia!
Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia!
Once he died our souls to save, Alleluia!
Where’s thy victory, boasting grave? Alleluia!

Soar we now where Christ has led, Alleluia!
Following our exalted Head, Alleluia!
Made like him, like him we rise, Alleluia!
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!

Hail the Lord of earth and heaven, Alleluia!
Praise to thee by both be given, Alleluia!
Thee we greet triumphant now, Alleluia!
Hail the Resurrection, thou, Alleluia!

King of glory, soul of bliss, Alleluia!
Everlasting life is this, Alleluia!
Thee to know, thy power to prove, Alleluia!
Thus to sing, and thus to love, Alleluia!

 Mark 16: 5-7

“As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.  ”Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him.  But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’ ”

Above All – Michael W Smith

Crucified, laid behind a stone
You lived to die rejected and alone
Like a rose trampled on the ground
You took the fall and thought of me
Above all

 Mark 16:5-20New King James Version (NKJV):

5 And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.

6 But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. 7 But go, tell His disciples—and Peter—that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you.”

8 So they went out quickly[a] and fled from the tomb, for they trembled and were amazed. And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.
Mary Magdalene Sees the Risen Lord

9 Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons. 10 She went and told those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept. 11 And when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe.
Jesus Appears to Two Disciples.

12 After that, He appeared in another form to two of them as they walked and went into the country. 13 And they went and told it to the rest, but they did not believe them either.

14 Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen. 15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they[b] will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

19 So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. 20 And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.

This has become one of my favorite Easter songs, enjoy … Amazing love, I know its true, It’s my joy to honor You.

Amazing Love – the Newsboys

I’m forgiven cause You were forsaken
I’m accepted, You were condemned
I am alive and well, Your spirit is within me
‘Cause You died and rose again

Amazing love, how can it be?
That You, my King would die for me?
Amazing love, I know its true
It’s my joy to honor You
In all I do, I honor You

Here I am to Worship – Michael W. Smith

I’ll never know how much it cost to see my sin upon that cross.
I’ll never know how much it cost to see my sin upon that cross.
And I’ll never know how much it cost to see my sin upon that cross.
No I’ll never know how much it cost to se my sin upon that cross.

Here I am to worship,
Here I am to bow down,
Here I am to say that you’re my God,
You’re altogether lovely,
Altogether worthy,
Altogether wonderful to me.
So Here I am to worship,
Here I am to bow down,
Here I am to say that you’re my God,

Barack Obama at 2015 Prayer Breakfast Speech Compares Today’s ISIS Terror Acts to Terrible Deeds in Name of Christ During Crusades

UNBELIEVABLE … BUT WHAT WOULD YOU EXPECT FROM THE DIVIDER IN CHIEF WHO HAS LESS THAN 2 YEARS TO CAUSE CHAOS AND DAMAGE TO THE UNITED STATES …

HIGH HORSES?

Barack Hussein Obama was at it again this years Annual Prayer Breakfast with his divisive, twisted and distorted ideology. So what does the Divider in Chief, the Community agitator in Chief do at a National prayer breakfast … why lash out against Christians of course in the wake of radical Islam ISIS beheadings and the burning of a Muslim pilot alive.  The 2016 elections cannot come fast enough. As radical Islam is raping young females, slaughtering innocents, beheading with impunity and burning individuals alive, this sad excuse of a president can not label these barbaric terrorists as radical Islamist, but he can find it in himself to blame Christians and make a comparison to the Crusades. UNREAL.

“Humanity has been grappling with these questions throughout human history. Unless we get on our high horse and think this is unique to some other place. Remember that during the Crusades and Inquisition, people committed terrible deeds in the name of Christ. And our home country, slavery and Jim Crow all too often was justified in the name of Christ.”

“This is not unique to one group or one religion. There is a tendency in us, a sinful tendency that can pervert and distort our faith.”

The Blaze:

President Barack Obama spoke about religious extremism during an address at Thursday morning’s National Prayer Breakfast, noting that the “twisting and distorting” of faith is “not unique to one group or one religion” and claiming that some Christians also had a history of justifying bad deeds with the name of Jesus.

“We see sectarian war in Syria, the murder of Muslims and Christians in Nigeria, religious war in the Central African Republic, a rising tide of anti-Semitism and hate crimes in Europe, so often perpetrated in the name of religion,” Obama said during his remarks.

From there, the president implored listeners not to forget the negative history that Christianity has had in light of the Crusades and Inquisition — and with America’s own past with slavery.

This is the sad state of affairs in the United States that the American people reelected this warped, America-hating, Christian-hating president whose views and ideology were shaped by radical socialists and the religious teachings of Rev. Wright. This is the result of being a member of the Trinity United Church of Christ that taught Black liberation theology under the guidance of Rev. Jeremiah Wright, “God Damn America”.

If President Barack Obama Has Already Checked Out of his Job … Can we Just Have Him Leave Early?

Does Barack Obama even care anymore?

The Daily Telegraph opines that President Barack Obama has already checked out of his job. Matt K Lewis, a senior contributor at The Daily Caller, writes that “The degree to which Barack Obama is now phoning it in – sleepwalking perfunctorily through his second term, amid golf rounds and dinner parties – is astonishing.” If it was not bad enough during Obama’s first term with his over-usage of greens and fairways as other more important issues were taking place, the One’s second term has been even worse. Rome is burning and Nero Obama is shamefully playing golf and going to fund raisers.If Obama does not care anymore and has checked out, as witnessed by his actions or lack of action … can he just do us all a favor and leave the White House early? I am sure many would not mind, including Democrats.

And based on his recent handling of situations much more serious than a possible post-presidential move to sunny California, it seems as if “No Drama Obama” is no longer even worried about keeping up appearances; he doesn’t care enough to fake it.

Consider this: In recent days, a) Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was shot down, apparently by Russian separatists in Ukraine, b) In the Gaza strip, the numbers killed continued to mount as Israelis and Palestinians exchange rocket fire, c) a huge influx of children fleeing Central American poverty and gang warfare swamped America’s southern border, creating a humanitarian crisis. And, oh yeah, d) Christians living in Mosul were given the choice to either convert to Islam or flee the area they have inhabited for nearly two thousand years.

You know what else has happened during this time? a) Obama played many rounds of golf, b) he attended numerous fund-raisers, c) he dined on barbecue in Texas and burgers in Delaware, and d) he almost appeared on the comedian Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night television show in Hollywood.

I say “almost” because the White House finally relented. “We ultimately elected not to have the president do that interview over the course of this trip,” the White House press secretary, Josh Earnest, conceded. “And that is at least in part related to the challenges of doing a comedy show in the midst of some of these other more serious matters that the president’s dealing with in the international scene.”

Previously Judge Jeanine Pirro blasted Barack Obama for his apathy on crucial current events and told him, “It’s Time to Get Your ‘Big Boy Pants On’ & Stop Kidding Around.”

Also, Sean Hanity offered up a blistering  monologue telling Barack Obama, ‘It’s Time for a Wake-Up Call’ … “It Is Time for You to Get Engaged.”

Barack Hussein Obama Highest Approval Rating Among U.S. Muslims

Imagine that, Barack Hussein Obama gets highest approval rating among U.S. Muslims …

From the Politico comes a new Gallup poll that shows President Barack Obama’s approval rating is higher among Muslims than any other religious group. What is some what perplexing is the fact that American Jews give Obama high marks, although down from 2009, even as Obama has shown in the last 6 years that he is no friend of Israel. Although, not surprising at all that those with no religion also sing the praises of The One.

Barack Obama: “My Muslim Faith”

President Barack Obama’s approval rating is higher among Muslims than any other religious group, a new poll says.

According to a Gallup poll released Friday that tracked responses for the first six months of 2014, 72 percent of Muslims said they approve of the president, compared with just 20 percent who disapprove.

Mormons were the least approving religious group, with 18 percent of Mormons approving and 78 percent disapproving of the president. Mormons in the past have ranked as the most conservative major religious group in the U.S.

The survey underscores a religious divide when it comes to presidential approval — Obama is more popular among non-Christians and less popular among Christians.

Chart via Gallup

Gallup: U.S. Muslims Most Approving of Obama, Mormons Least – Relative rank order of religious groups stable throughout his presidency.

Seventy-two percent of U.S. Muslims approved of the job President Barack Obama was doing as president during the first six months of 2014, higher than any other U.S. religious group Gallup tracks. Mormons were least approving, at 18%. In general, majorities of those in non-Christian religions — including those who do not affiliate with any religion — approved of Obama, while less than a majority of those in the three major Christian religious groups did.