Easter + 7: Where Is Our Focus?

Seven days ago, the world-wide Christina community gathered to celebrate the Feast of Feasts - the resurrection of Jesus, commonly called Easter. Christians of every stripe sang praises to God for Jesus' victory over death and for opening the gates to heaven to all who call on Him as Lord and Savior. The day was a glorious day. Even some of the media outlets reminded viewers of the special day. That, in and of itself, could be described as a miracle.

Seven days has passed since Easter and we should ask ourselves the question, "where is our focus?" Are we still focused on the great event of the resurrection? Are our eyes still focused on the empty tomb and the various eye-witness accounts that reported the news of Jesus' resurrection? Is the joy of the Easter day still fresh in our hearts and clearly in our field of vision?

Or has Easter moved to the rear-view mirror and become simply another day that, while in the moment was great, is now only another day gone by? Has the joy of Easter been replaced by the woes of life and the worldly anxieties we daily face? Have we once again retreated into our lives so much that we miss the cosmic reminders of new life? Have we put away the leaven of malice and wickedness, of anger and resentment, of impatience and self-centeredness? Have we put on Christ and kept Him on? Have we taken in the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth, of joy and kindness, of honesty and grace, of compassion and mercy, of love and forgiveness?

Spring is the season of new life. Out of the death of winter comes new life. All around us we see earthly reminders of God's great work. God constantly uses His creation to remind us of His truths and especially important is the truth of the resurrection of Jesus. Out of His death came our new and eternal life. In and through God's grace, we, as Christians, have hope and we live a life of hope.

Let us daily put on Christ that we may daily be reminded that indeed we are dead unto sin and alive unto God through Jesus Christ. Let us daily shout the Easter acclamation:

Alleluia, Christ is risen!
Indeed, He is risen! Alleluia.

America's Pirates

We have witnessed a tremendous event in the pirate attack on the Mearsk Alabama and the Navy's heroic rescue of Captain Richard Phillips. Those who sought to take what was not theirs met a deadly fate at the hands of Navy sharpshooters.

In this country, we are victims of piracy as well. Piracy is defined as a crime, such as hijacking, committed aboard a ship or aircraft. On this ship of state called the United States of America, the pirates have taken what is not theirs, our money, and are using it in a manner that is unacceptable to the majority of American citizens. Those pirates include President Obama, Tim Geitner, Ben Bernanke, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and the democratic-led Congress. Included in this list of pirates are also all those republicans who voted for all the stimulus packages and bailouts, including President Bush. They have taken our money and given it to people they wrongly believe deserve it: AIG, GM, Chrysler, and other companies "too big to fail." Their actions are criminal, if not literally then figuratively. If we were to mismanage money that belonged to someone else, we would be help accountable. Yet, who is holding these men and women accountable?

Who will be the ones to come in and "take out," figuratively, these pirates? The only ones who can do that are the American people. We have to act like the Navy Seals and take these pirates out with the power of the vote. We must hold them accountable for their actions and make sure that our aim in the voting booth is as sure as the Seals' was on the Somali pirates.

Our outrage at these domestic pirates needs to be as loud as out outrage at the other pirates. While we must wait some 18 months before we can vote some of these pirates out, we must make preparation to act and not lose sight of this important mission.

If we fail to act, our country will continue to be held hostage by these pirates and we will continue to be held at gun point by high taxes, out of control spending and fascist policies that will continue to weaken this great country.

Let not these tea parties be simply a flash in the pan. Let us rise as our forefathers rose and answer the call to arms that we might once again regain control of our government and have a government that is actually "of the people, by the people and for the people."

Is Obama ashamed of being a Christian?

When anyone who claims to be a Christian asks that a Christian symbols at a Christian university be covered over, that person's commitment to his Christian faith immediately comes into question. Why would the president, who claims to be a Christian, insist that a Christian symbols be covered up when he speaks in a public forum? The fact that the speech was on policy is irrelevant. The answer given by the White House that the symbol was covered over because they wanted to have continuity between venues is weak at best.

One must wonder just how much Jeremiah Wright truly influenced him? Wright was the pastor who damned America. Obama not only seems to be ashamed of his own country, (listen to his speeches he gave throughout Europe) but also his own Christian faith.

It seems as though his wife's own shame about being an American has rubbed off on Barak and now this shame has infected his Christian faith.