Have a Blessed and Happy Easter!

At daybreak on the first day of the week
the women who had come from Galilee with Jesus
took the spices they had prepared
and went to the tomb.
They found the stone rolled away from the tomb;
but when they entered,
they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.
While they were puzzling over this, behold,
two men in dazzling garments appeared to them.
They were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground.
They said to them,
"Why do you seek the living one among the dead?
He is not here, but he has been raised.
Remember what he said to you while he was still in Galilee,
that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners
and be crucified, and rise on the third day."
And they remembered his words.
Then they returned from the tomb
and announced all these things to the eleven
and to all the others.
The women were Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James;
the others who accompanied them also told this to the apostles,
but their story seemed like nonsense
and they did not believe them.
But Peter got up and ran to the tomb,
bent down, and saw the burial cloths alone;
then he went home amazed at what had happened.

Luke 24:1-12

Holy Week 2017

This week is the one considered Holy by many with a strong Faith in God. For Christians, it is the observance of the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the most pivotal events of human history. The Easter Triduum as observed in the Catholic Church is described here and here. Pope Francis expressed his thoughts on Holy Week at his Wednesday General Audience.

This year, the week also includes the Jewish observance of Passover, the celebration of the Jews' passing over to freedom from the bondage of slavery they suffered in Egypt. This event was a historical manifestation of God's power recognized by Jews and Christians alike.

May this week of Holy Days bring blessings and peace to all.

Sine Die: The Circus on the Severn Folds Its Tent for 2017

The Maryland General Assembly adjourned Monday night after its ninety-day session for 2017. Here is the Baltimore Sun's summary of highlights of the good, the bad and the ugly that was passed during this session.

Some really bad or just plain silly legislation was passed. Some of this activity was more motivated by the desire of some  "progressive" Democrats to feel good about themselves standing up to the Trump Administration than by a serious intent to achieve practical results for Maryland residents.

Some really good news is that the dangerous push for assisted suicide failed to even come to the floor in either chamber again this year. Also, the TRUST Act (aka state sanctuary bill) passed the House of Delegates but was dropped without a vote in the Senate after public outrage arose over the rape case at Rockville HS where the alleged assailants are illegal immigrants.