KING JESUS IS COMING FOR US ANY TIME NOW. THE RAPTURE. BE PREPARED TO GO.
JOHN 1:1-2,14
1 In the beginning was the Word,(JESUS) and the Word (JESUS) was with God, and the Word (JESUS) was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.(FATHER,HOLY SPIRIT)(TRINITY AT THE BEGINNING)
14 And the Word was made flesh,(JESUS) and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
PSALMS 150:1-6
1 Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power.
2 Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness.
3 Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp.
4 Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.
5 Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.
6 Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.
GENESIS 1:1-3
1 In the beginning God(FATHER,SON JESUS) created the heaven and the earth.
2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the(HOLY)Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.(THE TRINITY CREATED ALL IN THE BEGINNING)
3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
MERRY CHRISTmas AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE. AND PRAY FOR THE PEACE OF JERUSALEM
Thousands of Christians from the world over packed Manger
Square in Bethlehem Monday to celebrate the birth of Jesus in the
ancient West Bank town where he was born.For
their Palestinian hosts, this holiday season was an especially joyous
one, with the hardships of the Israeli occupation that so often clouded
previous Christmas Eve celebrations eased by the United Nations' recent
recognition of an independent state of Palestine.In his annual
pre-Christmas homily, the top Roman Catholic cleric in the Holy Land,
Latin Patriarch Fouad Twal, said the road to actual freedom was still
long, but this year's festivities were doubly joyful, celebrating "the
birth of Christ our Lord and the birth of the state of Palestine.""The
path (to statehood) remains long, and will require a united effort,"
added Twal, a Palestinian citizen of Jordan, at the patriarchate's
headquarters in Jerusalem's Old City.Then he set off in a
procession for the West Bank city of Bethlehem, Jesus' traditional
birthplace. There, he was reminded that life on the ground for
Palestinians has not changed since the U.N. recognized their state last
month in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem and the
Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.Twal had to enter the biblical town
through a massive metal gate in the barrier of towering concrete slabs
Israel built between Jerusalem and Bethlehem during a wave of
Palestinian suicide bombings in the last decade. The Israeli military,
which controls the crossing, said it significantly eased restrictions
for the Christmas season.Israel, backed by the United States,
opposed the statehood bid, saying it was a Palestinian ploy to bypass
negotiations. Talks stalled four years ago.
Hundreds of people greeted Twal in Manger Square, outside the Church of Nativity. The mood was festive under sunny skies, with children dressed in holiday finery or in Santa costumes, and marching bands playing in the streets.After nightfall, a packed Manger Square, resplendent with strings of lights, decorations and a 17-meter (55-foot) Christmas tree, took on a festival atmosphere, as pilgrims mixed with locals.
A choral group from the Baptist Church in Jerusalem performed carols on one side of the square, handing out sheets of lyrics and encouraging others to sing along with songs such as "We Wish You A Merry Christmas."Vendors sold balloons, cotton candy and corn on the cob, bands played Christmas songs and tourists packed cafes that are quiet most of the rest of the year. Pilgrims from around the world wandered the streets, singing Christmas carols and visiting churches.Festivities led up to the Midnight Mass at St. Catherine's Church, next to the fourth-century Church of the Nativity, built over the grotto where tradition says Jesus was born.Devout Christians said it was a moving experience to be so close to the origins of their faith."It's a special feeling to be here, it's an encounter with my soul and God," said Joanne Kurczewska, a professor at Warsaw University in Poland, who was visiting Bethlehem for a second time at Christmas.
Pastor Al Mucciarone, 61, from Short Hills, New Jersey, agreed."We come here to celebrate Jesus. This is a very important town. Great things come from small events. The son of God was born in this small village. We hope all will follow Jesus," he said.Audra Kasparian, 45, from Salt Lake City, Utah, called her visit to Bethlehem "a life event to cherish forever. It is one of those events that is great to be a part of."Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas also visited Bethlehem and said "peace will prevail from the birthplace of Jesus, and we wish everyone peace and happiness," according to the official Palestinian Wafa news agency.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a special Christmas greeting too, wishing Christians "a year of security, prosperity and peace."Christmas is the high point of the year in Bethlehem, which, like the rest of the West Bank, is struggling to recover from the economic hard times that followed the violent Palestinian uprising against Israel that broke out in late 2000.Tourists and pilgrims who were scared away by the fighting have been returning in larger numbers. Last year's Christmas Eve celebration produced the highest turnout in more than a decade, with some 100,000 visitors, including foreign workers and Arab Christians from Israel.The Israeli Tourism Ministry predicted a 25 per cent drop from that level this year, following last month's clash between Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza, which put a chill on tourist arrivals. Foreign tourists heading to Bethlehem must pass through Israel or the Israel-controlled border crossing into the West Bank from Jordan.Outside the town's quaint Manger Square, Bethlehem is a drab, sprawling town with a dwindling Christian base — a far cry from the pastoral village of biblical times.
About 22,000 Palestinians live in Bethlehem, according to the town council, but combined with several surrounding communities has a population of some 50,000 people.Overall, there are only about 50,000 Christians in the West Bank, less than 3 per cent of the population, the result of a lower birthrate and increased emigration. Bethlehem's Christians make up only a third of its residents, down from 75 per cent a few decades ago.Elias Joha, a 44-year-old Christian who runs a souvenir store, said even with the U.N. recognition, this year's celebrations were sad for him. He said most of his family has left, and that if he had the opportunity, he would do the same."These celebrations are not even for Christians because there are no Christians. It is going from bad to worse from all sides ... we are not enjoying Christmas as before."Located on the southeastern outskirts of Jerusalem, Bethlehem has the highest unemployment in the West Bank, but the tourist boom of Christmas offered a brief reprieve. Officials say all 34 hotels in the town are fully booked for the Christmas season, including 13 new ones built this year.Israel turned Bethlehem over to Palestinian civil control a few days before Christmas in 1995, and since then, residents have been celebrating the holiday regardless of their religion. Many Muslims took part in celebration Monday as well.Christians across the region marked the holiday.In Iraq, Christians gathered for services with tight security, including at Baghdad's Our Lady of Salvation church, the scene of a brutal October 2010 attack that killed more than 50 worshippers and wounded scores more.Earlier this month, Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, who is responsible for the Vatican's outreach to the Middle East's Catholic communities, travelled to Iraq and presided over a Mass to rededicate the church following renovations. In his homily, he remembered those who were killed and expressed hope that "the tears shed in this sacred place become the good seed of communion and witness and bear much fruit," according to an account by Vatican Radio.The exact number of Christians remaining in Iraq is not known, but it has fallen sharply from as many as 1.4 million before the U.S.-led invasion nearly a decade ago to about 400,000 to 600,000, according community leaders cited by the U.S. State Department.In the Vatican, Pope Benedict XVI lit a Christmas peace candle set on the windowsill of his private studio.Pilgrims, tourists and Romans gathered below in St. Peter's Square for the inauguration Monday evening of a Nativity scene and cheered when the flame was lit.The pope was set to appear in St. Peter's Basilica to lead Christmas Eve Mass.____Associated Press writer Adam Schreck contributed from Baghdad.
“Let us pause before the Child of Bethlehem. Let us allow our hearts to be
touched, let us allow ourselves to be warmed by the tenderness of God; we need his caress. God
is full of love: to him be praise and glory forever! God is peace: let us ask him to help us to be
peacemakers each day, in our life, in our families, in our cities and nations, in the whole world.
Let us allow ourselves to be moved by God’s goodness.” These were the concluding words of the Pope’s Urbi et Orbi message to Rome and the world, on this, his first Christmas as the Bishop of Rome. Francis recalled the many lands throughout the world that have become violent battlegrounds, in particular Syria.
“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favours, Francis said in the opening part of his message. “I take up the song of the angels who appeared to the shepherds in Bethlehem on the night when Jesus was born … it is a song for every man or woman who keeps watch through the night, who hopes for a better world, who cares for others while humbly seeking to do his or her duty.” “Christmas bids us to … give glory to God, for he is good, he is faithful, he is merciful. Today I voice my hope that everyone will come to know the true face of God, the Father who has given us Jesus. My hope is that everyone will feel God’s closeness,live in his presence, love him and adore him. May each of us give glory to God above all by our lives, by lives spent for love of him and of all our brothers and sisters,” Francis said.True peace Francis went on to say “is not a balance of opposing forces. It is not a lovely “façade” which conceals conflicts and divisions. Peace calls for daily commitment, starting from God’s gift, from the grace which he has given us in Jesus Christ. Looking at the Child in the manger, our thoughts turn to those children who are the most vulnerable victims of wars, but we think too of the elderly, to battered women, to the sick …Wars shatter and hurt so many lives!”“Too many lives have been shattered in recent times by the conflict in Syria, fuelling hatred and vengeance. Let us continue to ask the Lord to spare the beloved Syrian people further suffering, and to enable the parties in conflict to put an end to all violence and guarantee access
to humanitarian aid. We have seen how powerful prayer is! And I am happy today too, that the followers of different religious confessions are joining us in our prayer for peace in Syria. Let us never lose the courage of prayer!”, Francis added referring to last October’s peace vigil. “And I am happy today too, that the followers of different religious confessions are joining us in our prayer for peace in Syria. Let us never lose the courage of prayer! The courage to say: Lord, grant your peace to Syria and to the whole world.” “I also invite non-believers to yearn for peace, with their yearning, a yearning that makes the heart bigger,” Francis said, setting his written speech aside.Francis called for peace in the Central African Republic, a country that is “often forgotten and overlooked.” “Yet you, Lord, forget no one! And you also want to bring peace to that land, torn apart by a spiral of violence and poverty, where so many people are homeless, lacking water, food and the bare necessities of life.” Francis also prayed for “social harmony in South Sudan, where current tensions have already caused numerous victims and are threatening peaceful coexistence in that young state.”
The Pope asked God to “turn hearts aside from violence and inspire them to lay down
arms and undertake the path of dialogue. Look upon Nigeria, rent by constant attacks which do
not spare the innocent and defenceless. Bless the land where you chose to come into the world,
and grant a favourable outcome to the peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians. Heal the
wounds of the beloved country of Iraq, once more struck by frequent acts of violence.”Francis then prayed that God would protect “all who are persecuted for [His] name. Grant hope and consolation to the displaced and refugees, especially in the Horn of Africa and in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Grant that migrants in search of a dignified life may find acceptance and assistance. May tragedies like those we have witnessed this year, with so many deaths at Lampedusa, never occur again!”Finally, Francis asked the Child of Bethlehem to “touch the hearts of all those engaged in human trafficking, that they may realize the gravity of this crime against humanity. Look upon the many children who are kidnapped, wounded and killed in armed conflicts, and all those who are robbed of their childhood and forced to become soldiers.” And he prayed to the Lord to “look upon our planet, frequently exploited by human greed and rapacity. Help and protect all the victims of natural disasters, especially the beloved people of the Philippines, gravely affected by the recent typhoon.”
JOHN 1:1-2,14
1 In the beginning was the Word,(JESUS) and the Word (JESUS) was with God, and the Word (JESUS) was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.(FATHER,HOLY SPIRIT)(TRINITY AT THE BEGINNING)
14 And the Word was made flesh,(JESUS) and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
PSALMS 150:1-6
1 Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power.
2 Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness.
3 Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp.
4 Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.
5 Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.
6 Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.
GENESIS 1:1-3
1 In the beginning God(FATHER,SON JESUS) created the heaven and the earth.
2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the(HOLY)Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.(THE TRINITY CREATED ALL IN THE BEGINNING)
3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
MERRY CHRISTmas AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE. AND PRAY FOR THE PEACE OF JERUSALEM
Bethlehem enjoys merry Christmas as thousands of pilgrims flock to Jesus' biblical birth town
By Dalia Nammari, The Associated Press
December 24, 2012 4:50 PM-Yahoonews
Hundreds of people greeted Twal in Manger Square, outside the Church of Nativity. The mood was festive under sunny skies, with children dressed in holiday finery or in Santa costumes, and marching bands playing in the streets.After nightfall, a packed Manger Square, resplendent with strings of lights, decorations and a 17-meter (55-foot) Christmas tree, took on a festival atmosphere, as pilgrims mixed with locals.
A choral group from the Baptist Church in Jerusalem performed carols on one side of the square, handing out sheets of lyrics and encouraging others to sing along with songs such as "We Wish You A Merry Christmas."Vendors sold balloons, cotton candy and corn on the cob, bands played Christmas songs and tourists packed cafes that are quiet most of the rest of the year. Pilgrims from around the world wandered the streets, singing Christmas carols and visiting churches.Festivities led up to the Midnight Mass at St. Catherine's Church, next to the fourth-century Church of the Nativity, built over the grotto where tradition says Jesus was born.Devout Christians said it was a moving experience to be so close to the origins of their faith."It's a special feeling to be here, it's an encounter with my soul and God," said Joanne Kurczewska, a professor at Warsaw University in Poland, who was visiting Bethlehem for a second time at Christmas.
Pastor Al Mucciarone, 61, from Short Hills, New Jersey, agreed."We come here to celebrate Jesus. This is a very important town. Great things come from small events. The son of God was born in this small village. We hope all will follow Jesus," he said.Audra Kasparian, 45, from Salt Lake City, Utah, called her visit to Bethlehem "a life event to cherish forever. It is one of those events that is great to be a part of."Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas also visited Bethlehem and said "peace will prevail from the birthplace of Jesus, and we wish everyone peace and happiness," according to the official Palestinian Wafa news agency.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a special Christmas greeting too, wishing Christians "a year of security, prosperity and peace."Christmas is the high point of the year in Bethlehem, which, like the rest of the West Bank, is struggling to recover from the economic hard times that followed the violent Palestinian uprising against Israel that broke out in late 2000.Tourists and pilgrims who were scared away by the fighting have been returning in larger numbers. Last year's Christmas Eve celebration produced the highest turnout in more than a decade, with some 100,000 visitors, including foreign workers and Arab Christians from Israel.The Israeli Tourism Ministry predicted a 25 per cent drop from that level this year, following last month's clash between Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza, which put a chill on tourist arrivals. Foreign tourists heading to Bethlehem must pass through Israel or the Israel-controlled border crossing into the West Bank from Jordan.Outside the town's quaint Manger Square, Bethlehem is a drab, sprawling town with a dwindling Christian base — a far cry from the pastoral village of biblical times.
About 22,000 Palestinians live in Bethlehem, according to the town council, but combined with several surrounding communities has a population of some 50,000 people.Overall, there are only about 50,000 Christians in the West Bank, less than 3 per cent of the population, the result of a lower birthrate and increased emigration. Bethlehem's Christians make up only a third of its residents, down from 75 per cent a few decades ago.Elias Joha, a 44-year-old Christian who runs a souvenir store, said even with the U.N. recognition, this year's celebrations were sad for him. He said most of his family has left, and that if he had the opportunity, he would do the same."These celebrations are not even for Christians because there are no Christians. It is going from bad to worse from all sides ... we are not enjoying Christmas as before."Located on the southeastern outskirts of Jerusalem, Bethlehem has the highest unemployment in the West Bank, but the tourist boom of Christmas offered a brief reprieve. Officials say all 34 hotels in the town are fully booked for the Christmas season, including 13 new ones built this year.Israel turned Bethlehem over to Palestinian civil control a few days before Christmas in 1995, and since then, residents have been celebrating the holiday regardless of their religion. Many Muslims took part in celebration Monday as well.Christians across the region marked the holiday.In Iraq, Christians gathered for services with tight security, including at Baghdad's Our Lady of Salvation church, the scene of a brutal October 2010 attack that killed more than 50 worshippers and wounded scores more.Earlier this month, Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, who is responsible for the Vatican's outreach to the Middle East's Catholic communities, travelled to Iraq and presided over a Mass to rededicate the church following renovations. In his homily, he remembered those who were killed and expressed hope that "the tears shed in this sacred place become the good seed of communion and witness and bear much fruit," according to an account by Vatican Radio.The exact number of Christians remaining in Iraq is not known, but it has fallen sharply from as many as 1.4 million before the U.S.-led invasion nearly a decade ago to about 400,000 to 600,000, according community leaders cited by the U.S. State Department.In the Vatican, Pope Benedict XVI lit a Christmas peace candle set on the windowsill of his private studio.Pilgrims, tourists and Romans gathered below in St. Peter's Square for the inauguration Monday evening of a Nativity scene and cheered when the flame was lit.The pope was set to appear in St. Peter's Basilica to lead Christmas Eve Mass.____Associated Press writer Adam Schreck contributed from Baghdad.
12/25/2013 VATICAN INSIDER
“Let us put an end to war and violence and allow ourselves to be moved by God’s goodness”
Women praying at Christmastime
In his Urbi et Orbi message this Christmas Francis called for peace in Syria, Africa and the Holy Land. The Pope prayed for an end to tragedies such as the boat sinking in Lampedusa and also for those children who are robbed of their childhood
Andrea Tornielli Vatican City“Let us pause before the Child of Bethlehem. Let us allow our hearts to be
touched, let us allow ourselves to be warmed by the tenderness of God; we need his caress. God
is full of love: to him be praise and glory forever! God is peace: let us ask him to help us to be
peacemakers each day, in our life, in our families, in our cities and nations, in the whole world.
Let us allow ourselves to be moved by God’s goodness.” These were the concluding words of the Pope’s Urbi et Orbi message to Rome and the world, on this, his first Christmas as the Bishop of Rome. Francis recalled the many lands throughout the world that have become violent battlegrounds, in particular Syria.
“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favours, Francis said in the opening part of his message. “I take up the song of the angels who appeared to the shepherds in Bethlehem on the night when Jesus was born … it is a song for every man or woman who keeps watch through the night, who hopes for a better world, who cares for others while humbly seeking to do his or her duty.” “Christmas bids us to … give glory to God, for he is good, he is faithful, he is merciful. Today I voice my hope that everyone will come to know the true face of God, the Father who has given us Jesus. My hope is that everyone will feel God’s closeness,live in his presence, love him and adore him. May each of us give glory to God above all by our lives, by lives spent for love of him and of all our brothers and sisters,” Francis said.True peace Francis went on to say “is not a balance of opposing forces. It is not a lovely “façade” which conceals conflicts and divisions. Peace calls for daily commitment, starting from God’s gift, from the grace which he has given us in Jesus Christ. Looking at the Child in the manger, our thoughts turn to those children who are the most vulnerable victims of wars, but we think too of the elderly, to battered women, to the sick …Wars shatter and hurt so many lives!”“Too many lives have been shattered in recent times by the conflict in Syria, fuelling hatred and vengeance. Let us continue to ask the Lord to spare the beloved Syrian people further suffering, and to enable the parties in conflict to put an end to all violence and guarantee access
to humanitarian aid. We have seen how powerful prayer is! And I am happy today too, that the followers of different religious confessions are joining us in our prayer for peace in Syria. Let us never lose the courage of prayer!”, Francis added referring to last October’s peace vigil. “And I am happy today too, that the followers of different religious confessions are joining us in our prayer for peace in Syria. Let us never lose the courage of prayer! The courage to say: Lord, grant your peace to Syria and to the whole world.” “I also invite non-believers to yearn for peace, with their yearning, a yearning that makes the heart bigger,” Francis said, setting his written speech aside.Francis called for peace in the Central African Republic, a country that is “often forgotten and overlooked.” “Yet you, Lord, forget no one! And you also want to bring peace to that land, torn apart by a spiral of violence and poverty, where so many people are homeless, lacking water, food and the bare necessities of life.” Francis also prayed for “social harmony in South Sudan, where current tensions have already caused numerous victims and are threatening peaceful coexistence in that young state.”
The Pope asked God to “turn hearts aside from violence and inspire them to lay down
arms and undertake the path of dialogue. Look upon Nigeria, rent by constant attacks which do
not spare the innocent and defenceless. Bless the land where you chose to come into the world,
and grant a favourable outcome to the peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians. Heal the
wounds of the beloved country of Iraq, once more struck by frequent acts of violence.”Francis then prayed that God would protect “all who are persecuted for [His] name. Grant hope and consolation to the displaced and refugees, especially in the Horn of Africa and in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Grant that migrants in search of a dignified life may find acceptance and assistance. May tragedies like those we have witnessed this year, with so many deaths at Lampedusa, never occur again!”Finally, Francis asked the Child of Bethlehem to “touch the hearts of all those engaged in human trafficking, that they may realize the gravity of this crime against humanity. Look upon the many children who are kidnapped, wounded and killed in armed conflicts, and all those who are robbed of their childhood and forced to become soldiers.” And he prayed to the Lord to “look upon our planet, frequently exploited by human greed and rapacity. Help and protect all the victims of natural disasters, especially the beloved people of the Philippines, gravely affected by the recent typhoon.”
12/23/2013 VATICAN INSIDER
Francis visits Benedict XVI to wish him for Christmas
Bergoglio and Ratzinger meet
