As I write this, President Obama is hosting a private Easter prayer breakfast at the White House for a select group of religious leaders from around the country. The only minister I know personally is in the room is Joel Osteen. (I’ve never commented on my relationship to the Osteens, but I preached for his father at the Lakewood Church many years ago, when Joel was just a young guy on staff!) Anyway, the other person I think is there is Washington Post reporter and fellow Christian Hamil Harris. I’ve done many interviews with him over the years. Mr. Harris and I once actually teamed up in an televised debate with Barry Lynn of Americans United for Separation of Church and State. Viewers were surprised that a Post Reporter and I were on the same side of the argument!

In any case, I was NOT on the invitation list for the breakfast. (Hmm . . I wonder why?) I’ll pass along anything I find out about what went on and what was said.

On a related matter, you may have seen that we covered the President’s Easter visit with his family to a nearby church, the Allen Chapel AME (African Methodist Episcopal) congregation in Southeast Washington. I’m familiar with the church and know one of the deacons there. I was actually criticized for the posting, as if we shouldn’t mention when the President goes to church. Frankly, I’d rather see the President attending church–no matter his motive–than not attending. A lot has been made that Mr. Obama, since being inaugurated, has spent more Sunday mornings shooting hoops than sitting in pews. This was a positive break in that pattern. Let’s pray it has a lasting effect on him.

OK, back later with more.

Rob +

President Barak Obama is the first chief executive to host a traditional Passover dinner in the White House. As he did last year, the President will tonight again preside at an intimate traditional “Seder” (pronounced Say’-der) meal with the First Lady, their daughters and a few staff members and friends. “Seder” means “order” and refers to the orderly way in which special foods are used in the telling of the story of the miraculous Hebrew Exodus from Egypt. Some consider it ironic that this president would be the trailblazer in bringing the signature Jewish observance into life in the executive mansion because he has one of the worst relationships with Israel, the Jewish state.

President Obama hosts first Passover Seder dinner in White House, 2009

President Obama isn’t the only study in presidential religious irony. George W. Bush, the “evangelical” president, was the first to host and maintain an annual White House “Iftar” (pronounced If’-tar’), the celebratory night-time feast that breaks the daily fasts held during the observance of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

For more on Passover, see my HEADLINE story to post at our website later today. Better yet, join me for a Passover Seder tomorrow night, Tuesday, March 30, 7:30 PM, at our ministry center across the street from the Supreme Court. (Where I don’t think they hold either a Seder or an Iftar, but the Chief Justice does hold an annual Christmas carol sing!)

Just a little aside: Many older and ancient Christian communities refer to the Easter season as “Pasqua,”  (Italian) or Paskha (Greek), both of which are translations for the Hebrew word for Passover, “Pesach.” It was, of course, the Passover meal that Jesus celebrated with his disciples in the Upper Room, which is commonly called The Last Supper. St. Paul also refers to Christ as “our Passover.” (1 Corinthians 5:7)

Have a blessed Passover!

Rob +

What? you’re asking.

Yes, Sunday night, December 20, during the annual “Christmas in Washington” concert at the National Building Museum, President Obama and the First Lady took to the stage to join entertainers in singing “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.”

Before I go further, let’s recall the first verse of this powerful and all-time classic carol by the musical “prophet” Charles Wesley (1707 – 1788):

Hark! the herald angels sing, “Glory to the new-born king; Peace on Earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!”

Joyful all ye nations rise, Join the triumph of the skies; With th’ angelic hosts proclaim, “Christ is born in Bethlehem!”

Now, I ask you, how can someone sing these great words and not be affected in their soul? This is the plain Gospel, “the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth”. (Romans 1:16 b) I call these carols, “Musical Gospel Tracts.”

Of course, the key is that last part, “to every one that believeth.” That’s the difference between “affect” and “effect,” but whether one “believes” or not, you must feel the “affect” of such a magnificent message.

Time will tell whether the President bears the “effect,” but the optimist in me says he definitely felt the “affect.”

This is why I love the CHRISTmas season. No one—not even an isolated, insulated, hyper-protected, inordinately shielded President of the United States, can escape hearing and being touched by the echo of that glorious angelic pronouncement heralded from the Heavens 2000 years ago,

“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.”

It’s enough to make even a president cry.

Rob +