Pope Looks to Christ at "Period of Trial"

 In his weekly Angelus address. Pope Francis gave praise to God as the one who never abandons us, even in times of severe trial, the Christian Today website reports today (March 19, 2025). 

The pope, who has been in Rome's Gemelli Hospital for over a month battling double pneumonia, said that he was facing a "period of trial" and noted that he was far from being the only person in the world faced with serious health issues. 

"Our bodies are weak, but even like this, nothing can prevent us from loving , praying, giving ourselves,  being shining signs of hope for one another in faith," he said. 

In his address, Pope Francis referred to the transfiguration of Christ, an event in which Christ shone with heavenly light while on a mountaintop with Peter and John, His disciples. While on the mountain, Jesus met with two figures from Israel's past, Moses and the prophet Elijah.

"Jesus immerses Himself in prayer and becomes radiant with light....In this way, Jesus shows  the disciples what is hidden behind the gestures. He performs in their midst: the light of His infinite love."

The pope called for His followers to "praise the Lord, who never abandons us and who, in times of sorrow, places people beside us who reflect a ray of His love."

More Than 50,000 Canadians Began or Restored Relationship with Jesus in 2024

 More than 50,000 people began or renewed their relationship with Jesus Christ after attending an evangelistic Alpha Canada course in 2024, according to the Alpha Canada Impact Report 2024, released on Feb.21, the Christian Daily website reports today (March 15, 2025). 

Last year saw a 13 percent increase in Alpha course attendance compared to 2023, with 119,981 participants of  whom 52,281 found Jesus for themselves. 

Shaila Visser, national director for Alpha Canada, called 2024 "a landmark year filled with research, new releases" in her introduction to the report. She highlighted Alpha Canada's partnership with the Flourishing Congregations Institute to study how Canadian church leaders engage in evangelism.

According to the report, 72 percent of leaders reported a marked increase in spiritual curiosity in their local communities. Visser said, "This openness is a testament to how God is stirring hearts across our communities." 

New Film Investigates the Truth about Miracles

For centuries, theologians, scholars, and everyday people have debated whether miracles still happen, the Crossmap website reports today (March 13, 2025). 

As people of faith, we would like to believe that someone's  cancerous tumor mysteriously shrinking overnight is a miracle, yet the scientific community quickly pumps the brakes on that  notion, pointing instead to obscure , unreliable research to support what cannot be explained. 

CBN News investigative journalist Billy Hallowell believes in miracles. Curious to know the inside story of people who have experienced a miracle, Hallowell recently embarked on a journey to discover exactly what happens to the affected people and find proof to support what the Bible says about these seemingly supernatural occurrences. 

In the new documentary, "Investigating the Supernatural: Miracles," Hallowell traveled around the U.S. cobbling together fascinating insights from scientific experts, theologians, and those who have experienced a miracle, to determine whether miracles are still happening today. 

A miracle is something that happens that we can't explain. It is something that is shocking, that is stunning, that is mesmerizing. We know the end result, but we don't know how we got there.

If we have hope and we understand Scripture, then we have to be open to God working in a way that might make us uncomfortable. We might not understand it. We might not even want to believe that it's still happening. And that's why a lot of people have issues with miracles, because it's so hard to get your head around. 

Christian Converts Sent from U.S. to Islamic Countries

Christian converts from Islam are among migrants from countries hostile to Christianity who have been deported from the United States -- initially to Panama, where they are isolated before possible deportation to their home countries -- the Christian Daily website reports  today (March 11, 2025).

At least 10 Christians from Iran were among more than 100 people put on a military plane to Panama, including migrants from Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, and Uzbekistan.

Locked in the towering Decapolis Hotel Panama in Panama City with about 340 other migrants flown from the U.S. on three military planes, a 27--year--old Christian woman from Iran scrawled "Help us" in lipstick on a window. The New York Times reported its reporter made contact with her and learned that she and her three children had been desperate to obtain help from the outside world. 

Authorities had seized their passports and deprived most of them of their mobile phones before they were locked inside the hotel, guarded by armed personnel and prohibited from seeking legal help. 

None of the migrants at the hotel has criminal records, the New York Times reported. 

Over 100 Christian Leaders Denounce Trump Cuts to Foreign Aid

A group of over 100 Christian pastors and social justice activists have signed an open letter denouncing the Trump administration's cuts to welfare programs, foreign aid, and large--scale deportations of immigrants in the country illegally, the Christian Post website reports today (March 9, 2025). 

Titled "Returning to Jesus, Practicing Lent in Our Time," the letter was the result of meetings among faith otganization at Georgetown University, headed by longtime Evangelical progressive  activist Jim Wallis, helping organize signatures and other logistics. 

"The massive  cutting of foreign aid  to those most in need, and from many faith--based organizations supplying it is a gospel issue for us that we must  speak to, despite dishonest, personal, and unprecedented government attacks now coming against faith--based service providers," the letter reads. 

"We must defend lifesaving international aid and humanitarian assistance that prevents hungry people from starving, keeps those in ill health from dying, and defends children and families lives from being destroyed." 

  

Trump Administration Plans New Travel Ban of "Red List " of Countries

The Trump administration is working on finalizing a travel ban that would prohibit citizens from a "red list " of countries from entering the U.S., The New York Times website  reports today (March 7, 2025).

The ban would fall under an executive order, signed by the president on Jan. 20, titled "Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Others," meant to address "national security and public safety threats." 

The order claims it will protect U.S. citizens from "aliens who intend to commit terrorist attacks, threaten our national security, espouse hateful ideology, or otherwise exploit the immigration laws for malevolent purposes."

It gave Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Attorney Geneeral Pam Bondi, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard a deadline of 60 days from  the order -- in about two weeks -- to identify such countries and enact the ban. 

The draft identifies "red list" countries as Sudan, Venezuela, Somalia, Syria, Iran, Libya, Cuba, and North Koreato be barred from traveling to the U.S. Pakistan and Afghanistan are expected to be added to the list. 

It is unclear if those with valid visas will lose their permitted entry into the U.S.

American Society of Travel Advisors CEO Zane Kerby told "Travel Weekly" that "blanket " (entire country) travel bans constrain legitimate business and discourage friendly foreign visitors and "risk retaliation from targeted countries and their allies." 

Catholics, Orthodox Celebrate Easter on Same Date This Year

Christians around the world have been blessed with Easter celebrations being slightly different this year, the GBI website reports today (March 5, 2025). 

Millions looking to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ will mark the moment on April 20. In most years, Easter is often celebrated on different dates by Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Christians. 

Despite the Julian calendar falling 13 days behind the Gregorian calendar, the Eastern Orthodox Church's 230 million members will mark Easter on the same date as other believers in 2025. The coincidental marrying up of dates last occured in 2017, with Christians needing to wait until 2034 for the same date to occur. 

 However, this year we will see Orthodox communities from Greece to Cyprus and Russia to Ukraine share festivities with those from Western denominations in Britain and the United States. 

 Millions of  Christians also welcomed the first day of lent on Ash Wednesday earlier today.