Pope marks several milestones this week
Pope Benedict celebrated his 85th birthday on Monday and marks another important milestone today. 
The pontiff celebrates the 7th anniversary of his election to the papacy today. I have read several stories on different websites that the pope might be thinking about retiring to enjoy the rest of his days without the demands of the papacy. No one has heard that come from the pope himself so it’s safe to say that that isn’t happening at this time.
Here’s an Associated Press story from Vatican City that sheds some light on the pontiff’s milestones and his thoughts about them:
VATICAN CITY – Pope Benedict XVI prayed Sunday for the strength to carry on as he marks two major milestones this week: his 85th birthday and the seventh anniversary of his election to the papacy.
The comments, while innocuous, were the clearest sign yet that Benedict has no intention of resigning anytime soon despite his age and increasing frailty.
“Next Thursday, on the occasion of the seventh anniversary of my election to the See of Peter, I ask for your prayers, so that the Lord gives me the strength to fulfill the mission he entrusted to me,” he said in French to thousands of people in St. Peter’s Square.
Benedict has slowed down recently – he was seen in public for the first time using a cane when he boarded his plane for Mexico last month. During the long, six-day trip to Mexico and Cuba, he at times looked exhausted. He looked similarly tired during the busy Holy Week services that greeted him upon his return to Rome.
But Benedict’s health is remarkably strong for someone his age. He has never canceled a planned event due to illness and suffers from no known chronic illnesses. Few men his age go to work every day, run a 1 billion-strong church, write books, deliver speeches and meet with visiting heads of state.
And Benedict has some very pressing issues on his agenda. The Vatican is expected to receive word soon from a breakaway group of traditionalist Catholics on whether they will accept the Holy See’s terms for reconciliation.
The group, the Society of St. Pius X, opposes some of the core teachings of the Second Vatican Council, particularly its outreach to Jews. Benedict, who is not unsympathetic to some of their concerns, has worked since the start of his pontificate to try to bring the group back under Rome’s wing out of fear that its members are essentially creating a parallel church.
On the other side of the spectrum are hundreds of dissident priests who are making their voices heard in Europe: Priest movements in Austria and Ireland are calling for a relaxation of the celibacy requirement for priests and for the church to ordain women – two things the Vatican has ruled out.
Benedict appeared so concerned by the Austrian initiative in particular that he dedicated much of his Holy Thursday homily to reminding its members that he had no authority whatsoever to allow female priests since an all-male priesthood is an “irrevocable” church teaching.
Other big events on the pope’s agenda include a trip to Lebanon in September, a meeting of the world’s bishops in Rome the following month and, farther ahead, World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in the summer of 2013.
(Cutline: AP Photo/ Pope Benedict XVI blesses faithful while touring St. Peter’s Square during the weekly general audience at the Vatican on Wednesday, April 18.)
Carla Hinton
Religion Editor
Thoughts on this April 19
For me, this morning started much like the morn of April 19 17 years ago. 
In 1995, April 19 dawned sunny and bright and I barely registered that fact because I was trying to drop my children off at school and daycare and get in to work. The youngest of my three children was not yet 1 years old so mornings were pretty hectic as I attempted to get bookbags, my purse, a diaper bag and other assorted stuff into the car — and the kids too.
I had been sitting at my desk here at The Oklahoman for approximately 17 minutes when the bomb blew apart the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. My editor sent me to University/Children’s Hospital near downtown Oklahoma City to report on any happenings there. By 9: 25 a.m., I was on the Broadway Extension headed to my assignment for the day. I had no way of knowing that that morning would be the last morning that 168 people would ever experience on this Earth or that my own life and that of countless other Oklahomans and Americans would ever be the same. By the end of that workday which stretched to about 8 p.m., I climbed in my car emotionally drained and headed to pick up my children. Since my husband at that time was a first responder at the Murrah Building site, relatives had picked the children up and kept them until I could get off work.
I’d started my day just trying to get the children to where they needed to go and in the hustle and bustle of the hectic morning, I couldn’t remember what I said or if I had kissed them. I ended the day with a desperate need to see them and hear them and touch them again. My oldest was 8 years old at the time and he knew what had happened but he didn’t understand the magnitude of it, of course. The younger children were oblivious. All they knew was that that night I hugged them and kissed them many, many times and wanted to hear about every minute of their day. It had dawned on me that while I had expected — assumed — that many children from the daycare center inside the Murrah Building would be sent to hospitals due to injuries, the fact was that the majority of those little ones died. Mothers and fathers and grandparents had dropped them off that morning but most of those children never made it back home.
This morning, the 17th anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing, I leapt out of bed with the knowledge that I had an important phone interview at 8:45 a.m. I rushed and packed up my numerous bags for the day (purse, notebook tote, lunch, gym bag …) and headed out to the car. I took my daughter, now 17, to school and as we drove there, it dawned on me just what day it was. So even though I was in a hurry once again, I made sure that we had a nice chat. She didn’t realize it, I’m sure, but I took a moment just to look at her sweet face and marvel at how precious she is to me, how all of my loved ones are so precious to me. Everyday that we get to spend with our friends and family is another day to say “Hey, I love you.” We say ”I’ll see you later” and sometimes take for granted that we will, indeed, see them later, but no day is promised to us.
And guess what? After all that, I got to work for my phone interview and another one after that but I had to go back home because I left my laptop there. It’s easy to forget stuff when you are busy, busy. I’m just glad that I didn’t forget to take the time to really appreciate the people I care about most, to have our parting glimpses of each be filled with smiles and laughter.
Let’s keep each other lifted up in prayer today. Say a prayer for someone you know is hurting or lonely. Say a prayer for someone you know has perhaps forgotten to take the time to smell the proverbial roses. Say a prayer for someone you need to forgive or someone you want to forgive you. Say a prayer for the survivors of the Oklahoma City bombing, the loved ones of those killed on that April 19 17 years ago and for all those impacted by this horrific event.
“We will never forget.”
(Cutline: Participants gather at the 2011 Day of Remembrance Ceremony at the 16th annual Oklahoma City Bombing Memorial ceremony. Photo by David McDaniel, The Oklahoman)
Carla Hinton
Religion Editor
April 19 Today’s Prayer
Dear Lord, help us rein in gossiping tongues and not tell untruths about others. Amen. 
April 18 Today’s Prayer
Lord, let no one who confesses sin and calls on Your name feel unworthy of salvation. Amen. 
April 13 Today’s Prayer
Dear Lord, we ask for the strength to speak honestly to You in daily prayer. Amen.
April 11 Today’s Prayer
Lord, only You know and purify our hearts and accept us by giving us Your grace. Amen. 
April 10 Today’s Prayer
Merciful Lord, help us to love You above all and to love each other as we love ourselves. Amen. 
April 9 Today’s Prayer
We know You care for us, Lord, and we pray You will lieft our anxieties. Amen. 
pray
Some thoughts on Easter and Passover
If you have time for some reading on this Good Friday and first night of Passover, here are some thought-provoking articles I found on various websites: 
Easter
Washington Post’s On Faith blog: “What we tell our kids about the Easter Bunny.”
USA Today’s Faith & Reason blog: “Pope donates huge chocolate Easter egg.”
Yard Barker: “30,000 people expected for Mass where Tim Tebow will speak.”
Passover
Washington Post’s On Faith blog network: “Why we need the Haggadah.”
USA Today’s Faith & Reason blog: “Popular Passover handbook goes to White House Seder table.”
Catch a Good Friday service
There are plenty of Good Friday services going on in the Oklahoma City metro area today. 
Some services and programs are come-and-go or just 30 minutes to an hour long. Others are annual events that typically draw large crowds.
Here is a listing that includes some services:
Henderson Hills Baptist Church, Good Friday Multisensory Experience, come-and-go event continues until 7 p.m. at 1200 E Interstate 35 Frontage Road in Edmond.
Crown Heights Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Tenebrae service, 7 p.m. today at 4020 N Western.
Trinity Lutheran Church in Norman, Service of Tenebrae & Chorales, 7:30 p.m. today at 603 Classen Blvd.
First Presbyterian Church of Oklahoma City, Good Friday Candlelit Tenebrae with Choral Music, at 7 p.m. today at 1001 NW 25.
Ecumenical Good Friday Stations of the Cross service, noon today at the Jesus Wept statue adjacent to the Oklahoma City National Memorial in downtown Oklahoma City.
St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, Tenebrae service, 7:30 p.m. today at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, 222 NW 15.
First Baptist Church of Oklahoma City, Tenebrae service, 7 p.m. today at 1201 N Robinson.
Crossings Community Church, noon to 12:45 p.m. today at 14600 N Portland.
Faith Memorial Baptist Church, “The Seven Last Words of Jesus,” two services: noon to 3 p.m. and 6 to 8:30 p.m. at 3117 N Kelley.
St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Good Friday services, 3 and 7 p.m. today at 900 S Littler Ave. in Edmond.
First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Good Friday Prayer Vigil, noon to midnight today at 601 Maple Street in Yukon.
Music
And if your heart desires music, here are several musical events planned today:
Good Friday Worship Concert, “The Seven Last Words of Christ,” 7 p.m. today at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 4400 N Shartel.
Good Friday Concert, Ambassadors Concert Choir, 7 p.m. today, St. John Missionary Baptist Church, 5700 N Kelley.
For other events and activities, go to www.wimgo.com.
