Last month I wrote about a Dutchman who re-created Noah’s Ark as a sign of his compassion for the literal truth of the Bible. Now Noah’s Ark is being rebuilt again, but by someone completely different — environmental activists — and for an altogether different cause: global warming.

Historically speaking, Noah’s Ark was built to save humanity and the animal kingdom from the flooding of Earth — a punishment for humanity’s sins. Today, the ark is being rebuilt to serve as a warning to mankind to act now to bring a halt to global warming.

The new ark is being built on Mount Ararat in eastern Turkey, where according to the Bible Noah’s Ark came to a rest after the flood waters had subsided. The project is set to be completed by the end of this month in order to coincide with a summit taking place in Germany next month where global warming will be high on the agenda.

“This is directed mainly at the politicians of this earth, to world leaders who are primarily responsible for the climate catastrophe which is taking place and for the solution,” said Wolfgang Sadik, campaign leader for Greenpeace, which is behind the project. “The aim is to put on Mount Ararat a memorial, a warning sign that also gives hope, to shake up the world and to say that if we don’t react now it is too late.”

Now this is the type of action that people need to be taking when trying to make a stand on an issue. Depending on the amount of coverage it gets on various media channels around the world, this has the potential to make a real impact on people, because it strikes directly into the heart of billions of Christians, Jews, and Muslims around the world. If this can’t act as a catalyst in getting the peoples of the world to unite and combat global warming I really don’t know what can…

Dutch creationist Johan Huibers unveiled his replica of Noah’s Ark over the weekend, marking the first time anyone has seen the massive ship in roughly 4,000 years. Huibers, as a testament to his faith in the literal truth of the Bible, did most of the work with his hands. Construction first began in May 2005.

Referencing old biblical measurements, Johan’s ark is 150 cubits long, 30 cubits high and 20 cubits wide –two-thirds the length of a football field with the height of a three-story house. The ark is filled with life-size models of giraffes, elephants, lions, crocodiles, zebras, bison and other animals.

Although Johan’s replica is massive, Noah’s Ark as depicted in the Bible is five times bigger. Genesis says Noah kept seven pairs of most domesticated animals and one breeding pair of all other creatures, plus his wife, three sons and three daughters-in-law together on the boat for almost a year while the world was deluged.

Huibers says that he hopes his ark will renew interest in Christianity in the Netherlands, where churchgoing has decreased largely over the last 50 years. I hope Huibers accomplishes this goal and more, as Christianity has been suffering around the world, particularly in European countries and the United States.

In a sign that anti-Semitic behavior is only increasing in Europe, Haaretz is reporting that a young Jewish woman was attacked yesterday by unidentified Middle Eastern men in a train station in Marseilles. One observer described the attack the “worst anti-Semitic incident in France since the murder of Ilan Halimi” over a year ago.

David Roche, a Jewish Agency representative in touch with French officials, said the 22-year-old woman was attacked in the afternoon in when arrived at the metro station in the La Rose district of Marseilles, a community which consists primarily of Jews and Muslims.

Witness reports contend the events transcribed as follows:

According to reports, two unidentified men of Middle Eastern appearance approached the woman and began abusing her. At some point, they began hitting her, and one report states that she was dragged by the hair. When they saw a Star of David on her neck, they lifted her shirt and drew a cross on her abdomen. One of the witnesses said it was a swastika.

Police are actively investigating the the young woman is having a difficult time coping with what has happened to her, and is finding it difficult to open up to authorities.

This is a sad and tragic incident, not just for the girl, who will have a long and difficult emotional recovery, but also for all of us. Essentially what it has done is show that there are still those living 65 years ago who harbor anti-Semitic thoughts and will freely and willingly persecute the Jewish people. What’s more, the article didn’t specifically mention what religion the two unidentified men were but it clearly sought to suggest Islam. This could be an important step in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, because up until now the conflict has been mostly contained to the Middle East, where it has been their problem. However, if this attack is a sign of the times to come and the conflict moves across borders and regions and onto the international stage, then it becomes everyone else’s problem, and it would be interesting to see how countries would respond then.

At any rate, my heart goes out to this poor young Jewish woman who was attacked, and I am shameful at the step backwards that humanity has taken.

Here’s one that will make you appreciate the casual Sunday stroll to your local church parish. World Magazine ran an article last weekend that discusses how Christians in North Korea are being persecuted and tortured at an increasing rate for their religion.

From both sides of the Korean border, underground Christians are speaking out against North Korean persecution. The executions and torture occur for the most part in the gulag, North Korea’s prison camp which is home to about 200,000 political prisoners, however they also occur in public places. Some estimates put the number of Christians the regime kills at 300 per year, with roughly 50,000 Christians sitting in prison.

The amount and level of torture these Christians are put through is gut-wrenching and heart-aching. One warden hung a man upside down and ordered him to deny his beliefs. Upon refusal, the warden stabbed him and pushed him to the ground, then ordered 6,000 prisoners to trample him to death.

In another example, eight prisoners kept their silence when ordered to deny the existence of heaven, which infuriated prison officials so much that they poured molten iron all over them.

In addition, informants claim that Christian prisoners are deliberately crippled so they cannot walk, and may be left naked and starved so that they are forced to eat the rats crawling around their cells raw. A troubling thought…

I can’t believe these types of stories never hit the mainstream media. How can reporters miss this stuff? International correspondents have a moral obligation to report on human rights abuses around the world. They have no problem running stories about the horrible atrocities of Darfur in the poor African country of Sudan, but when it comes to North Korea, with whom the West is embroiled in a nuclear dispute, they look the other way so as to not upset the North Koreans and scare them away from the negotiating table.

Not that the US government is any better though, on the contrary, we’re trend setters when it comes to mistreatment of prisoners enemy combatants, just look at Cuba and Iraq.

The North Shore Assembly of God has dealt a low blow to Google, pointing out that despite what you may think, the search giant can’t provide you with everything you’re looking for…

Happy Easter to all! Today is Easter Sunday, the day we celebrate Jesus Christ’s resurrection from the dead. It is on this day which Jesus conquered death and sin and all that is evil. Easter celebrations officially began last night with Easter Vigil.

I celebrated Easter mass last night at such an Easter Vigil, or “resurrection mass” as it was called. We walked into a pitch black church and everyone was given a candle, then a large Paschal candle was lit (symbolic of the Risen Christ) and all of our candles were lit from this one. Within a matter of minutes the church was glowing from hundreds of candles; it was a very special and moving experience.

Last night was truly special for me. Apart from celebrating my first Easter Vigil, my church was lucky enough to have a Cardinal preside over the mass. Cardinal McCarrick, former Archbishop of Newark as well as Washington, and one of the electors who selected Pope Benedict XVI as John Paul II’s successor in 2005, presided over Easter Vigil last night. He is the highest ranking church official I have ever met, and is probably the highest I could meet outside of the Vatican. Nevertheless, he was a brilliant and kind man, with a homily that was very moving and taking the time after mass to speak with anyone who desired to meet him (myself included).

Today we ate the blessed food from yesterday for breakfast and celebrated Easter Sunday and the beginning of the Easter season. I hope everyone’s Easter was as special as mine.

Today is Holy Saturday, the day before Easter. It is the seventh and final day of Holy Week, and part of the second day of the Easter Triduum. It officially ends at dusk tonight, so Easter celebrations can actually begin this evening. Before this point, however, celebration of mass is prohibited and Holy Communion is only allowed as Viaticum.

It is believed that on this day Christ performed in spirit the Harrowing of Hell and raised up to Paradise those held captive there. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

“He descended into hell” affirms that Jesus did really die, and through his substitutionary death he conquered death and the devil. In his human soul united to his divine person, the dead Christ went down to the realm of the dead. He opened heaven’s gates for the just who had gone before him.

St. Thomas Aquinas further explained the doctrine, contending that “when Christ descended into hell, by the power of his Passion he delivered the saints from this penalty whereby they were excluded from the life of glory.”

Today we went to church for a Polish tradition of blessing the food. We filled two Easter baskets with a little of each type of the foods we will be eating tomorrow, including spices and toppings like sugar and horseradish, and placed them on the altar of the church. The pastor walked out and said a few prayers and blessed all of our baskets with Holy Water.

Tomorrow is Easter Sunday and I hope all you Christians out there reading this make it a point to go to mass. God Bless!

Today is Good Friday, the Friday just before Easter, when we commemorate the crucifixion and death of Jesus. Good Friday is a holy day for Christians, meaning that we are to pray and fast and are allowed only one full meal and no meat (as it is Friday).

There is no official mass on Good Friday, however there is a Good Friday Liturgy, in which there are a series of readings and meditations, and the Passion account from the Gospel of John. Celebration of mass is strictly forbidden on this day, and Eucharist may only be distributed for one of two reasons: 1) if it was consecrated as mass the night before on Holy Thursday; 2) as viaticum for the dying.

It is likely that the name “Good Friday” came from the earlier English name, “Godes Friday,” meaning “God’s Friday;” similar to how “God be with ye” was shortened to “goodbye.”

Here are some names that other countries refer to it as:

• High Friday - in the Holy Land
• Passion Friday - Russia
• Karfreitag “Friday of lamentation” - Germany
• Great Friday - Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Macedonia, Poland
• Holy Friday - Latin America, Spain, France, Italy, Portugal, Brazil
• Long Friday - Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland

Today is a very important day for Christians around the world, and I hope you those of you out there can make it to church today to celebrate Jesus sacrificing himself for the forgiveness of our sins. Jesus died at 3 PM, so at the very least say a prayer and give thanks at that time.

Today we celebrate Holy Thursday, or Maundy Thursday depending upon where you are, to commemorate the Last Supper of Jesus Christ with the Apostles. In total four events are celebrated today: the washing of the disciples’ feet by Jesus, the institution of the Mystery of the Holy Eucharist at the Last Supper, the agony of Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane, and the betrayal of Jesus by Judas Iscariot.

The evening celebration of these events actually marks the official end of Lent, however most Catholics keep their Lenten promises until Easter Sunday because of what is called the Easter Triduum or Sacred Triduum. The triduum is Latin for “three-day period,” and the one we’re referring to here is the three days from the death to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Thus, Holy Thursday is a very important day for Christians, because in addition to celebrating the Last Supper, we are starting the Easter Triduum of the three most Holy Days in Christianity, during which there is much fasting and prayer.

Now, as for the naming of the day, most Catholics with exception to England refer to today as Holy Thursday. The name Maundy Thursday is a traditionally British term for today, but is also used by some Protestant and Lutheran Churches outside of England. The word “Maundy” is derived through Middle English, and Old French “mandé,” from the Latin “mandatum,” the first word of the phrase “Mandatum novum do vobis ut diligatis invicem sicut dilexi vos” (A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you), the statement by Jesus in the Gospel of John (13:34) by which Jesus explained to the Apostles the significance of his action of washing their feet.

I hope all Christians can make it to mass today for the Gospel account of the Last Supper, which includes Jesus taking bread and wine and declaring them to be His body and blood, and giving them to the Apostles. God Bless!

Today is Spy Wednesday, the final Wednesday of Lent during the Holy Week leading up to Easter this Sunday. It is on this day that we recognize Judas Iscariot as first conspiring with the Sanhedrin to betray Jesus for 30 silver coins. Thus, today would be a good time to look inside yourself and see if you are in fact living an honest, pure and faithful life.