Opinion

In the cold, dark days of winter, our grapevines go dormant. The grape vine stops the uptake of water from its roots to keep moisture from freezing and bursting inside the plant cells. Any remaining water inside the vine is transferred to an inter-cellular area where it can safely freeze without causing any damage. All growth is put on hold to conserve energy for the next growing season.

Despite society’s exuberance regarding Christmas, Easter is “the greatest and oldest feast of the Christian Church.” This ancient holiday commemorates the resurrection from the dead of Jesus Christ and is the linchpin of a whole series of Christian holy days.

With 2012 barely behind us, already 2013 is gearing up to be one blowout bonanza of tawdriness.

Dear Editor,

Two big celebrations are set for New Orleans in the next two weeks: a championship football game and Mardi Gras. In honor of both events, this week I feature the po boy sandwich. My favorite, fit for a Mardi Gras party or watching the Super Bowl, is called Cochon de Lait, made from pulled pork.

“The Cemetery Club,” Limelight Theater's current offering is a bittersweet comedy about three friends who meet once a month to celebrate the past and the present. The three widows are the surviving half of three sets of long time best friends. Although each woman is in a different stage of healing, they continue their once-a-month meetings for tea followed by a visit to the local cemetery to pay respects to their husbands.

The earliest followers of Jesus of Nazareth were inspired by this simple message: Love God and love your neighbor as yourself. They shared these words with such enthusiasm that their numbers multiplied until Christianity became the dominant religion in much of the world.