THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

______________________________________________________________________________

EMBARGOED UNTIL 6:00 AM ET, SATURDAY, April 19, 2014

WHITE HOUSE VIDEO MESSAGE:Celebrating Easter and Passover

WASHINGTON, DC In this weeks video message, Special Assistant to the President and Director of Communications to the First Lady Mara Cristina Gonzlez Noguera commemorates the celebration of Passover and Easter.

Remarks of Mara Cristina Gonzlez Noguera

Spanish Weekly Address

The White House

Hi, everybody. For millions of Americans, including many Hispanic families, this time of year holds great meaning.

Earlier this week, we hosted a Passover Seder at the White House, and joined Jewish families around the world in their retellings of the story of the Exodus and the victory of faith over oppression.

And this Sunday, the President, the First Lady, Malia and Sasha, will join our fellow Christians around the world in celebrating the Resurrection of Christ, the salvation he offered the world, and the hope that comes with the Easter season.

These holy days have their roots in miracles that took place long ago. And yet, they still inspire us, guide us, and strengthen us today. They remind us of our responsibilities to God and, as Gods children, to one another.

For countless other Christians, Holy Week and Easter are times for reflection and renewal. We remember the grace of an awesome God, who loves us so deeply that He gave us his only Son, so that we might live through Him. And we recommit ourselves to following His example, to love and serve one another, particularly the least of these among us, just as He loves every one of us.

The common thread of humanity that connects us all not just Christians and Jews, but Muslims and Hindus and Sikhs is our shared commitment to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. To remember, I am my brothers keeper. I am my sisters keeper. Whatever your faith, believer or nonbeliever, theres no better time to rededicate ourselves to that universal mission.

Easter is a story of hope a belief in a better day to come, just around the bend.

So to all Christians who are celebrating, Happy Easter. And to every American, have a joyful weekend.

Thank you, God bless you, and may God bless this country we love.

###

The audio of the address and video of the message is available onlineHERE.