My fellow Americans,
This is a season of great hope.
This week, Jewish families across our country, and
around the world, celebrate Passover and
retell the story of God's deliverance of
the Jewish people.
The story of the Exodus is a story of freedom.
It is the story of an incredible people who were
liberated from oppression and raised up the face of
humankind.
Down through the centuries, the Jewish
People have lived through one persecution after
another-and yet, they persevered and thrived and
uplifted the world beyond measure.
And now, the State of Israel stands as a
monument to their faith and endurance.
Another day of faith and celebration
is also upon us.
This Easter Sunday, Christians celebrate the
resurrection of Christ and the promise of
eternal salvation.
It is a holy day of reverence and worship; it
is a sacred time that fills the spirit of our
Nation with the faith of our people.
America is a Nation of believers.
As families gather in houses of worship across
the Nation, we are grateful for the
tremendous blessings of this land, our home.
We have a beautiful country, an abundant
countryside, and an amazing people with a
truly bright and wonderful future.
From the beginning, America has been a place
that has cherished the freedom of worship.
That is the promise the first settlers saw in our
vast continent-and it is the promise that our
bravest warriors have protected for all of our
citizens in centuries since, a long time ago.
Sadly, many around the globe do not enjoy this
freedom-and one of the gravest threats to
religious freedom remains the threat of terror.
On Palm Sunday, as Christians around the
world celebrate the beginning of Holy Week,
ISIS murdered at least 45 people and injured over
100 others at two Christian churches in Egypt.
We condemn this barbaric attack.
We mourn for those who lost loved ones.
And we pray for the strength and wisdom to
achieve a better tomorrow-one where good
people of all faiths, Christians and Muslims and
Jewish and Hindu, can follow their hearts and
worship according to their conscience.
With God's grace, life always triumphs over
death, freedom overcomes oppression, and faith
extinguishes fear.
This is the source of our hope-and our confidence
in the future.
I also want to give a special message to those
struggling Americans who have felt for too long the
bitter taste of hardship.
I want you to know: this White House is
fighting for you.
We are fighting for every American who has
been left behind.
We are fighting for the right of all citizens to
enjoy safety and peace-and to work and live with the
dignity that all Children
of God are entitled to know.
As long as we have faith in each other, and trust
in God, we will succeed.
Thank you.
Have a Happy Easter, and a Happy Passover.
God bless you.
And God bless America.