Obama offers Easter, Passover greetings to Americans

WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama on Saturday offered Easter and Passover greetings to millions of Americans, urging them to use this time to reflect on the nation's common values.

"As Christians, my family and I remember the incredible sacrifice Jesus made for each and every one of us -- how he took on the sins of the world and extended the gift of salvation," Obama said in his weekly radio and Internet address. "And we recommit ourselves to following his example here on Earth."

The president noted that this week, Jewish families are also gathered around the Seder table, commemorating Passover -- the exodus of Jews from Egypt and the triumph of their faith over oppression.

Obama said that common humanity bound all Americans regardless of their faiths.

"As Americans, we're united by something else, too: faith in the ideals that lie at the heart of our founding, and the belief that, as part of something bigger than ourselves, we have a shared responsibility to look out for our fellow citizens," he said.

The president said these religious celebrations also offered Americans a chance to pause and reflect, to embrace their loved ones, to give thanks for their blessings and "to rededicate ourselves to interests larger than our own."