Catholics came in full force at Saint Peter’s Square Sunday in a show of support for Pope Benedict XVI amid sex clerical abuse scandals rocking the church, VOANews.com reported.

The people amassed in tens of thousands early in the morning, many carrying large banners declaring solidarity, as families and children shouted slogans of support.  The crowd was composed of   dozens of lay movements and voluntary associations who organized this meeting to back the pope, according to VOANews.com.

Such large crowds as this are often reserved for holiday Masses and canonizations, rather than for Pope Benedict’s brief weekly prayer.  However, the church was also marking the World Day for Social Communications, VOANews.com said.

The pope had just returned from Fatima, Portugal where Catholics believe the Virgin Mary appeared to three children.  In that trip the pope expressed once again the church stand in the belief that human life begins upon conception, and that marriage is indissoluble and should be between a man and a woman, according to Metroweekly.

The pope said these initiatives, along with others, form “..essential elements in the building of the civilization of love.  He added that it fits closely with “…the message of Our Lady which resounds in this place:  Penance, prayer and forgiveness aimed at the conversion of hearts,’ Metroweekly said.

The show of support also follows several actions the pope had done including meeting with victims of clerical sexual abuse in Malta, accepting the resignation of several bishops, visiting the Shroud of Turin and now, visiting Fatima in Portugal.

The pope thanked the crowd for their warmth, trust and presence in such large numbers.  He said their strong showing reflected their closeness to the Church, the pope and priests, VOANews.com reported.

The pope also said the true enemy to combat is spiritual sin, which, he said, sometimes also infects members of the Church, VOANews.com reported.

What makes everyone think artist Leonardo Da Vinci uncovered some big Christian secret?

Writers and religious skeptics have always come up with alternative narratives about Jesus’ life and ministry. But author Dan Brown brought it to center stage in a spectacular way, with his blockbuster 2003 fiction, The Da Vinci Code, followed by the movie and all its sequels and franchises.

Brown provoked speculation in both secular and theological circles—all the way to the Vatican:

Did Leonardo Da Vinci write an encrypted code on his famous Vitruvian Man? Was Mary Magdalene married to Jesus? Is there really a Holy Grail?

Seven years later, even Christian magazines are still asking questions like, “Why weren’t there women in Da Vinci’s Last Supper painting?” (Light & Life Magazine, March, April 2010, pp. 10-11).

I’d like some answers from you, Mr. Da Vinci…may I call you Leo?

How is it that you lived from 1452 to 1519—over 14 centuries after Jesus—yet you have all the secrets of his ministry that not even his contemporaries revealed, or the prophets were inspired by God to write?

Surely, a Renaissance man like yourself, jack of many trades, was able to construct a Time Machine. Is that how you went back and did the portrait of Jesus at the Last Supper, and hid at least one woman in the background, as some say?

What about those who claim you purposefully left women out of the picture?

Grid reproduction of Da Vinci's "The Last Supper"

Let’s spend some time on this unfounded “women missing from The Last Supper” claim. Before we ask why Da Vinci left them out of his painting, we could ask why they were left out of the Last Supper accounts, when we see women mentioned in many other New Testament scriptures.

All four disciples who wrote the gospels found it important enough to mention that women were the first to see Jesus’ empty tomb (Matthew 28:8-10; Mark 16:9-10; Luke 24:8-11; John 20:10-18). John speaks of the Samaritan woman at the well to whom Jesus offers “living water” (John 4:7-42), and the woman whom Jesus saved from punishment for adultery (John 8:3-11).

Matthew 14:21 specifically mentions women as being present, yet outside of the 5,000-man count at the five loaves and fish miracle. Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus, are mentioned in Luke 10:38-41 and John 11:1-40.

Throughout the book of Acts and his later writings, the apostle Paul mentions by name many women who participated in spreading the gospel. In 2 Timothy 1:5, he gives credit to Timothy’s mother and grandmother for how they raised the young disciple.

So why, then, would women be left out of the Last Supper accounts? And why would Da Vinci leave them out of his painting?

Simple answers to these questions:
A Boston Museum of Science website devoted to Da Vinci’s works quotes the artist:
The most praiseworthy form of painting is the one that most resembles what it imitates.

I doubt Da Vinci, having said this, would have put brush to canvas for The Last Supper without first reading the Biblical accounts of its occurrence. Therefore, he imitated what he saw in scripture.

He didn’t read anything between the lines like people love to do with the Bible today in order to discredit the Book itself and its sources. He didn’t add women for one simple reason…they weren’t there.

And, I’m sure Da Vinci would say Jesus wasn’t married either.

But the most important answer comes from a Christian’s own faith: What’s in the Bible was divinely inspired by God through the hands of man, and God knew what books would be canonized.

The New Testament’s writers had a hunch their stories would seem unbelievable and questionable. That’s why Luke 1:1-2 states:
Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been  fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses.

And 2 Peter 1:16 says:
We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.

Why should Christians stick with what the Bible says?

As Christians, we must learn to trust the Lord with all our heart rather than leaning on our own human understanding (Proverbs 3:5). Our faith grows through hearing and reading the Word of God (Romans 10:17).

In other words, the greatest faith in knowing that Jesus was who He said He was, and that things went down exactly as they appear in the Bible, comes from believing the book itself…not through the speculations of man.

The people who write these modern-day things can’t prove what they’re saying; neither have they yet proven the Bible is false.

Scriptures quoted in italics within this commentary are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

Cover of Da Truth's Latest Album: "The Big Picture"

Cross Movement Records Rapper Hits No. 1 on iTunes Christian/Gospel Charts

Grammy-nominated Christian rapper Emmanuel Lee Lambert Jr., who goes by his nickname/rapper title Da’ T.R.U.T.H., is making waves in the contemporary Christian music world with his latest studio release: The Big Picture (July 21, 2009). As one of the least-recognized sects of the Christian music world, Gospel hip-hop and R&B is certainly in need of talented artists with a passion for Jesus Christ and a desire to reach this often-overlooked demographic of Christian music lovers. Da T.R.U.T.H is certainly doing just that.

The acclaimed artist, who has toured and recorded with other well-known names such as Kirk Franklin and Mary, Mary, recently landed the No. 1 spot on the CMTA R&B/Hip Hop Chart, No. 2 on the Billboard Gospel chart, and No. 4 on the Billboard Contemporary Christian chart during his album’s debut week (Source: Christian Today: www.christiantoday.com). Interestingly, the project itself is narrated by multi-platinum and Grammy-winning Gospel artist Kirk Franklin, whose musical style has, itself, broken barriers in the Christian music world.

Few Christian hip hop fans are aware of Lambert’s unique and highly respectable education background. He is a graduate of Philadelphia Biblical University and the Institute of Jewish Studies. He is also a two-time winner of the Chicago-based Stellar Awards Gospel Music award (2007 and 2009). Ironically, as a youth, Lambert had no passion for rap music, as he listened to popular contemporary Christian tunes of the day. He often recalls, “I had no interest in rap music. As a matter of fact, I was disenchanted with the whole idea of rap.” But, as is often the case in God’s bigger picture and story, God had other plans. In no time at all, Lambert was writing and free-styling his own Christian rap tunes, having been nicknamed “Da’ Truth” by age 19.

The theme of Lambert’s latest album, The Big Picture, is all about just that: God’s bigger picture, spanning the vastness of the creation story found in Genesis to the redemption of the Cross, finally culminating with the glorious return of Christ in the Book of Revelation. Lambert’s challenge to Christians worldwide is one of a continuous embracing of God’s eternal story and a call to live like we believe He is coming back. According to an article featured on Christian Today, Lambert’s album tackles several culturally controversial issues, including “politics, prejudice, and more in songs like ‘My President’, ‘Great Wall’, ‘Fantasy’, and ‘Pain.’”

In promotion of his latest project, Da’ T.R.U.T.H. has launched a nationwide Big Picture Live Tour, with stops in cities large and small across the country. Concerts have been said to include highly cinematic elements and one-of-a-kind multimedia worship experiences. Thus far, the tour has already made noteworthy appearances in several acclaimed music ministry venues, including the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association’s Rock the River Tour and Gospel artist CeCe Winan’s Always Sisters, Forever Brothers Tour.

With countless music artists employing the use of interactive social networking sites such as MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter, it is no surprise to see Da’ T.R.U.T.H. hopping on the same bandwagon. However, his use of interactivity with fans and followers via a live, web-based reality show is inherently different from other artists of his genre. During episode broadcasts of Living the Big Picture, Da’ T.R.U.T.H. challenges listeners to unite alongside him in showing the world how to live like Jesus Christ; how to live the big picture. You can follow the show, submit your own video blogs, and post responses at: www.ilivethebigpicture.com.

You can find out more about Da’ T.R.U.T.H. and his tour schedule at his official website: www.datruth.net.