In this Sunday's second reading, John hears the voice of one who is coming soon with "the recompense I will give to each according to his deeds." Rewards totaling $35,000 have been offered for information leading to the arrest of those responsible for stealing a war memorial shaped like a cross that was at the center of a recent Supreme Court judgment.

The cross was torn from its moorings in a remote California desert last weekend and carried off by vandals. The Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Liberty Institute, the legal organization that represented the veterans groups in the Supreme Court case, offered the reward.

"This is an outrage, akin to desecrating people's graves," said Kelly Shackelford, president and CEO of Liberty Institute. "It's a disgraceful attack on the selfless sacrifice of our veterans. We will not rest until this memorial is re-installed."

The cross was first erected in 1934 by a local VFW unit to honor war dead. It has been rebuilt several times over the years and Easter services are held annually at the remote desert site. The site is on national park land.

The high court on April 28 ruled the cross did not violate the constitutional separation of church and state. "It is reasonable to interpret the congressional designation as giving recognition to the historical meaning that the cross had attained," wrote Justice Anthony Kennedy. "The Constitution does not oblige government to avoid any public acknowledgment of religion's role in society."

Source: An article by Bill Mears for CNN