What Easter Means to President Obama

President Barack Obama took the occasion of the White House Easter Prayer breakfast to explain what Easter means to him and to tease his critics.

"As it says in the first letter of John, 'Let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth,'" he told the crowd of Christian leaders gathered in the East Room.

"On Easter, I do reflect on the fact that as a Christian, I am supposed to love. And I have to say that sometimes when I listen to less than loving expressions by Christians, I get concerned," he continued, smiling as laughter and applause rang out from the crowd.

"But that's a topic for another day... I was about to veer off. I'm pulling it back," he said as the laughter continued.

The White House Easter prayer breakfast, started by President Obama in 2010, has become an annual event. It's an opportunity for the president to talk about his Christian faith that many of his critics continue to doubt.

"For me," he said, "the celebration of Easter puts our earthly concerns into perspective. With humility and with awe we give thanks for the extraordinary sacrifice of Jesus Christ our savior."

He went on to say, "And yet even as we grapple with the sheer enormity of Jesus' sacrifice on Easter we can't lose sight of the fact that the story didn't end on Friday," he said as "amen's" arose from the crowd. "The story keeps on going. On Sunday comes the glorious resurrection of our Savior."

The president thanked the pastors and Christian leaders from different Christian traditions across the nation for their prayers, because he says he needs them, especially now.

"Particularly at a time when my daughters are starting to grow up, starting to go on college visits - I need prayer," he said.

"I start tearing up in the middle of the day and I can't explain it. Why am I so sad?" he said smiling as people laughed. "They're leaving me."

As Christians celebrate the risen Savior, the president said, "I pray that we will live up to his example. I pray that I will live up to his example. I fall short so often… every day I try to do better."

Grammy Award-winning artist Amy Grant followed the president on stage, singing "Thy Word is a Lamp Unto My Feet."

"Jesus be my guide, hold me to your side," she sang, dressed in all white.