Benedict XVI explained the value of Easter to over 20 thousand pilgrims. Witness new life in Christ in the midst of "so much suffering, so much violence, so many misunderstandings." Greetings to Russian Christians for Easter, which this year fell on the same day for Orthodox and Catholics.

Vatican City (AsiaNews) - "After the tears and the horror of Good Friday, and full of expectation after the silence of Holy Saturday, here is the wonderful proclamation: 'The Lord has indeed risen and has appeared to Simon!' (Lk 24.34). This, in the history of the world, is the 'good news', it is the 'Gospel' announced and handed down through the centuries, from generation to generation. " This is how Benedict XVI introduced today's catechesis dedicated to the "luminous joy of Easter", breaking from his analysis of significant figures in Church history. The pope arrived by helicopter from Castel Gandolfo, where he is staying for a period of rest, and spoke in front of twenty thousand pilgrims and more who packed into St Peter's Square.  

Benedict XVI recalled that the witness is "capable of changing hearts and lives ... he is alive because Christ is the life-giving spirit." Citing the end of the Gospel of Mark - where he writes that the apostles "went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following" (Mk 16:20) - he said " The story of the Apostles is also ours and that of every believer, every disciple who becomes a "herald." We, too, in fact, are confident that the Lord, today as yesterday, works together with his witnesses. This is a fact that we recognize every time we see the seeds sprout of a true and lasting peace, where the commitment and example of Christians and people of good will is motivated by respect for justice, by patient dialogue, by convinced esteem for others, selflessness, by personal and community sacrifice. "

Although in many parts of the world there is "so much suffering, so much violence, so many misunderstandings," the Lord sends us as his witnesses. But we can be such only by starting from and by continuously experiencing Easter, that which Mary Magdalene expresses to the other disciples by announcing: "I saw the Lord" (Jn 20:18). This personal encounter with the Risen One is the unshakable foundation and the central content of our faith, the fresh and inexhaustible source of our hope, the dynamism of our ardent charity. "

 

 

"The Passover of Christ - continued the Pope - is the greatest of God’s mighty acts in history; mysterious beyond all imagining." At the same time, "it is also 'historic', real, witnessed and documented."    

At the end of the audience, in the greetings in different languages, Benedict XVI has a special greeting for Russian Orthodox Christians, who celebrated Easter this year on the same day as Catholics. The pontiff  therefore sent "warm greetings and best wishes to all Russians who live   both at home and those who are in various parts of the world. May the Solemnity of Easter, which this year we had the joy of celebrating together between Catholics and Orthodox, be an occasion for  a renewed brotherhood and a more intense collaboration in truth and charity. "

The pope, quoting the Gospels, recalled that the announcement was made first by the angels at the tomb of Jesus, then the faithful women, then the disciples. 'Yes, dear friends – he continued - our entire faith is based on the steady and faithful transmission of this' good news'. And we, today, we want to tell God of our deep gratitude for the countless legions of believers in Christ who have gone before us through the centuries, because they have never failed in their fundamental mandate to proclaim the Gospel that they had received. "

And again: "The good news of Easter, therefore, requires the work of enthusiastic and courageous witnesses. Every disciple of Christ, each of us is called to be witnesses. "    

• vatican
• benedict
• xvi
• audience
• easter
• russian
• orthodox
• greeting
• witness
• good
• news