Attending the Easter Awakening at St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Francis delivered his sermon focusing on how the Gospel women teach us to see, hear, and see the “first rays of the dawn of God’s life rolling in the darkness of our world.” Celebrate the Passover of the Lord from death to life.
By Thaddeus Jones
Pope Francis attended Easter Awakening on Holy Saturday evening, packed with 5,500 pilgrims at St. Peter’s Cathedral. This celebration is the most sacred and noble of all festivals.
Cardinal Giovanni Batista Ree, Dean of the College of Cardinals, presided over the celebration, while Pope Francis delivered his sermon and baptized seven deacons. Pope has been suffering from knee pain in recent months, he said while speaking to reporters recently after his pastoral visit to Malta.
Closeness with Ukraine
The celebration was attended by a small group of members from Ukraine, representatives of the local government and the country’s parliament, the Pope met with them shortly before the start of worship.
The delegation includes Mayor of Melitopol and now exiled Ivan Fedorov. The Pope specially greeted him during this celebration.
Giving his oracle The seated pope recalled how many writers have expressed the beauty of the stars’ glowing nights, while the nights of war are marked by streams of light that symbolize death.
From amazement to joy
Reflecting this Easter night, he encouraged everyone to see the hopeful light of dawn experienced by the women of the gospel who discovered the empty tomb of Jesus. They show us “the first rays of the dawn of God’s life rolling in the darkness of our world.”
Easter Vigil at St. Peter’s Basilica
The pope recalled that early in the morning the women who had gone to anoint Jesus’ body met two figures in dazzling robes and were shocked to learn that Jesus had been resurrected.
“They saw, heard, and proclaimed” – we can get three aspects of their experience when we remember the Passover of the Lord from death to life.
The women watched
The Pope noted that the first message of the resurrection was a “sign to be pondered,” and it completely surpassed expectations and came as a surprise and awe-inspiring hope.
The pope added that sometimes serious good news “does not take place in our hearts,” and that we, like the women in the gospel, may at first act with skepticism and especially with fear, because the narration of the gospel describes their reaction.
Easter Vigil at St. Peter’s Basilica
We can sometimes look at life and reality with a low perspective, the pope continued, and write the future, burying the “joy of life” and believing that things will never change or improve.
Nevertheless, the Easter hope we declare today is the Lord’s call to see life through different eyes, and make the tab to truly believe that “fear, pain and death will not be the last word upon us”.
While death fills us with fear and sorrow, “The Lord is risen!” That said we need to remember that.
The women asked
He recalled talking to two women in dazzling clothes, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but he is risen, “said the Pope,” he is not here! “
When we understand everything about God and think that our own ideas and perspectives include Him, the answer is that we too have our brothers and sisters who need our help and ignore the Lord.
Easter Vigil at St. Peter’s Basilica
The pope further said that without God having the courage to choose in favor of Jesus and His love, we need to get rid of the bad thoughts and behaviors that can make us prisoners of the past.
We must accept and meet the living God who wants to change us and change our world.
The women announced
The final verb that the Pope underlined was how women declared the joy of the resurrection, opening “hearts to the extraordinary message of God’s victory over evil and death.”
This joy not only gave them joyful comfort, but also revived them to create missionary disciples who would “bring all the gospel of the risen Christ”.
The Pope said that when women saw and heard, whether people thought they were crazy or not, they succeeded with the motivation and enthusiasm to tell this good news.
Easter Vigil at St. Peter’s Basilica
The joy of the gospel
The Pope expressed his desire for a church that could proclaim the joy of the gospel, in the same way that all Christians are called to “experience the risen Christ and share that experience with others.” The joy it gives.
Easter Vigil Catechisms Baptism
Faith has a name: the name of Jesus
In conclusion, Pope Francis recalled how Jesus entered the “grave of our sin” and resurrected us “carrying the burden of our burdens.”