Allocution, April 17, Easter Sunday

Today, April 17, at the conclusion of Holy Week under the first moon of spring, we celebrate the resurrection of the Lord Jesus.

We heard the gospel according to Saint Luke, chapter 24, verses 1 to 12, proclaimed in all Catholic churches last night at the Easter Vigil.

(GOSPEL)

Today Christians greet each other like this:

“Christ was resurected. He is truly risen.”

The resurrection of Jesus has given new meaning to the lives of all Christians. They understand that pain is not punishment, but they accept it like the Lord Jesus. They change their attitude, they leave sin and evil behind; They love without expecting anything in return; They are poor but they are willing to give, they tell the truth, they do not respond with hatred to aggression, they meet every Sunday to give thanks to God and announce who makes them live this way, with a strength that comes from Above: the Holy Spirit .

Among these people are the women who went to the tomb, the apostles, the saints, the elderly faithful all their lives to the Church of Christ, the couples who faithfully love each other, the young people enthusiastic about the Risen Lord, the altar boys, those who cook. and distribute food, the visitors of the sick, those who trust in the Mother of the Risen Lord, the communities in the synodal process, those who clean and decorate the temple, those who ring the bells and an immense line of people of good will.

All these people, this entire Church proclaim that Christ rose gloriously from the dead and appeared to the apostles, and that death has no power over Jesus or over us if we live the life of Christ as resurrected, leaving sin aside. and living faith in the Risen One, living the hope that trusts in the Crucified-Risen One, living charity for friends-enemies.

And united with the immense multitude of Christians throughout the centuries, and with so many followers of Christ who profess their faith, we pray the Apostles’ Creed that the Christians of Rome recited before being baptized.

I believe in the all mighty Father God,

Maker of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, Our Lord,

who was conceived by the work and grace of the Holy Spirit,

born of Holy Virgin Mary,

He suffered under the power of Pontius Pilate

He was crucified, dead and buried,

He descended into hell,

On the third day he rose from the dead,

rose to the heavens

and is seated at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty.

From there he must come to judge the living and the dead.

 

I believe in the Holy Spirit,

the holy Catholic Church,

the communion of saints,

forgiveness of sins,

The resurrection of the flesh

and eternal life. Amen.

(SINGING)

 

Pope Francis tells us about the Resurrection of Christ:

“Why do you look for the living among the dead?”; Why do you think that everything is useless, that no one can remove your stones? Why do they surrender to resignation or failure? Easter, brothers and sisters, is the festival of the removal of stones. God removes the hardest stones, against which hopes and expectations crash: death, sin, fear, worldliness. Human history does not end before a tombstone, because today it discovers the ‘living stone’: the resurrected Jesus. We, as a Church, are founded on Him, and even when we become discouraged, when we are tempted to judge everything based on our failures, He comes to make everything new, to remove our disappointments. Each of us is called to discover the One who is Alive in Him who removes the heaviest stones from the heart. Let’s ask ourselves, first of all: what is the stone that I have to remove in me? What is this stone called? Hope is often hindered by the stone of distrust. When the idea takes hold that everything is going wrong and that, in the worst case scenario, it never ends, we come to believe with resignation that death is stronger than life and we become cynical and mocking people, carriers of a harmful discouragement. Stone upon stone, we build within ourselves a monument to dissatisfaction, the tomb of hope. By complaining about life, we make life end up being a slave to complaints and spiritually sick. A kind of psychology of the grave is thus opening up: everything ends there, with no hope of coming out alive. This, however, is the burning question of Easter: Why do they look for the living among the dead? The Lord does not live in resignation. He has risen, he is not there; Do not look for him where you will never find him: he is not the God of the dead, but of the living. Do not bury hope! There is a second stone that often seals the heart: the stone of sin. Sin seduces; It promises easy and immediate things, well-being and success, but then it leaves loneliness and death inside. Sin is seeking life among the dead, the meaning of life in things that happen. Why do they look for the living among the dead? Why don’t you decide to leave that sin that, like a stone at the entrance to the heart, prevents the divine light from entering? Why don’t you put Jesus, true light, above the bright sparkles of money, career, pride and pleasure? Why don’t you tell worldly vanities that you don’t live for them, but for the Lord of life? Easter teaches us that the believer stops for a short time in the cemetery, because he is called to walk to meet the Living One. Let’s ask ourselves: in my life, where am I going? Dear brothers and sisters, let us give Him who Lives the central place in life. Let us ask for the grace of not letting ourselves be carried away by the current, by the sea of ​​problems; not to hit ourselves with the stones of sin and the pitfalls of distrust and fear. Seek Him, let yourself be sought by Him, seek Him in everything and above everything. And with him we will rise again.”

 

(SINGING)

 

It all starts today. The risen one renews everything and we come out of our graves and live a new life. On Sunday, the Lord’s Day, we celebrate the Lord’s resurrection and the beginning of our own. On Sunday good news is announced to us in the gospels and we are strengthened with the Body and Blood of Christ to live what was announced and heard and the Holy Spirit enlightens us to go after the multitude of believers in the resurrection. On Sunday we sing Hallelujah, which means: Praise God.

 

(SINGING)

 

For the Creator of the Universe, nature and the human family. Hallelujah.

Through Jesus Christ, crucified and resurrected. Hallelujah.

By the Holy Spirit, defense attorney. Hallelujah.

For our Holy Mother Mary who is at our side. Hallelujah.

For the Holy Church that sings, announces the Gospel, teaches the catechism, practices the works of mercy. Hallelujah.

For the community to which I belong and helps me live my faith. Hallelujah.

For the family, in which there are so many good people. Hallelujah.

For the neighbors and friends who are so helpful to everyone. Hallelujah.

The Via Lucis, “way of light” is a devotion that complements that of the Via Crucis. In it, fourteen stations are covered with Christ triumphant from the Resurrection to the coming of the Holy Spirit, following the Gospel stories.

The devotion of the Via Lucis is recommended during these fifty Easter days and every Sunday of the year, which are very closely linked to the risen Christ.

 

We pray it:

FIRST STATION.
CHRIST LIVES!: HE HAS RISEN!

In the holy city, Jerusalem, the night gives way to the First Day of the week. It is a glorious dawn, of overflowing joy, because Christ has definitively defeated death.

Christ was resurected. He has truly risen.

SECOND STATION.
THE MEETING WITH MARY MAGDALENE

Mary Magdalene goes in front of the women who go to the tomb to finish embalming the body of Jesus. She mourns his absence because she loves, but Jesus does not allow himself to be won over in generosity and goes out to meet her.

THIRD STATION.
JESUS ​​APPEARS TO WOMEN

The women are overwhelmed by the facts: the tomb is empty and an angel announces to them that Christ lives. And he gives them a commission: announce it to the apostles. But the greatest joy is seeing the resurrected Jesus, who comes out to meet them.

FOURTH STATION.
SOLDIERS GUARD THE TOMB OF CHRIST

To ratify the resurrection of Christ, God allowed there to be special witnesses: the soldiers appointed by the princes of the priests, precisely to prevent there being a deception, but it was demonstrated that Christ has risen.

FIFTH STATION.
PETER AND JOHN CONTEMPLATE THE EMPTY TOMB

The apostles have received the news that the women have given them with distrust. They are confused, but love is stronger. That is why Peter and John approach the tomb with the speed of their hope.

SIXTH STATION.
JESUS ​​IN THE CENACLE SHOWS HIS WOUNDS TO THE APOSTLES

The disciples are in the Cenacle, the place where the Last Supper took place. Fearful and hopeless, they comment on the events that occurred. That is when Jesus appears among them, and fear gives way to peace.

SEVENTH STATION.
ON THE ROAD TO EMMAUS

That same afternoon two disciples return home disappointed. But a walker gives them hope. Their hearts vibrate with joy in his company, however their eyes only open when they see him breaking the bread.

EIGHTH STATION.
JESUS ​​GIVES THE APOSTLES THE POWER TO FORGIVE SINS

Jesus appears before his disciples. And the fear of a first moment gives way to joy. It will be then that the Lord will give them the power to forgive sins, to offer men the mercy of God.

NINTH STATION.
JESUS ​​STRENGTHENS THOMAS’ FAITH

Thomas was not with the other apostles at the first encounter with the resurrected Jesus. They have told him about their joyful experience, but he has not been convinced. That is why the Lord now turns to him to confirm his faith.

TENTH STATION.
RISEN JESUS ​​ON THE LAKE OF GALILEE

The apostles have returned to their work: fishing. All night they have tried, without achieving anything. From the shore Jesus invites them to start again. And obedience grants them a multitude of fish.

ELEVENTH STATION.
JESUS ​​CONFIRMS PETER IN LOVE

Jesus has taken Peter aside because he wants to ask him about his love. He wants to put him at the head of the nascent Church. Peter, a fisherman from Galilee, is going to become the Shepherd of those who follow the Lord.

TWELFTH STATION.
THE FAREWELL: JESUS ​​COMMITS HIS MISSION TO THE APOSTLES

Before leaving his disciples, the Lord gives them the apostolic charge: the task of extending the Kingdom of God throughout the world, of making the Good News reach every corner.

THIRTEENTH STATION
JESUS ​​ASCENDS TO HEAVEN

Having accomplished his mission among men, Jesus ascends to heaven. He has come out from the Father, now he returns to the Father and is seated at his right hand. Glorious Christ is in heaven, and from there he will come as Judge of the living and the dead.

FOURTEENTH STATION
THE COMING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AT PENTECOST

The firm promise that Jesus has made to his disciples is to send them a Comforter. Fifty days after the Resurrection, the Holy Spirit is poured out on the nascent Church to strengthen it, confirm it, sanctify it.

Christ was resurected. He has truly risen.

FINAL PRAYER

Lord and our God,
source of joy and hope,
We are living with your Son the events of his Resurrection and Ascension until the coming of the Holy Spirit;
May the contemplation of these mysteries fill us with your grace and enable us
to bear witness to Jesus Christ
in the middle of the world. Amen.

We bow our heads to receive the blessing:

May Almighty God bless you on this solemn day of Easter, and may his mercy protect you from all sin. Amen

And may He who has redeemed you through the Resurrection of Jesus Christ enrich you with the prize of eternal life. Amen.

And to all of you, who at the end of the days of the Lord’s Passion celebrate with joy the Feast of the Resurrection, may the Lord also grant you to rejoice with the joy of happiness and eternal Easter. Amen.

And the blessing of Almighty God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, descend upon you, upon your families, upon your Church and upon your People… Amen.

 

(SINGING)