The words of the Holy Father at the Urbi et Orbi blessing on April 9, Easter Sunday, were published by Magyar Kurír.
My dear brothers, Christ is risen!
Today we proclaim that He, the Lord of our lives, is the "resurrection and life" of the world (cf. Jn 11:25). This is Passover, Pesach in Hebrew, which means "passover", because
In Jesus, humanity's decisive transition was fulfilled: from death to life, from sin to grace, from fear to trust, from abandonment to community.
In him, in the Lord of time and history, I want to say to everyone, with joy in my heart: Happy Easter!
My dear brothers and sisters, may this day be a transition from trial to consolation for all of you, especially for the sick and the poor, the elderly and those who are experiencing trials and difficulties. We are not alone: Jesus, the Living One, is always with us. Let the Church and the world rejoice, because today our hopes no longer collide with the wall of death, since the Lord has built a bridge for us towards life. Yes, my brothers,
at Easter, the fate of the world changed, and on this day, which coincides with the most likely date of Christ's resurrection, we can joyfully celebrate, purely out of grace, the most important and beautiful day in history.
Christ is risen, truly risen, as the Eastern Church proclaims. This really tells us that hope is not an illusion, but a truth. Humanity's journey after Easter is characterized by hope, and it is already moving faster. The example of the first witnesses of the resurrection shows us this. The Gospels tell of the benevolent haste with which "the women ran to bring the news to the disciples" on Easter Day (Mt 28:8). And after Mary Magdalene "ran and went to Simon Peter" (Jn 20:2), John and Peter "ran together" (cf. v. 4) to visit the place where Jesus was buried. And after the two disciples met the Risen One on the road to Emmaus, on Easter evening they "started their journey without delay" (Lk 24:33), they hurriedly ran several kilometers, uphill, in the dark, because the unbridled joy of Easter was burning in their hearts (cf. v 32).
The same joy flared in Peter on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, when, seeing the resurrected Jesus, he could no longer stay in the boat with the others, but immediately threw himself into the water to quickly swim out to meet Him (cf. Jn 21:7).
At Easter, therefore, our journey speeds up and becomes a run, because humanity already sees the goal of its journey, the meaning of its destiny, Jesus Christ. He was invited to come to Him, the hope of the world.
Let us hurry so that the path of mutual trust begins to grow within us: trust between people, peoples and nations.
Let us be surprised by the good news of Easter, the light that illuminates the darkness and obscurity in which the world is too often enveloped.
Let us hurry to overcome conflicts and divisions and open our hearts to those who need it the most.
Let us hasten to walk the paths of peace and brotherhood. Let us rejoice in the concrete signs of hope that reach us from so many countries, starting with those that offer help and welcome to all those fleeing war and poverty.
Of course, there are still stones on the road that we can stumble upon, which make our haste towards the Risen One difficult and tiring. We address our petition to him: Help us to hasten to you! Help us to open our hearts!
Help the beloved Ukrainian people on their way to peace, and spread the Easter light on the Russian people! Strengthen the wounded and all those who lost their loved ones in the war, and grant that the prisoners may return to their families safe and sound! Open the hearts of the entire international community to work together to end the war and eliminate all the conflicts that cover the world in blood, starting with Syria, which is still waiting for peace!
You can read the entire speech in the Magyar Kurír by clicking here
Photo: Vatican.va
