Pope Francis on Easter Sunday:
‘Let's respond immediately to God’s surprises!’
Pope Francis during the Easter Sunday liturgy in St Peter's Square. |
Speaking off the cuff the Pope said that he was moved to say
three things inspired by the Gospel proclamation.
In his homily during the Easter Sunday liturgy
in St Peter's Square, Pope Francis says that God surprises the women with a
proclamation which became a greeting in the early Church: "The Lord is
risen!"
God surprises us
The women had gone to anoint the Lord’s body and instead
found themselves standing before a surprise. When God announces something it is
always a surprise because God is a God of surprises, Pope Francis said.
It has been that way from the beginning of the story of
salvation with Abraham: one surprise after another. God does not know how to
make an announcement without surprising us. Surprise moves our hearts and
touches us where we do not expect.
Responding quickly to God's surprises
The second thought is the haste of the women. God’s
surprises demand an immediate response. Peter and John run too as did the the
shepherds on the night when Christ was born. They say “Let us run to see what
the angels have revealed to us.” The Samaritan woman also runs to say to her
people, “this is something entire new. I have met a man who has told me
everything that I have done—and the people knew what she had done,“ Pope
Francis said. Andrew did not waste time to go to Peter to say that he had found
the Messiah. People leave whatever they are doing— “the housewife leaves her
potato in the pot. Sure they will be burned, but the important thing is to see
the manifestation of the proclamation.”
The Pope added that there is one person in the Gospel who
takes his time, who does not want to take a risk. This is Thomas. But the good
Lord waited for him in the same way that he waits patiently for those people
who do not get up and respond to the surprise announcement right away.
What about me?
Pope Francis’ the third is a question. What about me? “Do I
have a heart open to God’s surprises?" Am I am able to go quickly, or do I
always hang back and excuse myself until tomorrow.
“What does a surprise say to me?” Pope Francis asks. John
and Peter ran to the tomb and the Gospel says they believe. Pope Francis says
that Peter’s belief was “a bit mixed with remorse for having denied the Lord.”
The Pope concluded his homily saying that now it is our turn
to ask “what about me today in this Easter 2018. What about you?”
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