Pope Francis’ Urbi et Orbi
message: The last word is the resurrection
Pope Francis delivers his Easter Urbi et Orbi message saying
that Jesus’ resurrection contains the power of a grain of wheat.
By Sr Bernadette M Reis, fsp
The Pope greeted the faithful with “Jesus is risen from the
dead!”
He then said that the image that Jesus used of the grain of
what that falls to the earth and dies to prophesy his own death and
resurrection.
Jesus, God’s grain of wheat
“Jesus, the grain of wheat sowed by God in the furrows of
the earth, died, killed by the sin of the world,” Pope Francis said. After two
days in the tomb, he was raised on the third day, for “God’s love in all its
power” was released and made manifest allowing us to celebrate today “the
Easter of Christ the Lord.”
The Pope reminds us that Jesus is the grain of wheat which
by the power of His love “humbles itself and gives itself to the very end, and
thus truly renews the world.” It is a power that still bears fruit even though
the world bears so many “furrows” of violence and injustice. That fruit is
hope, for “we Christians believe and know that Christ’s resurrection is the
true hope of the world,” Pope Francis said.
The Holy Father then prayed for the gift of peace, naming
several aras in the world.
God has the last word
Finally, Pope Francis reminds us of what the women heard at
the tomb — that “Death, solitude and fear are not the last word.” The word that
overpowers these words is “a word that only God can speak: it is the word of
the resurrection.”
Concluding remarks
After the blessings, the pope extended Easter greetings to
pilgrims from Italy, and from other parts of the world, as well as to all those
viewing through various media outlets.
He prayed that the joy of the Risen Lord might comfort
families, especially the elderly who are “the precious memory of society, ” and
the young, “the future of the church and the humanity.”
He thanked everyone present for having participated in the
celebration of Easter which is the most important feast of our faith.
Lastly, he gave special thanks for the flowers which came
from Holland and he led the crowd in applauding the people from Holland present
in the square.
Pope Francis then ended with his customary, “Please do not
forget to pray for me,” and “Enjoy your lunch.”
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