VATICAN - Benedict XVI in the Holy Land (26) - Visit to the Holy Sepulchre: “The empty tomb speaks to us of hope, the hope that does not disappoint because it is the gift of the Spirit of life. This is the message that I wish to leave with you...”

Jerusalem (Agenzia Fides) – Having concluded the ecumenical meeting, the Holy Father Benedict XVI traveled to the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre. After remaining in prayer in front of the Stone of Anointing and visiting the empty Tomb of the Resurrection, the Holy Father addressed those present. “Saint John’s Gospel has left us an evocative account of the visit of Peter and the Beloved Disciple to the empty tomb on Easter morning. Today, at a distance of some twenty centuries, Peter’s Successor, the Bishop of Rome, stands before that same empty tomb and contemplates the mystery of the Resurrection...Here Christ died and rose, never to die again. Here the history of humanity was decisively changed. The long reign of sin and death was shattered by the triumph of obedience and life; the wood of the Cross lay bare the truth about good and evil; God’s judgement was passed on this world and the grace of the Holy Spirit was poured out upon humanity. Here Christ, the new Adam, taught us that evil never has the last word, that love is stronger than death, that our future, and the future of all humanity, lies in the hands of a faithful and provident God.”
Benedict XVI continued: “The empty tomb speaks to us of hope, the hope that does not disappoint because it is the gift of the Spirit of life (cf. Rom 5:5). This is the message that I wish to leave with you today, at the conclusion of my pilgrimage to the Holy Land. May hope rise up ever anew, by God’s grace, in the hearts of all the people dwelling in these lands! May it take root in your hearts, abide in your families and communities, and inspire in each of you an ever more faithful witness to the Prince of Peace! The Church in the Holy Land, which has so often experienced the dark mystery of Golgotha, must never cease to be an intrepid herald of the luminous message of hope which this empty tomb proclaims. The Gospel reassures us that God can make all things new, that history need not be repeated, that memories can be healed, that the bitter fruits of recrimination and hostility can be overcome, and that a future of justice, peace, prosperity and cooperation can arise for every man and woman, for the whole human family, and in a special way for the people who dwell in this land so dear to the heart of the Saviour.”
Encouraging all to “ look once again with the eyes of faith upon the face of the crucified and risen Lord, the Pope expressed his hope that the contemplation of this mystery “spur our efforts, both as individuals and as members of the ecclesial community, to grow in the life of the Spirit through conversion, penance and prayer. May it help us to overcome, by the power of that same Spirit, every conflict and tension born of the flesh, and to remove every obstacle, both within and without, standing in the way of our common witness to Christ and the reconciling power of his love.”
Benedict XVI concluded his address, assuring of his prayer that “the Church in the Holy Land will always draw new strength from its contemplation of the empty tomb of the Savior. In that tomb it is called to bury all its anxieties and fears, in order to rise again each day and continue its journey through the streets of Jerusalem, Galilee and beyond, proclaiming the triumph of Christ’s forgiveness and the promise of new life.” The last word of encouragement from the Pope was directed towards the Bishops, priests, and religious “serve the beloved Church in the Holy Land,” encouraging them to rekindle the enthusiasm of your consecration to Christ and your commitment to loving service of his mystical Body: “Jesus asks each of us to be a witness of unity and peace to all those who live in this City of Peace.” (SL) (Agenzia Fides 16/5/2009)