Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Castel Gandolfo (Agenzia Fides) – On Easter Monday 13 April, the Holy Father Benedict XVI led the recitation of the Regina Cæli with the faithful gathered in the courtyard of his Summer Residence at Castel Gandolfo: “‘ Yes, we are certain! The Lord is truly risen, alleluia! The power and the glory are his, now and forever". ”. “ rising from the dead, - the Holy Father said - Jesus inaugurated his eternal day and has opened the door to our joy, too. "I will not die", he says, "but will have everlasting life". The crucified Son of man, the stone rejected by the builders, has now become the solid foundation of the new spiritual edifice which is the Church, his mystical Body. The People of God, which has Christ as its invisible Head, is destined to grow in the course of the centuries until the complete fulfilment of the plan of salvation. Then the whole of humanity will be incorporated into him and every existing reality will be penetrated with his total victory. ”
It is the Resurrection of the Lord which “ assures us that the divine plan of salvation, despite all the obscurity of history, will certainly be brought about. This is why his Passover truly is our hope. And we, risen with Christ through Baptism, must now follow him faithfully in holiness of life, [...], sustained by the knowledge that the difficulties, struggles and trials of human life, including death, henceforth can no longer separate us from Him and his love”. Lastly the Holy Father spoke of the Sacrament of the Eucharist in which the promise of Jesus– ‘I am risen, and I am with you always' – is fulfilled and in which “ the risen Lord is present and mercifully purifies us from our sins; he nourishes us spiritually and infuses us with strength to withstand the harsh trials of life and the fight against sin and evil. He is the sturdy support in our pilgrimage towards the eternal dwelling place in Heaven”. Benedict XVI concluded: " May the Virgin Mary, who experienced beside her divine Son every phase of his mission on earth, help us to welcome with faith the gift of Easter and make us faithful and joyful witnesses of the risen Lord". (Agenzia Fides 13/4/2009, righe 17, parole 293)
