|
Pope Benedict XVI- Angelus |
Regina
Caeli
Message
On Divine Mercy
"A New Reality, Fruit of the Love of God"
H.H. Benedict XVI
April 15, 2007
www.zenit.org
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
To all of you I renew the wish for a happy Easter, on the Sunday
that closes the octave of Easter and is traditionally called Sunday
"in Albis." This Sunday is also called Divine Mercy Sunday according
to the wish of my venerable predecessor, the Servant of God John
Paul II, who died right after the first vespers of this celebration.
On this singular occasion this morning I celebrated, in St. Peter's
Square, a holy Mass, accompanied by cardinals, bishops, and priests,
by the faithful of Rome and many pilgrims, who wanted to be close to
the Pope, on the eve of his 80th birthday. From the depths of my
heart I renew my most sincere thanks, which I extend to the whole
Church, which, like a true family, especially in these days,
surrounds me with its affection.
This Sunday -- as I said -- ends the week or, more precisely, the
"octave" of Easter, which the liturgy considers a single day: "the
day the Lord has made" (Psalm 117:24). It is not a chronological but
a spiritual time that God has opened in the fabric of days when he
raised Christ from the dead. The Creator Spirit, breathing the new
and eternal life into the interred body of Jesus of Nazareth,
brought the work of creation to its completion, bringing about a
"first fruit"; a first fruit of a new humanity that is at the same
time the first fruit of a new world and a new era.
This renewal of the world can be summed up in a word: the same word
that the risen Jesus pronounced as a greeting, and much more as an
announcement of his victory to his disciples: "Peace be with you!"
(Luke 24:36; John 20:19,21,26). Peace is the gift that Jesus left to
his friends (cf. John 2:27) as a benediction that was destined for
all people and all nations.
It is not a peace according to the mentality of the "world," as a
balance of power, but it is a new reality, fruit of the love of God,
of his mercy. It is the peace that Jesus Christ earned at the price
of his blood and that he communicates to those who trust in him.
"Jesus, I trust in you": In these words the faith of the Christian
is summed up, a faith in the omnipotence of the merciful love of
God.
Dear brothers and sisters, as I thank you again for your spiritual
nearness on the occasion of my birthday and the anniversary of my
election as the Successor of Peter, I entrust all of you to Mary
"Mater Misericordiae," Mother of Jesus who is the incarnation of
Divine Mercy.
With her help let us be renewed by the Spirit to cooperate in the
work of peace that God is accomplishing in the world and that does
not make noise, but that is realized in the countless acts of
charity of all its sons.
[Afterward the Holy Father greeted the English-speaking pilgrims
with the following words:]
To the English-speaking pilgrims I offer warm greetings of Easter
joy. In today's Gospel, the Lord Jesus extends to us the gift of his
peace. May this peace fill your hearts and inspire you to spread the
Good News of his resurrection. I thank you for your prayerful
presence. A Happy Easter to all!
© Copyright 2007 -- Libreria Editrice Vaticana
Look at the One they
Pierced!
This page is the work of the Servants of the Pierced Hearts of Jesus and
Mary
