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Pope Benedict XVI- Angelus |
Regina
Caeli
Message
Do Not Be Afraid to Proclaim His Resurrection
Courtyard of the Papal Residence, Castel Gandolfo
H.H. Benedict XVI
Easter Monday,
April 9, 2007
www.zenit.org
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
We are still filled with the spiritual joy that the solemn
celebrations of Easter truly bring to believers' hearts. Christ is
risen! The liturgy devotes to this immense mystery not only a day -
it would be too little for such joy-, but at least 50 days, that is,
the entire Easter Season, which ends with Pentecost. Easter Sunday,
moreover, is an absolutely special day which extends for the whole
of this week until next Sunday and forms the Octave of Easter.
In the atmosphere of Paschal joy, today's liturgy takes us back to
the sepulchre where, according to St Matthew's account, impelled by
their love for him, Mary of Magdala and the other Mary went to
"visit" Jesus' tomb. The Evangelist tells us that he comes to meet
them and says: "Do not be afraid; go and tell my brethren to go to
Galilee, and there they will see me" (Mt 28: 10). The joy they felt
at seeing their Lord was truly indescribable and, filled with
enthusiasm, they ran to tell the disciples.
The Risen One also repeats to us today, as to these women who stayed
by Jesus during the Passion, not to be afraid to become messengers
of the proclamation of his Resurrection. Those who encounter the
Risen Jesus and entrust themselves docilely to him have nothing to
fear. This is the message that Christians are called to spread to
the very ends of the earth.
The Christian faith, as we know, is not born from the acceptance of
a doctrine but from an encounter with a Person, with Christ, dead
and Risen.
In our daily lives, dear friends, there are so many opportunities to
proclaim this faith of ours to others simply and with conviction, so
that from our encounter their faith can grow.
And it is more urgent than ever that the men and women of our age
know and encounter Jesus, and, also thanks to our example, allow
themselves to be won over by him.
The Gospel says nothing about the Mother of the Lord, of Mary, but
Christian tradition rightly likes to contemplate her while with joy
greater than anyone else's she embraces her divine Son, whom she had
held close when he was taken down from the Cross. Now, after the
Resurrection, the Mother of the Redeemer rejoices with Jesus'
"friends", who constitute the newborn Church.
As I renew my heartfelt Easter greetings to you all, I invoke her,
the Regina Caeli [Queen of Heaven], so that she may keep alive in
each one of us faith in the Resurrection and may make us messengers
of the hope and love of Jesus Christ.
________________________________________
After the Regina Caeli:
To all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors present for
today's Regina Caeli, I extend a warm welcome. I pray that you will
grow ever closer to the Risen Lord and share his Good News with all
those you encounter. Upon all of you, I invoke the abundant
Blessings of Almighty God.
A happy and holy Easter to you all!
© Copyright 2007 - Libreria Editrice Vaticana
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