At noon today in Rome (6:00am EDT), on the day that is known in Italy as Angel Monday, the Holy Father, Pope Francis led the recitation of the Regina Caeli from the Library inside the Vatican Apostolic Palace before appearing at the window of his study in order to impart his Blessing.
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
Today, Angel Monday, the joyful proclamation of the resurrection of Christ resounds. The Gospel passage (cf Mt 28: 8-15) tells us that women who were frightened, quickly abandoned the tomb of Jesus, which they had found empty; but Jesus himself appeared to them on the way saying: Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee: they will see me there (Mt 28: 10). With these words, the Risen Lord entrusted women with a missionary mandate to be shared with the Apostles. In fact, they had given an admirable example of loyalty, dedication and love for Christ in the time of his public life as well as during his passion; now they were rewarded by him with this gesture of attention and predilection. Women are always at the beginning: Mary at the beginning; women in the beginning.
First the women, then the disciples and, in particular, Peter note the reality of the resurrection. Jesus had repeatedly told them that, after the passion and the cross, he would rise again, but the disciples did not understand, because they were not yet ready. Their faith had to make a qualitative leap, which only the Holy Spirit, the gift of the Risen One, could provoke.
At the beginning of the book of the Acts of the Apostles, we hear Peter declaring frankly ... courageously, frankly: This Jesus, God raised him up and we are all witnesses of this (Acts 2: 32). As if to say: I put my faith in Him. I would give my life for Him. And then he would indeed give his life for him. From that moment on, the proclamation that Christ is risen spread everywhere and reached every corner of the earth, becoming the message of hope for all. The resurrection of Jesus tells us that the last word is not up to death, but to life. By raising the only-begotten Son, God the Father has fully manifested his love and mercy for humanity of all times.
If Christ is risen, it is possible to look with confidence at every event of our existence, even those that are most difficult and full of anguish and uncertainty. Here is the Easter message that we are called to proclaim, with words and above all with the witness of our lives. May this good news resound in our hearts and in our homes: Christ, my hope, is risen! (Easter Sequence). This certainty strengthens the faith of every baptized person and above all, it encourages those who are facing greater suffering and difficulty.
May the Virgin Mary, the silent witness of the death and resurrection of her son Jesus, help us to strongly believe in this mystery of salvation: accepted with faith, it can change life. This is the Easter greeting that I renew to all of you. I entrust it to you, our Mother, whom we now invoke with the Regina Caeli prayer.
Following the recitation of the Regina Caeli, the Holy Father continued:
Dear brothers and sisters,
We heard that the women gave the proclamation of Jesus' Resurrection to the disciples. Today, I want to remember with you what many women are doing, even in this time of health emergency, to take care of others: women doctors, nurses, law enforcement officers and prison guards, employees in basic necessities stores ..., and many mothers and sisters and grandmothers who find themselves locked in the house with the whole family, with children, the elderly and the disabled. Sometimes they are at risk of being subjected to violence, a coexistence of which they carry too great a burden. Let us pray for them, so that the Lord may give them strength and that our communities may support them together with their families. May the Lord give us the courage of women, to always go forward.
During this Easter week, I want to recall with closeness and affection all countries which are being severely tried by the coronavirus, some of them with large numbers of people who have been contaminated and who have died, especially here in Italy, in the United States of America, in Spain, in France ... the list is long. I am praying for all of them. And don't forget that the Pope is praying for you, he is close to you.
With all my heart, I renew my Easter greetings to all of you. Let us remain united in prayer and in our commitment to help each other as brothers and sisters. Enjoy your lunch and good bye.
Testo originale nella lingua italiana
Greetings of His Holiness, Pope Francis
prior to the recitation of the Regina Caeli
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
Today, Angel Monday, the joyful proclamation of the resurrection of Christ resounds. The Gospel passage (cf Mt 28: 8-15) tells us that women who were frightened, quickly abandoned the tomb of Jesus, which they had found empty; but Jesus himself appeared to them on the way saying: Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee: they will see me there (Mt 28: 10). With these words, the Risen Lord entrusted women with a missionary mandate to be shared with the Apostles. In fact, they had given an admirable example of loyalty, dedication and love for Christ in the time of his public life as well as during his passion; now they were rewarded by him with this gesture of attention and predilection. Women are always at the beginning: Mary at the beginning; women in the beginning.
First the women, then the disciples and, in particular, Peter note the reality of the resurrection. Jesus had repeatedly told them that, after the passion and the cross, he would rise again, but the disciples did not understand, because they were not yet ready. Their faith had to make a qualitative leap, which only the Holy Spirit, the gift of the Risen One, could provoke.
At the beginning of the book of the Acts of the Apostles, we hear Peter declaring frankly ... courageously, frankly: This Jesus, God raised him up and we are all witnesses of this (Acts 2: 32). As if to say: I put my faith in Him. I would give my life for Him. And then he would indeed give his life for him. From that moment on, the proclamation that Christ is risen spread everywhere and reached every corner of the earth, becoming the message of hope for all. The resurrection of Jesus tells us that the last word is not up to death, but to life. By raising the only-begotten Son, God the Father has fully manifested his love and mercy for humanity of all times.
If Christ is risen, it is possible to look with confidence at every event of our existence, even those that are most difficult and full of anguish and uncertainty. Here is the Easter message that we are called to proclaim, with words and above all with the witness of our lives. May this good news resound in our hearts and in our homes: Christ, my hope, is risen! (Easter Sequence). This certainty strengthens the faith of every baptized person and above all, it encourages those who are facing greater suffering and difficulty.
May the Virgin Mary, the silent witness of the death and resurrection of her son Jesus, help us to strongly believe in this mystery of salvation: accepted with faith, it can change life. This is the Easter greeting that I renew to all of you. I entrust it to you, our Mother, whom we now invoke with the Regina Caeli prayer.
Regina Caeli, laetare, alleluia.
Quia quem meruisti portare, alleluia.
Resurrexit, sicut dixit, alleluia.
Ora pro nobis Deum, alleluia.
Gaude et laetare, Virgo Maria, alleluia.
Quia surrexit Dominus vere, alleluia.
Oremus:
Deus, qui per resurrectionem Filii tui, Domini nostri Iesu Christi, mundum laetificare dignatus es: praesta, quaesumus; ut per eius Genetricem Virginem Mariam, perpetuae capiamus gaudia vitae. Per eundem Christum Dominum nostrum.
**
Queen of Heaven, rejoice, alleluia.
For He whom you did merit to bear, alleluia.
Has risen, as he said, alleluia.
Pray for us to God, alleluia.
Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia.
For the Lord has truly risen, alleluia.
Let us pray:
O God, who gave joy to the world through the resurrection of Thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, grant we beseech Thee, that through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, His Mother, we may obtain the joys of everlasting life. Through the same Christ our Lord.
Following the recitation of the Regina Caeli, the Holy Father continued:
Dear brothers and sisters,
We heard that the women gave the proclamation of Jesus' Resurrection to the disciples. Today, I want to remember with you what many women are doing, even in this time of health emergency, to take care of others: women doctors, nurses, law enforcement officers and prison guards, employees in basic necessities stores ..., and many mothers and sisters and grandmothers who find themselves locked in the house with the whole family, with children, the elderly and the disabled. Sometimes they are at risk of being subjected to violence, a coexistence of which they carry too great a burden. Let us pray for them, so that the Lord may give them strength and that our communities may support them together with their families. May the Lord give us the courage of women, to always go forward.
During this Easter week, I want to recall with closeness and affection all countries which are being severely tried by the coronavirus, some of them with large numbers of people who have been contaminated and who have died, especially here in Italy, in the United States of America, in Spain, in France ... the list is long. I am praying for all of them. And don't forget that the Pope is praying for you, he is close to you.
With all my heart, I renew my Easter greetings to all of you. Let us remain united in prayer and in our commitment to help each other as brothers and sisters. Enjoy your lunch and good bye.
Testo originale nella lingua italiana
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