The Italian name for today - the second day of the Easter Season - is la Pasquetta literally 'little Easter'. Today at noon local time in Rome, the Holy Father appeared at the window of the Papal apartment (the one that he's reportedly going to be using only for work) to greet pilgrims and visitors who were gathered in Saint Peter's Square.
Usually he does this on Sundays, but because he presented his Urbi et Orbi greeting yesterday from the main balcony above the doors of Saint Peter's Basilica, he makes an appearance today - on Monday - to pray the Regina Coeli - which replaces the Angelus during the liturgical Season of Easter.
Dear brothers and sisters,
Good morning, and Happy Easter to all of you! I thank you for having come also today in such great numbers to share the joy of Easter, the central mystery of our faith. May the strength of the Christ's Resurrection gladden the hearts of every person - especially those who suffer - in all the situations where trust and hope are needed.
Christ is fully and definitively victorious over death, but he expects of us, of men of every time that we will welcome this victory in our lives and in the concrete realities of history and of society. For this reason, I think that it's important to highlight that which we ask of the Lord in the liturgy today: O Father, who gives birth to your Church, providing for her always new children, give to your faithful the joy of expressing with their lives, the sacrament that we have received in faith (Collect for Monday of the Octave of Easter).
It's true, the Baptism that makes us children of God, and the Eucharist that unites us in Christ must become life within us, reflected in our attitudes, behaviors, actions and choices. The grace contained in the Easter Sacraments has great potential for renewing each one of us personally, for family life and for our social relationships. But everything passes through the human heart, if I allow myself to receive the grace of the Risen Christ, if I allow it to change the aspects in me that are not good, that can do harm to me or to others, I allow the victory of Christ to grow in me, to be strengthened in its ability to bring about good in me. This is the power of grace! Without grace, we can do nothing. But with the graces of Baptism and Communion, we can become instruments of God's mercy, the beautiful mercy of God!
To express in life the sacrament that we have received: this, dear brothers and sisters, is our daily work, but I would also say it is our daily joy! The joy of being instruments of the grace of Christ, as branches of the vine that is Christ himself, inspired by the sap of his Spirit.
Let us pray together, in the name of the crucified and risen Lord, and through the intercession of Blessed Mary, that the Pascal mystery will always be at work deep within us and in our world, so that hatred will give way to love, lies give way to truth, vengeance give way to forgiveness and sadness give way to joy.
After the Regina Coeli, the Holy Father continued:
I greet you all with great affection, dear pilgrims from various continents who have come to participate in this meeting of prayer. My hope is that each of you will know deep peace on this Monday which resonates with the Easter proclamation: Christ is risen! Happy Easter to you all! Happy Easter to all, and have a good lunch!
Usually he does this on Sundays, but because he presented his Urbi et Orbi greeting yesterday from the main balcony above the doors of Saint Peter's Basilica, he makes an appearance today - on Monday - to pray the Regina Coeli - which replaces the Angelus during the liturgical Season of Easter.
Greeting of His Holiness Francis
Before the recitation of the Regina Coeli
Dear brothers and sisters,
Good morning, and Happy Easter to all of you! I thank you for having come also today in such great numbers to share the joy of Easter, the central mystery of our faith. May the strength of the Christ's Resurrection gladden the hearts of every person - especially those who suffer - in all the situations where trust and hope are needed.
Christ is fully and definitively victorious over death, but he expects of us, of men of every time that we will welcome this victory in our lives and in the concrete realities of history and of society. For this reason, I think that it's important to highlight that which we ask of the Lord in the liturgy today: O Father, who gives birth to your Church, providing for her always new children, give to your faithful the joy of expressing with their lives, the sacrament that we have received in faith (Collect for Monday of the Octave of Easter).
It's true, the Baptism that makes us children of God, and the Eucharist that unites us in Christ must become life within us, reflected in our attitudes, behaviors, actions and choices. The grace contained in the Easter Sacraments has great potential for renewing each one of us personally, for family life and for our social relationships. But everything passes through the human heart, if I allow myself to receive the grace of the Risen Christ, if I allow it to change the aspects in me that are not good, that can do harm to me or to others, I allow the victory of Christ to grow in me, to be strengthened in its ability to bring about good in me. This is the power of grace! Without grace, we can do nothing. But with the graces of Baptism and Communion, we can become instruments of God's mercy, the beautiful mercy of God!
To express in life the sacrament that we have received: this, dear brothers and sisters, is our daily work, but I would also say it is our daily joy! The joy of being instruments of the grace of Christ, as branches of the vine that is Christ himself, inspired by the sap of his Spirit.
Let us pray together, in the name of the crucified and risen Lord, and through the intercession of Blessed Mary, that the Pascal mystery will always be at work deep within us and in our world, so that hatred will give way to love, lies give way to truth, vengeance give way to forgiveness and sadness give way to joy.
Regina coeli, laetare, alleluia!
Quia quem meruisti portare, alleulua!
REsurrexit, sicut dixit, alleluia!
Ora pro nobis Deum, alleluia!
Gaude et laetare, Virgo Maria, alleluia!
Quia surrexit Dominus vere, alleluia!
Deus, qui per resurrectionem Filii tui,
Domini nostri Iesu Christi,
mundum laetificare dignatus es:
praesta, quaesumus,ut per eius Genitricem Vigrinem Mariam,
perpetuae capiamus gaudia vitae.
Per eumdem Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.
Queen of Heaven, rejoice, Alleluia!
For he whom you deserved to bear in your womb, Alleluia!
Has risen, as he promised, Alleluia!
Pray for us to God, Alleluia!
Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, Alleluia!
For the Lord has truly risen, Alleluia!
O God, who through the resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ
gave rejoicing to the world,
grant, we pray, that through his Mother, the Virgin Mary,
we may obtain the joy of everlasting life,
through Christ our Lord, Amen.
After the Regina Coeli, the Holy Father continued:
I greet you all with great affection, dear pilgrims from various continents who have come to participate in this meeting of prayer. My hope is that each of you will know deep peace on this Monday which resonates with the Easter proclamation: Christ is risen! Happy Easter to you all! Happy Easter to all, and have a good lunch!
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