At the conclusion of the Mass celebrated in the Vatican Basilica to mark 100 years since the Armenian martyrdom, including the rite proclaiming Saint Gregory of Narek as a Doctor of the Church, Pope Francis appeared at the window of his study in the Vatican Apostolic Palace to recite the Regina Caeli with the faithful and with pilgrims who had gathered in Saint Peter's Square for the expected Sunday appointment.
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
Today is the eighth day after Easter, and the gospel of John documents the two apparitions of the Risen Jesus to the apostles gathered in the Upper Room: on the evening of Easter Sunday, when Thomas was absent, and again after eight days, when Thomas was present. The first time, the Lord showed the disciples the wounds on his body, gave another sign by breathing on them and saying to them: As the Father has sent me, so I send you (Jn 20:21). He passed on to them his own mission, along with the strength of the Holy Spirit.
But that night, Thomas was not there, the one who didn't want to believe the witness of the others. If I do not see and do not touch his wounds - he said - I will not believe (cf Jn 20:25). Eight days later - that is to say just like today - Jesus returned, presented himself in their midst and immediately addressed Thomas, inviting him to touch the wounds in his hands and in his side. He meets Thomas' unbelief so that, through the signs of the passion, Thomas might achieve the fullness of Paschal faith, - faith in the resurrection of Jesus.
Thomas was one who was never content, but was searching, wanting to see for himself, to live his own personal experience. Following his initial resistance and anxiety, in the end he also was able to believe, even though he moved forward with much difficulty, he finally grew in his faith. Jesus is waiting patiently and offers himself to the difficulty and the insecurities of the last to arrive. The Lord declares holy those who believe without having seen (cf Jn 20:29) - and the first of these is Mary, his Mother - but he is also present to the needs of the unbelieving disciple: Put your finger here and see my hand ... (Jn 20:27). At the moment when he touched the wounds of the Risen Jesus, Thomas showed his own wounds, his own lacerations, his own humiliations: in the mark of the nails, he found decisive proof that he was loved, the proof that he was waiting for, that he was understood. He found himself standing before a Messiah filled with sweetness, mercy and tenderness. This was the Lord who sought him out, in the secret depths of his own being, because he always knew that it was to be this way. How many of us, in the depths of our hearts, want to encounter Jesus, just as he is: sweet, merciful, tender! In the depths of ourselves, we all know that He is like that. When he found personal contact with the loving and merciful patience of Christ, Thomas understood the profound significance of the Resurrection and, inwardly transformed, he declared his full and total faith in Him by exclaiming: My Lord and my God! (Jn 20: 28). A beautiful, truly beautiful expression, these words spoken by Thomas!
He was able to touch the Easter mystery that demonstrated fully the salvific love of God, rich in mercy (cf Eph 2:4). And like Thomas, we too: on this second Sunday of Easter are invited to contemplate in the wounds of the Risen Christ the Divine Mercy, which surpasses all human limitations and shines on the darkness of evil and sin. An intense and prolonged time for welcoming the immense richness of the merciful love of God will be provided in the coming Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, the Bull of promulgation for which I published last night here, in Saint Peter's Basilica. The Bull begins with the words: Misericordiae Vultus - the Face of Mercy is Jesus Christ. Let us keep our gaze focused on Him, who always seeks us out, waits for us, forgives us; he is so merciful; he is not afraid of our suffering. In his wounds, he heals us and forgives all our sins. And the Virgin Mary helps us to be merciful toward others as Jesus too is merciful toward us.
After the Regina Caeli, the Holy Father continued:
Dear brothers and sisters,
I offer a cordial greeting to you, the faithful of Rome and to all those who have come from various parts of the world. I greet the pilgrims from the Dioceses of Metuchen (USA); the Servants of the Child Jesus from Croatia; the Daughters of Divine Charity, the parochial groups from Forli and Gravina di Puglia, and all the children and young people who are present, especially the alumni from the Sons of Jesus school in Modena, others from the Liceo Verga in Adriano and the newly-Confirmed young people from Palestrina. I greet the pilgrims who participated in the Mass presided over by the Cardinal Vicar of Rome in the church of Santo Spirito in Sassia, a centre for devotion to Divine Mercy.
I greet the Neocatechumenal communities of Rome who are beginning today a special mission in the squares of the city to pray and to bear witness to the faith.
I offer a cordial greeting to the faithful from the Eastern Churches who, according to their calendar, are celebrating Easter today. I am united in joy to your proclamation of the Risen Christ: Christós anésti! Let us greet our brothers and sisters from the East on this day when they celebrate Easter, with our applause, everyone!
I also offer a greeting to the faithful of Armenia, who have come to Rome and have participated in the Mass along with the presence of my brothers, the three Patriarchs and many bishops.
Over the past number of weeks, I have received many messages and Easter greetings from various countries. With gratitude, I offer my greetings to all of you too. I would like to express my heart-felt thanks to children, the elderly, families, dioceses, parish and religious communities, other entities and various associations who have expressed their affection and their closeness. Please continue to pray for me!
I wish you all a good Sunday. Enjoy your lunch and good bye!
Greetings of His Holiness, Pope Francis
prior to the recitation of the Regina Caeli
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
Today is the eighth day after Easter, and the gospel of John documents the two apparitions of the Risen Jesus to the apostles gathered in the Upper Room: on the evening of Easter Sunday, when Thomas was absent, and again after eight days, when Thomas was present. The first time, the Lord showed the disciples the wounds on his body, gave another sign by breathing on them and saying to them: As the Father has sent me, so I send you (Jn 20:21). He passed on to them his own mission, along with the strength of the Holy Spirit.
But that night, Thomas was not there, the one who didn't want to believe the witness of the others. If I do not see and do not touch his wounds - he said - I will not believe (cf Jn 20:25). Eight days later - that is to say just like today - Jesus returned, presented himself in their midst and immediately addressed Thomas, inviting him to touch the wounds in his hands and in his side. He meets Thomas' unbelief so that, through the signs of the passion, Thomas might achieve the fullness of Paschal faith, - faith in the resurrection of Jesus.
Thomas was one who was never content, but was searching, wanting to see for himself, to live his own personal experience. Following his initial resistance and anxiety, in the end he also was able to believe, even though he moved forward with much difficulty, he finally grew in his faith. Jesus is waiting patiently and offers himself to the difficulty and the insecurities of the last to arrive. The Lord declares holy those who believe without having seen (cf Jn 20:29) - and the first of these is Mary, his Mother - but he is also present to the needs of the unbelieving disciple: Put your finger here and see my hand ... (Jn 20:27). At the moment when he touched the wounds of the Risen Jesus, Thomas showed his own wounds, his own lacerations, his own humiliations: in the mark of the nails, he found decisive proof that he was loved, the proof that he was waiting for, that he was understood. He found himself standing before a Messiah filled with sweetness, mercy and tenderness. This was the Lord who sought him out, in the secret depths of his own being, because he always knew that it was to be this way. How many of us, in the depths of our hearts, want to encounter Jesus, just as he is: sweet, merciful, tender! In the depths of ourselves, we all know that He is like that. When he found personal contact with the loving and merciful patience of Christ, Thomas understood the profound significance of the Resurrection and, inwardly transformed, he declared his full and total faith in Him by exclaiming: My Lord and my God! (Jn 20: 28). A beautiful, truly beautiful expression, these words spoken by Thomas!
He was able to touch the Easter mystery that demonstrated fully the salvific love of God, rich in mercy (cf Eph 2:4). And like Thomas, we too: on this second Sunday of Easter are invited to contemplate in the wounds of the Risen Christ the Divine Mercy, which surpasses all human limitations and shines on the darkness of evil and sin. An intense and prolonged time for welcoming the immense richness of the merciful love of God will be provided in the coming Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, the Bull of promulgation for which I published last night here, in Saint Peter's Basilica. The Bull begins with the words: Misericordiae Vultus - the Face of Mercy is Jesus Christ. Let us keep our gaze focused on Him, who always seeks us out, waits for us, forgives us; he is so merciful; he is not afraid of our suffering. In his wounds, he heals us and forgives all our sins. And the Virgin Mary helps us to be merciful toward others as Jesus too is merciful toward us.
After the Regina Caeli, the Holy Father continued:
Dear brothers and sisters,
I offer a cordial greeting to you, the faithful of Rome and to all those who have come from various parts of the world. I greet the pilgrims from the Dioceses of Metuchen (USA); the Servants of the Child Jesus from Croatia; the Daughters of Divine Charity, the parochial groups from Forli and Gravina di Puglia, and all the children and young people who are present, especially the alumni from the Sons of Jesus school in Modena, others from the Liceo Verga in Adriano and the newly-Confirmed young people from Palestrina. I greet the pilgrims who participated in the Mass presided over by the Cardinal Vicar of Rome in the church of Santo Spirito in Sassia, a centre for devotion to Divine Mercy.
I greet the Neocatechumenal communities of Rome who are beginning today a special mission in the squares of the city to pray and to bear witness to the faith.
I offer a cordial greeting to the faithful from the Eastern Churches who, according to their calendar, are celebrating Easter today. I am united in joy to your proclamation of the Risen Christ: Christós anésti! Let us greet our brothers and sisters from the East on this day when they celebrate Easter, with our applause, everyone!
I also offer a greeting to the faithful of Armenia, who have come to Rome and have participated in the Mass along with the presence of my brothers, the three Patriarchs and many bishops.
Over the past number of weeks, I have received many messages and Easter greetings from various countries. With gratitude, I offer my greetings to all of you too. I would like to express my heart-felt thanks to children, the elderly, families, dioceses, parish and religious communities, other entities and various associations who have expressed their affection and their closeness. Please continue to pray for me!
I wish you all a good Sunday. Enjoy your lunch and good bye!
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