As part of his celebrations of Holy Week, Pope Francis paid a visit to his predecessor, Pope-emeritus Benedict XVI at the Mater Ecclesiae monastery.
While the liturgies of Holy Week were being celebrated in other parts of the world, His Holiness, Benedict XVI presided over the celebration of the Passion of the Lord on Good Friday and other Holy Week and Easter rites at his home in the monastery within the Vatican walls.
On Saturday evening, April 2, 2016, beginning at 6:00pm local time, the Holy Father will preside over a Vigil of Prayer with all those who are gathered in Rome for the celebration of Divine Mercy Sunday. This Vigil will take place in Saint Peter's Square.
In anticipation of the Vigil, a booklet outlining the liturgy that will be celebrated on that evening has been published today by the Vatican's Office for Liturgical Celebrations.
Also, on Sunday morning, April 3, 2016, the Second Sunday of Easter, otherwise known as Divine Mercy Sunday, His Holiness will preside over the Eucharistic Celebration which will take place in Saint Peter's Square beginning at 10:30 local time.
More details about that Eucharistic celebration, including the text of the Pope's homily will be published on that date.
From October 5-19, 2014, the Synod of Bishops was convened in Rome for an Extraordinary gathering to consider Pastoral Challenges to the Family in the Context of Evangelization. This was the first of a two-part consultation with the Bishops of the world, and by extension with all Catholic families, in an attempt to identify the modern-day situations faced by fathers, mothers, grandparents and children who are attempting to live their faith in today's society.
Although Synodal meetings of Bishops (and other experts) have taken place before, and indeed the subject of the family was also studied by previous Synods, this was the first time that such a consultation took place over the span of two encounters, separated by a 12-month span of time. The second part of this consultation, an Ordinary Synod, took place from October 4-25, 2015 and focused on the theme: The Vocation and the Mission of the Family in the Church and in the Contemporary World.
Synods are meant to be consultative: bishops and others from various parts of the world meet with the Holy Father to provide input - in this case to paint a picture of the current situations facing and challenging families, and the Holy Father then synthesizes the information gathered and creates a teaching document known as an Apostolic Exhortation.
This morning, the Holy See Press Centre issued a notification to all accredited journalists to inform them that on Friday morning, April 8, 2016, beginning at 11:30am, a Press Conference will be held in the John Paul II Hall (at the Press Centre) to present the post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation on the family written by Pope Francis. It is entitled Amoris Laetitia (The Joy of Love) and focuses on love as it is portrayed in families.
Next Friday's Press Conference will include interventions from Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri, General Secretary of the Synod of Bishops; Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, OP, Archbishop of Vienna (Austria); and a married couple, Professor Francesco Miano, a lecturer in moral philosophy at the University of Rome at Tor Vergata and his wife, Professor Giuseppina De Simone in Milano, a lecturer in philosophy at the Theological Faculty of Southern Italy, located in Naples.
The Press Conference will be available via live streaming and subsequently on demand.
The Apostolic Exhortation Amoris Laetitia will be published on that same day, April 8, 2016 at noon (GMT+1).
In response to the Call to Action 48, issued by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and in response to questions raised concerning the legal concepts known as Doctrine of Discovery and terra nullius, four Canadian Catholic organizations representing Bishops, institutes of consecrated life, societies of apostolic life, Indigenous People, and laity have issued two documents. Both are dated March 19, 2016, the Solemnity of Saint Joseph, husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who is the principal patron saint of Canada.
The four organizations are the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB), the Canadian Religious Conference (CRC), the Canadian Catholic Aboriginal Council, and the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace.
In the first of the two texts, the Catholic signatories express their support for the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People. They affirm that its spirit can point a way forward to reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in Canada. They also point out that the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations has explicitly endorsed this Declaration on numerous occasions. In 2010, when the Government of Canada had announced it would support the UN Declaration, Bishop Pierre Morissette, then President of the CCCB, had signed a joint letter in which religious leaders acknowledged their appreciation for the government's endorsement and urged the Canadian government to work in partnership with Indigenous peoples on a respectful process for the full endorsement and implementation of the UN Declaration.
The Catholic response to Call to Action 48 concludes with an "appeal to all our Catholic brothers and sisters - laity, members of institutes of consecrated life and of societies of apostolic life, deacons, priests, and Bishops - to make eight commitments in order to continue to walk together with Indigenous Peoples in building a more just society where their gifts and those of all people are nurtured and honoured.
Reflecting on the Doctrine of Discovery and the notion of terra nullius (no-one's land), the second of the two Catholic documentsconsiders and repudiates illegitimate concepts and principles used by Europeans to justify the seizure of land previously held by Indigenous Peoples and often identified by the terms 'Doctrine of Discovery' and terra nullius. The signatories say that now is an appropriate time to issue a public statement in response to the errors and falsehoods perpetuated, often by Christians, during and following the so-called Age of Discovery. After formulating five principles rejecting how these legal constructs have been used to disenfranchise Indigenous Peoples, the signatories again affirm the eight commitments made in their first document. An appendix provides an historical overview of the development of the two legal concepts vis-a-vis Catholic teaching and of their repudiation.
Those signing the two texts are: the President of the CCCB, the Most Reverend Douglas Crosby, O.M.I., Bishop of Hamilton; the Chairman of the CCCB Commission for Justice and Peace, the Most Reverend Donald Bolen, Bishop of Saskatoon; the Chair of the Aboriginal Council, Deacon Rennie Nahanee; the President and Executive Director of the CRC, Sister Rita Larivée, S.S.A, and Father Timothy Scott, C.S.B.; and the President and Executive Director of Development and Peace, Deacon Jean-Denis Lampron and Mr. David Leduc.
The publication of the two documents follows a day of reflection on the renewal of relations with Indigenous Peoples which was held on March 14, 2016 in Ottawa, bringing together more than 30 people, including Bishops, major religious superiors, and representatives of the four signatory organizations. Both documents were developed by the CCCB Commission for Justice and Peace, and involved numerous consultations with members of Indigenous communities as well as with representatives of institutes of consecrated life and societies of apostolic life.
The Holy See’s Permanent Observer to the United Nations in New York has paid special homage to women who have had profound and lasting effects on the lives of millions of people and on the development of nations through their selfless and long-term work in education, healthcare and values formation among the young. Archbishop Bernardito Auza also recalled with gratitude and sorrow the sacrifice of four Missionary Sisters of Charity Sister Anselm from India, Sister Marguerite and Sister Reginette from Rwanda, and Sister Judit from Kenya, who were massacred by cowardly fundamentalists on March 4 in Aden, Yemen.
Statement of His Excellency, Bernardito Auza
presented to the United Nations Security Council
Mr. President,
My delegation wishes to thank the Angolan Presidency for convening this particularly important Open Debate on the role of women in conflict prevention and resolution in Africa. Women are drivers of development and human flourishing in multiple fields: in the family and faith communities, in socio-cultural initiatives and humanitarian efforts, in education and health care, in mediation and preventive diplomacy, in peacekeeping and peace building. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development cannot be achieved without the contribution of women.
Sustainable development goal 16 aims to promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development. In many countries in Africa, in particular in the Great Lakes Region, peaceful and inclusive societies are still a distant dream. Women can greatly contribute towards this realization. Thus the Holy See expresses its appreciation for the initiatives promoted by the Security Council and Governments to raise awareness and arrive at a fuller recognition of the vital role of women in preventive diplomacy, mediation, peacekeeping missions and peace-building processes. This recognition, however, must be fully translated into action in order to unleash skills and capacities that allow women to bring order out of chaos, community out of division, and peace out of conflict. Their special gift in educating people to be more receptive and sensitive of the needs of others around them and beyond is crucial in conflict resolution and in fostering post-conflict reconciliation.
Mr. President,
My delegation wishes to pay special homage to the women who have had profound and lasting effects on the lives of millions of people and on the development of nations through their selfless and long-term work in education, healthcare and values formation among the young. These women, even in the most difficult circumstances, distinguish themselves for their bravery, constancy and dedication. Women and girls who have become victims of rape and other forms of violence during conflicts find security and understanding in the institutions run by these women, more often than not by women religious.
Their spirit of sacrifice for the good of others bring some of them to death. My delegation feels duty bound at this moment to remember with gratitude and sorrow the four Missionary Sisters of Charity: Sister Anselm from India, Sister Marguerite and Sister Reginette from Rwanda, and Sister Judit from Kenya, who were massacred by cowardly fundamentalists on March 4 in Aden, Yemen.
They devoted their lives to poor and elderly women, a dozen of whom were also killed with them, while some sources claim that the terrorists who kidnapped the Indian priest Father Tom from the same institution crucified him on Good Friday. Pope Francis has prayed that this pointless slaughter will awaken consciences, lead to a change of heart, and inspire all parties to lay down their arms and take up the path of dialogue. There is no greater sacrifice for peace and reconciliation than to lay down one’s life for it. May their blood these be seeds for a peaceful and reconciled Yemen!
Mr. President,
The Holy See has been very attentive to the inspiring work of African women in defending the voiceless, in preventing the outbreak of communal violence, in caring for the victims of conflicts, in reinforcing fragile peace, in fostering human dignity and fundamental human rights. Through various initiatives, the Holy See aims to consolidate their tremendous contributions to build peaceful and inclusive societies. The rise of more and more African women to high political and diplomatic spheres can greatly help Africa find answers to the problems that until now have kept it from sharing fully the fruits of development and the dividends of peace.
Education has been key to this empowerment. If women are to become prime drivers of sustainable development and peaceful societies, ensuring that all girls and women have access to education is indispensable. Improving access to education for women will not only redound to a fuller realization of their potentials and greater professional opportunities; it is also a key to better educated future generations capable of ushering in and maintaining just and peaceful societies. I am proud to say that the Catholic Church in Africa is the leading provider of quality education for all, ensuring the best of its possibilities that no woman or girl would be left unschooled, preparing them to become dignified agents of their own personal flourishing and active protagonists in building strong families and peaceful societies.
Sadly, for far too many women, it is still a steep uphill struggle to emancipate themselves from situations of marginalization, violence, abandonment and exclusion. The world today continues to be confronted with various old and new forms of violence directed against women and girls, in particular the use of rape as a weapon of war during conflicts, the abuses in refugee camps, the trafficking of women and girls for sexual exploitation, forced abortion, forced conversion and forced marriage. Instead of being eradicated, some of these acts of violence have re-emerged in even crueler forms, constituting some of the most horrendous violations of human rights.
Mr. President,
The obligation to put an end to these barbaric acts against women and girls is incumbent upon every one of us, upon every Government and in a particular way, upon this Council.
This morning's General Audience began at 10:00am in Saint Peter's Square where the Holy Father, Pope Francis met with groups of pilgrims and the faithful from Italy and from every corner of the world.
During his speech, the Pope focused his mediation on Psalm 51 (50), the Mercy psalm, thus concluding his catecheses on mercy in the Old Testament.
After having summarized his catechesis in various languages, the Holy Father addressed particular greetings to each group of the faithful in attendance.
The General Audience concluded with the chanting of the Pater Noster and the Apostolic Blessing.
Catechesis of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
for the General Audience
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
Today, we conclude the catecheses on mercy in the Old Testament, and we do so by meditating on Psalm 51, the Mercy psalm. It is a penitential prayer in which the richness of forgiveness is preceded by a confession of guilt and in which the person who is praying, allows himself to be purified by the love of the Lord, and thus he becomes a new creation, capable of obedience, of firmness of spirit and sincere praise.
The title that the ancient Hebrew tradition has accorded to this Psalm refers to king David and to his sin committed with Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah the Hittite. We know the story well. King David, called by God to nourish His people and to guide their journey in obedience to the divine Law, betrays his own mission and, after having committed adultery with Bathsheba, has her husband killed. This is a terrible sin! The prophet Nathan makes him aware of his guilt and helps him to recognize it. At that moment, he is reconciled with God, in the confession of his sin, and here, David is humbled; he is made great!
As we pray this Psalm, we too are invited to have the same sentiments of penitence and trust in God that David had when he prayed these words and, even though he was a king, was humbled without being afraid to confess his guilt and to demonstrate his own suffering to the Lord; instead he was convinced of the certainty of His mercy. This was not just a little sin, a little lie, that he told: he committed adultery and he killed someone!
The Psalm begins with these words of supplication: Have pity on me, O God, in your love; in your great mercy, forgive my iniquity. Wash me more and more from my guilt, purify me of all my sins (Ps 51:3-4)
This invocation is addressed to the God of mercy since, having demonstrated great mercy like that of a father or a mother, he has pity, that is to say he gives grace and shows his favour with benevolence and understanding. This is an impassioned plea addressed to God, the only one who can free us from our sins. The images that are used are very vivid: wipe away, wash me, make me pure. In this prayer, we see the true need of every man: the only thing that we truly need for our life is to be forgiven, freed from evil and from its consequence of death. Unfortunately, life finds us in many different situations; above all, we must trues in the gift of mercy. God is greater than our sins. Let us never forget this: God is greater than our sins! Father, I don't know how to say it, I've committed many serious sins! God is greater than all the sins that we could ever commit. God is greater than our sins. Can we say that together? All together: God is greater than our sins! Once more: God is greater than our sins! And his love is an ocean in which we can immerse ourselves without fear of ever being overcome: to be forgiven by God means to be assured that He will never abandon us. No matter how much we might reproach ourselves, He is forever and always greater than everything else (cf 1 Jn 3:20), for God is greater than our sins.
In this sense, anyone who prays with this Psalm seeks forgiveness, confesses his or her guilt, but also recognizes and celebrates the justice and the holiness of God ... and asks for grace and mercy. The psalmist confides himself to the goodness of God and knows that divine forgiveness is most effective because it creates that which it proclaims. It does not hide sin; it destroys and cancels it; eradicates it at the root, not like they do at the cleaners when you bring them a suit and they remove a stain. No! God cancels our sins right at the root, everything! For this reason, the penitent becomes pure again, every stain is eliminated and he is now whiter than fresh-fallen snow. We are all sinners. Is that true? If someone of you doesn't think that you are a sinner, raise your hand ... No one! We are all sinners.
Through this forgiveness, we sinners become new creations, filled up with the spirit and filled with joy. Now, a new reality begins for us: a new heart, a new spirit, a new life. We, forgiven sinners, who have experienced divine grace, can in turn teach others not to sin any more. But Father, I am weak, I fall, I fall ... If you fall, get up! Get up! When a baby falls, what does he do? He raises a hand toward his mother or his father so that they can help him to get up again. Let us do the same! If you fall due to the weakness of sin, raise your hand: the Lord will take your hand and help you to get up. This is the dignity of God's forgiveness! The dignity that God's forgiveness gives us is the ability to get up, to stand again on our two feet, because He has created men and women to stand on our two feet.
The Psalmist says: Create in me, a pure heart O God, renew in me a steadfast spirit ... I will teach transgressors your ways and sinners will return to you (Ps 51:12, 15).
Dear brothers and sisters, God's forgiveness is what we all need, and it is the greatest sign of his mercy - a gift that every forgiven sinner is called to share with every brother and sister that we encounter. All those who the Lord places on our path: family members, friends, colleagues, fellow parishioners ... all of them, like us, are in need of God's mercy. It is good to be forgiven, but even you, if you are forgiven, must in turn forgive others. Forgive! May the Lord grant us, through the intercession of Mary, the Mother of mercy, to be witnesses of his forgiveness, that this gift may purify our hearts and transform our lives. Thank you.
The Holy Father's catechesis was then repeated in summary in various languages, and He offered particular greetings to each group of the faithful in attendance. To English-speaking pilgrims, he said:
I greet the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, including those from England, Ireland, Norway, Nigeria, Australia, Indonesia, Pakistan and the United States. In the joy of the Risen Lord, I invoke upon you and your families the loving mercy of God our Father. May the Lord bless you all!
At 12:00 noon today, the Holy Father, Pope Francis appeared at the window of his study in the Vatican Apostolic Palace to recite the Regina Coeli (the Marian prayer that replaces the Angelus during the liturgical season of Easter) with the faithful and with pilgrims gathered in Saint Peter's Square.
Greetings of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
prior to the recitation of the Regina Coeli
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
On this Monday after Easter, known as Angel Monday, our hearts are still filled with Easter joy. Following the Lenten season, a time of penance and conversion, which the Church has lived with particular intensity during this Holy Year of Mercy; after the meaningful celebrations of the Holy Triduum; we stand today before the empty tomb of Jesus, and meditate with wonder and gratitude on the great mystery of the Lord's resurrection.
Life has triumphed over death. Mercy and love have triumphed over sin! We need faith and hope to open ourselves to this new and marvellous horizon. And we know that faith and hope are gifts from God, and we must ask him: Lord, give me faith, give me hope! We need this so much! Let us allow ourselves to be pervaded by the emotions that resound in the Easter sequence: Yes we are certain: Christ is truly risen. The Lord is risen among us! This truth indelibly marked the lives of the Apostles who, after the resurrection, were once again motivated to follow their Master and, to receive the Holy Spirit, fearlessly going out to proclaim to everyone what they had seen with their own eyes and experienced in their own lives.
During this Jubilee Year, we are called to rediscover the comforting proclamation of the resurreciton and to welcome it with particular intensity: Christ, my hope, is risen! If Christ is risen, we can see every event of our lives with new eyes and hearts, even the most negative happenings. Moments of darkness, failure and even sin can transform and proclaim a new journey. When we have touched the depths of our suffering and our weakness, the risen Christ gives us the strength to pick ourselves up. If we confide ourselves to Him, his grace saves us! The crucified and risen Lord is the full revelation of mercy, present and at work throughout history. This is the Easter message that still resonates today and that will continue to resound throughout the season of Easter until Pentecost.
Mary was a silent witness to the events of the passion and the resurrection of Jesus. She stood at the foot of the cross: she did not crumble beneath the weight of her grief; instead, her faith made her strong. In her maternal heart, even as it was being broken, there was always a flicker of hope. Let us ask her to help us also to welcome the fullness of the Easter proclamation of the resurrection, and to embody it in the reality of our daily lives.
May the Virgin Mary give us the certainty of faith that every painful moment of our journey may be illuminated by the light of Easter and become a blessing and a joy for us and for others, especially for those who suffer because of self-centredness and indifference.
Let us therefore call upon her, with faith and devotion, with the Regina Coeli, the prayer that replaces the Angelus during the Easter season.
After the recitation of the Regina Coeli, the Holy Father continued:
Dear brothers and sisters,
Yesterday in central Pakistan, the Easter celebrations were bloodied by an indescribable attack, which caused the massacre of many innocent people, for the most part families of the Christian minority - especially women and children - who were gathered in a public park to enjoy the joy of Easter celebrations. I want to demonstrate my closeness to those who are affected by this cowardly and senseless crime, and invite you to pray to the Lord for the many victims and for their loved ones.
I call upon all civil authorities and all components of those nations, that they do everything in their power to restore security and peace to their people and, in particular, to religious minorities who are the most vulnerable. I repeat once again my finding that violence and murderous hatred only lead to suffering and destruction; respect and fraternity are the only means that lead to peace. May the Lord's Resurrection inspire us, more fervent prayer to God that the hands of the violent who sow violence and death may be stopped, and that love, justice and reconciliation may reign throughout the world. Let us all pray for those who have died in this attack, for their families, and for the Christian and ethnic minorities in those countries: Hail Mary ...
In the continuing spirit of Easter, I cordially greet you all, pilgrims from Italy and from various other parts of the world who have come to participate in this moment of prayer. Always remember the beautiful expression in the Liturgy: Christ, my hope, is risen! Let us say it together three times: Christ, my hope, is risen! Christ, my hope, is risen! Christ, my hope, is risen!
I hope that each of you will spend this week in joy and peace of mind, extending the joy of the Resurrection of Christ. In order to live this moment more intensely, it would be good to read a little part of the gospel each day, the gospel that speaks of the events of the Resurrection. Five minutes, not longer, you can read a little passage of the gospel. Remember this!
A happy and holy Easter Week to all of you! Please, do not forget to pray for me. Enjoy your lunch and good bye!
Father Federico Lombardi, SJ, Director of the Holy See Press Centre issued a statement today regarding the attack that took place in Pakistan.
Statement of Father Federico Lombardi, SJ
Director of the Holy See Press Centre
concerning an attack in Pakistan
The horrible massacre of dozens of innocent people in a park in Lahore, Pakistan, casts a shadow of sadness and anguish on the feast of the Easter. Once again cowardly murderous hatred rages on the most defenseless. Together with the Pope, who has been informed of this tragedy, we pray for the victims; we are close to the wounded, to the affected families, to their immense pain, to the members of Christian minorities once again struck by fanatical violence, and to the entire Pakistani people. As the Pope stated this morning, despite such continuing horrible manifestations of hatred, may the crucified and risen Lord continue to give us the courage and hope needed to build paths of compassion, and solidarity, and with those who suffer, paths of dialogue, justice, reconciliation and peace.
Here is the reflection I prepared for the celebration of the Easter Vigil and for the liturgies of Easter Sunday.
From endless love
to endless life
The liturgy of the Easter Triduum takes place in three
parts: it begins in the Upper Room with the scene of Jesus gathered with his
disciples to celebrate the Last Supper; it continues with the scene of Jesus at
prayer with his disciples in the Garden, the arrest, trial and crucifixion of
Jesus on the cross; and it concludes with the unbelievable truth that is
revealed when the women discover the empty tomb.
Saint Luke tells us that at the first light of day on
that first Easter morning, the women who
had accompanied Jesus from Galilee came to the tomb, taking the spices they had
prepared (Lk 24:1).Mary Magdalene,
Johanna, Mary the mother of James and other women had followed Joseph of
Aramathea when he brought Jesus’ body and laid it in the tomb, so they knew
exactly where it was located, and now they were bringing the spices they had
prepared in order to embalm his body, to complete the burial ritual that had
been hastily done in the dying light of Good Friday.
What they found perplexed them: the stone had been rolled away from the tomb (Lk 24:2) and inside, they did not find the body (Lk
24:3).These women had heard Jesus
speaking about this very moment, but like all of us, they probably did not
believe him, until now.The miracle of
Easter was being witnessed right before their eyes, and yet they needed the
testimony of two men in dazzling clothes
who stood beside them (Lk 24:4).These men reminded them of Jesus words: Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son
of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day
rise again? (Lk 24:6-7).He is not here; he is risen!That moment must have seemed like a dream to
them, and yet as though awaking from their slumber, they remembered Jesus’ words (Lk 24:8) and ran to tell the other
disciples the good news.
The narrative of that first Easter morning always reminds
me that women were the first to experience the Resurrection.They were the first humans to tell the story
to others.Because of their witness, the
disciples, who were first reluctant to believe what they were hearing (cf Lk
24:11), also came to the tomb to see for themselves (cf Lk 24:12; Jn 20:3-8).Other accounts of encounters with the Risen
Lord on the road to Emmaus (Lk 24:13-35) and at other moments (Lk 24:36-53)
would follow, each of them, proof of the fact that what Jesus had said and
taught was true.Eventually, the telling
and retelling of these resurrection accounts would lead to the formation of the
community that has become the Church … but it all started at the tomb, the open
tomb.
Many centuries later, we still gather; we still tell and
re-tell the story; we remember our roots.Our human intellect still struggles to understand how it is that we can
be baptized into Jesus’ death (cf Rom 6:3) but this is a matter of faith: the
faith that Jesus began to sow in the hearts of his first disciples, the faith
that has been handed on to us.It is
because of God’s infinite mercy, made present to us in the person of Jesus
Christ, who showed us the face of God, who loved with infinite love and who
paved the way for us to infinite life … it is because of this infinite gift
that we are gathered here tonight/today.It is because of this infinite gift that we rejoice, with Mary
Magdalene, Johanna, Mary the mother of James and with all who have come to
believe, and is because of our belief that we can sing the song of joy:
Alleluia, he is risen!
At Emmaus (El Qubeibeh), a village in the West Bank of Palestine that commemorates one of the sites where Jesus appeared to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35), Fr. Thomas Rosica, CSB, CEO of Salt and Light Television Network teaches about the Emmaus story to a group of Canadian and American pilgrims in the Franciscan Church of the Breaking of the Bread on March 3, 2016.
The pilgrim group also visited the neighboring Home for the Aged in the small village of El Qubeibeh to experience the Lord's presence alive amidst abandoned elderly women from several places in the Middle East. This home is administered by the Sisters of the Divine Savior (Salvatorian Sisters).
At 10:00am today, Easter Sunday, the Holy Father, Pope Francis presided at the solemn celebration of the Mass which took place in Saint Peter's Square.
Present at this morning's Mass, which began with the Resurrexit, were the faithful of Rome and pilgrims from every corner of the world who are in Rome for Easter. The Pope did not preach a homily, but instead followed the Mass with his Easter message Urbi et Orbi - to the city and to the world.
Easter Message of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
Urbi et Orbi
O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endures for ever (Ps 135:1)
Dear brothers and sisters, Happy Easter!
Jesus Christ, the incarnation of God’s mercy, out of love for us, died on the cross, and out of love he rose again from the dead. That is why we proclaim today: Jesus is Lord!
His resurrection fulfills the prophecy of the psalm: God’s mercy endures for ever; it never dies. We can trust him completely, and we thank him because for our sake he descended into the depths of the abyss.
Before the spiritual and moral abysses of mankind, before the chasms that open up in hearts and provoke hatred and death, only an infinite mercy can bring us salvation. Only God can fill those chasms with his love, prevent us from falling into them and help us to continue our journey together towards the land of freedom and life.
The glorious Easter message, that Jesus, who was crucified is not here but risen (cf Mt 28:5-6), offers us the comforting assurance that the abyss of death has been bridged and, with it, all mourning, lamentation and pain (cf Rev 21:4). The Lord, who suffered abandonment by his disciples, the burden of an unjust condemnation and shame of an ignominious death, now makes us sharers of his immortal life and enables us to see with his eyes of love and compassion those who hunger and thirst, strangers and prisoners, the marginalized and the outcast, the victims of oppression and violence. Our world is full of persons suffering in body and spirit, even as the daily news is full of stories of brutal crimes which often take place within homes, and large-scale armed conflicts which cause indescribable suffering to entire peoples.
The risen Christ points out paths of hope to beloved Syria, a country torn by a lengthy conflict, with its sad wake of destruction, death, contempt for humanitarian law and the breakdown of civil concord. To the power of the risen Lord we entrust the talks now in course, that good will and the cooperation of all will bear fruit in peace and initiate the building of a fraternal society respectful of the dignity and rights of each citizen. May the message of life, proclaimed by the Angel beside the overturned stone of the tomb, overcome hardened hearts and promote a fruitful encounter of peoples and cultures in other areas of the Mediterranean and the Middle East, particularly in Iraq, Yemen and Libya. May the image of the new man, shining on the face of Christ, favour concord between Israelis and Palestinians in the Holy Land, as well as patience, openness and daily commitment to laying the foundations of a just and lasting peace through direct and sincere negotiations. May the Lord of life also accompany efforts to attain a definitive solution to the war in Ukraine, inspiring and sustaining initiatives of humanitarian aid, including the liberation of those who are detained.
The Lord Jesus, our peace (Eph 2:14), by his resurrection triumphed over evil and sin. May he draw us closer on this Easter feast to the victims of terrorism, that blind and brutal form of violence which continues to shed blood in different parts of the world, as in the recent attacks in Belgium, Turkey, Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire and Iraq. May he water the seeds of hope and prospects for peace in Africa; I think in particular of Burundi, Mozambique, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan, marked by political and social tensions.
With the weapons of love, God has defeated selfishness and death. His son Jesus is the door of mercy wide open to all. May his Easter message be felt ever more powerfully by the beloved people of Venezuela in the difficult conditions which they are experiencing, and by those responsible for the country’s future, that everyone may work for the common good, seeking spaces of dialogue and cooperation with all. May efforts be made everywhere to promote the culture of counter, justice and reciprocal respect, which alone can guarantee the spiritual and material welfare of all people.
The Easter message of the risen Christ, a message of life for all humanity, echoes down the ages and invites us not to forget those men and women seeking a better future, an ever more numerous throng of migrants and refugees – including many children – fleeing from war, hunger, poverty and social injustice. All too often, these brothers and sisters of ours meet along the way with death or, in any event, rejection by those who could offer them welcome and assistance. May the forthcoming World Humanitarian Summit not fail to be centred on the human person and his or her dignity, and to come up with policies capable of assisting and protecting the victims of conflicts and other emergencies, especially those who are most vulnerable and all those persecuted for ethnic and religious reasons.
On this glorious day, let the earth rejoice, in shining splendour (cf Easter Proclamation), even though it is so often mistreated and greedily exploited, resulting in an alteration of natural equilibria. I think especially of those areas affected by climate change, which not infrequently causes drought or violent flooding, which then lead to food crises in different parts of the world.
Along with our brothers and sisters persecuted for their faith and their fidelity to the name of Christ, and before the evil that seems to have the upper hand in the life of so many people, let us hear once again the comforting words of the Lord: Take courage; I have conquered the world! (Jn 16:33). Today is the radiant day of this victory, for Christ has trampled death and destruction underfoot. By his resurrection he has brought life and immortality to light (cf 2 Tim 1:10). He has made us pass from enslavement to freedom, from sadness to joy, from mourning to jubilation, from darkness to light, from slavery to redemption. Therefore let us acclaim in his presence: Alleluia! (Melito of Sardis, Easter Homily).
To those in our society who have lost all hope and joy in life, to the elderly who struggle alone and feel their strength waning, to young people who seem to have no future, to all I once more address the words of the Risen One: See, I am making all things new… To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life (Rev 21:5-6). May this comforting message of Jesus help each of us to set out anew with greater courage and greater hope to blaze trails of reconciliation with God and with all our brothers and sisters. Of which we have great need!
The Holy Father has sent a note of condolence - signed by the Cardinal Secretary of State, Pietro Parolin - for the victims of a terrorist attack that took place in a football stadium in Iskandariyah (Iraq).
Message of Condolence of His Holiness, Pope Francis
for victims of a terrorist attack in Iskandariyah (Iraq)
The Most Reverend Alberto Ortega Martín
Apostolic Nuncio in Iraq
Baghdad
Saddened by the news of the great loss of life caused by the terrorist attack in Iskandariyah, His Holiness Pope Francis offers fervent prayers for the victims and their families, invoking God's mercy upon the dead and divine consolation upon those who suffer. He prays that in response to this act of senseless violence the Iraqi people will be strengthened in their resolve to reject the ways of hatred and conflict and to work together fearlessly for a future of mutual respect, solidarity and freedom.
At 8:30 p.m. Rome time this evening, Pope Francis presided in the Vatican Basilica over the solemn Easter Vigil on the Holy Vigil of Easter.
The rite began in the atrium of Saint Peter's Basilica with the blessing of the fire and the preparation of the paschal candle and was followed by the procession to the altar with the lit Paschal candle and the singing of the Exultet, followed by the Liturgy of the Word.
During the Liturgy of Baptism, the Pope administered the sacraments of Christian initiation to 12 new Christians from Italy, Albania, Cameroon, Korea, India and China.
Homily of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
for the Solemn Vigil of Easter
Peter ran to the tomb (Lk 24:12). What thoughts crossed Peter’s mind and stirred his heart as he ran to the tomb? The Gospel tells us that the eleven, including Peter, had not believed the testimony of the women, their Easter proclamation. Quite the contrary, these words seemed to them an idle tale (Lk 24:11). Thus there was doubt in Peter’s heart, together with many other worries: sadness at the death of the beloved Master and disillusionment for having denied him three times during his Passion.
There is, however, something which signals a change in him: after listening to the women and refusing to believe them, Peter rose (Lk 24:12). He did not remain sedentary, in thought; he did not stay at home as the others did. He did not succumb to the sombre atmosphere of those days, nor was he overwhelmed by his doubts. He was not consumed by remorse, fear or the continuous gossip that leads nowhere. He was looking for Jesus, not himself. He preferred the path of encounter and trust. And so, he got up, just as he was, and ran towards the tomb from where he would return amazed (Lk 24:12). This marked the beginning of Peter’s resurrection, the resurrection of his heart. Without giving in to sadness or darkness, he made room for hope: he allowed the light of God to enter into his heart, without smothering it.
The women too, who had gone out early in the morning to perform a work of mercy, taking the perfumed ointments to the tomb, had the same experience. They were frightened and bowed their faces, and yet they were deeply affected by the words of the angel: Why do you seek the living among the dead? (Lk 24:5).
We, like Peter and the women, cannot discover life by being sad, bereft of hope. Let us not stay imprisoned within ourselves, but let us break open our sealed tombs to the Lord so that he may enter and grant us life. Let us give him the stones of our rancour and the boulders of our past, those heavy burdens of our weaknesses and falls. Christ wants to come and take us by the hand to bring us out of our anguish. This is the first stone to be moved aside this night: the lack of hope which imprisons us within ourselves. May the Lord free us from this trap, from being Christians without hope, who live as if the Lord were not risen, as if our problems were the centre of our lives.
We see and will continue to see problems both within and without. They will always be there. But tonight it is important to shed the light of the Risen Lord upon our problems, and in a certain sense, to evangelize them. Let us not allow darkness and fear to distract us and control us; we must cry out to them: the Lord is not here, but has risen! (Lk 24:6). He is our greatest joy; he is always at our side and will never let us down.
This is the foundation of our hope, which is not mere optimism, nor a psychological attitude or desire to be courageous. Christian hope is a gift that God gives us if we come out of ourselves and open our hearts to him. This hope does not disappoint us because the Holy Spirit has been poured into our hearts (cf Rom 5:5). The Paraclete does not make everything look appealing. He does not remove evil with a magic wand. But he pours into us the vitality of life, which is not the absence of problems, but the certainty of being loved and always forgiven by Christ, who for us has conquered sin, death and fear. Today is the celebration of our hope, the celebration of this truth: nothing and no one will ever be able to separate us from his love (cf Rom 8:39).
The Lord is alive and wants to be sought among the living. After having found him, each person is sent out by him to announce the Easter message, to awaken and resurrect hope in hearts burdened by sadness, in those who struggle to find meaning in life. This is so necessary today. However, we must not proclaim ourselves. Rather, as joyful servants of hope, we must announce the Risen One by our lives and by our love; otherwise we will be only an international organization full of followers and good rules, yet incapable of offering the hope for which the world longs.
How can we strengthen our hope? The liturgy of this night offers some guidance. It teaches us to remember the works of God. The readings describe God’s faithfulness, the history of his love towards us. The living word of God is able to involve us in this history of love, nourishing our hope and renewing our joy. The Gospel also reminds us of this: in order to kindle hope in the hearts of the women, the angel tells them: Remember what (Jesus) told you (Lk 24:6). Let us not forget his words and his works, otherwise we will lose hope. Let us instead remember the Lord, his goodness and his life-giving words which have touched us. Let us remember them and make them ours, to be sentinels of the morning who know how to help others see the signs of the Risen Lord.
Dear brothers and sisters, Christ is risen! Let us open our hearts to hope and go forth. May the memory of his works and his words be the bright star which directs our steps in the ways of faith towards the Easter that will have no end.
On Good Friday night, while the Via Cruciswas taking place in the Colosseum in Rome, the Papal Almoner (the one responsible for the distribution of funds for the Pope's charitable work), along with some volunteers and some of the homeless who are guests at the Gift of Mercy shelter made their way through the streets of Rome, in spiritual union with the Via Crucis which was being celebrated by the Pope.
As a concrete act of charity, they distributed sleeping bags and small gifts from the Holy Father. In this way, they made their own Via Crucis through the streets of Rome, stopping at approximately 100 stations. Their mission continued until after midnight local time.
On Good Friday, the Church commemorates the ultimate gift of God's love. Here are some considerations motivated by today's liturgy which might help us to understand the Lord's invitation to love without limits.
Endless love (Part 2)
In the first part of this liturgy (that is to say last night, as we listened to the account of the last supper Jesus shared with his friends around the table in the Upper Room), we witnessed the surprise on
the disciples’ faces as they watched Jesus modelling for them the extent to
which we must all be willing to go in order to be his followers. Everyone who is a beloved child of Jesus is
privileged to receive the benefits of endless love that loves to the end.
Today, we have listened to Saint John’s account of the
Passion. We have heard the story of
endless divine love recounted yet again.
It is the story of the author of love who was rewarded for his trust
with the betrayal of one of his closest colleagues (cf Jn 18:3-11). It is the story of love that is rewarded with
denial (cf (Jn 18:15-18; 25-27). It is the
story of love that refused to speak anything but truth in its own defence, as
though to do so would be to water down the gift that was being offered (cf Jn
18:20-21, 23, 36-37). This is the story
of love that was recognized not with a crown of gold but of thorns, not with a
robe of silk but with one that was draped in mockery (cf Jn 19:2). This is the story of love that was rewarded
not with words of praise but with words of insult and gestures of derision yet
love is stronger even than death, and our God was and is willing to go to any
length, even to the point of suffering humiliation, torture and death on a
cross in order to convince us that his love for us is boundless.
When Jesus sat with his disciples around the table at the Last
Supper, he broke a loaf of bread and handed it to his disciples, saying to
them: This is my body that is for you (1
Cor 11:24). At that moment, they did not
understand his gesture; neither did they understand the significance of the cup
he held out to them, or the words he spoke: This
cup is the new covenant in my blood (1 Cor 11:25). Even as they saw him whipped, struggling beneath
the weight of the cross and nailed to the wood, they were most probably too
afraid to truly understand that what they were witnessing was the limitless
love of God made visible for their sakes.
Even as he hung upon the cross, Jesus words were spoken in love: seeing his mother and the disciple whom he
loved standing beside her, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, here is your son
and to the disciple he said, Here is your
mother (Jn 19:26-27). He knew that
each would need the other to care for them, and he knows that we too cannot
walk the road of faith alone. We need to
do this together, relying on each other, each of us doing our part to help and
to strengthen one another, to urge each other to open our eyes so that we can
recognize God’s love that is offered to us and the places and occasions where
his love challenges us to love others.
Parched by the sun, his body being drained of all is life-giving
blood, he uttered his final words: I am
thirsty (Jn 19:28) and it is finished
(Jn 19:30). These are the words of
one who was fully human and yet fully divine.
Only God gives the gift of life, and only he can take it. There are some in today’s world who are
questioning this truth.
This past Monday, Cardinal Peter Turkson, President of the
Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace was in Toronto to deliver the annual
Kelly Lecture. He began with an
explanation of the Holy Father’s recent encyclical Laudato si’ which focuses on the care we invest in the earth, our common
home. He then went on to provide some
practical applications of Pope Francis’ words in the matters of our
relationships with Indigenous peoples and the question of physician assisted
suicide. When perennial truths about the dignity and sacredness of life are
dismissed, he said, the enhancement
of the individual can be extended too far, and result in people thinking: ‘I am
the master of my own life. My life is
mine to control, and I have the right to end it whenever I want’. This is an assumption that ignores the truth
of our faith: the truth that only God is god, and we are not.
While God is the only one who has the right to make decisions
about when and how our earthly lives will begin and end, the current situation
is that there is no law in this land protecting an unborn child, and only 30% of Canadians are currently able to access effective palliative
care in situations where they are facing an imminent end to their earthly
lives. If we truly want to be disciples
of Jesus, to learn from him what it means to love with endless love, we should
perhaps strive to model our lives on that of Joseph of Aramathea and Nicodemus
who willingly came forward to provide the myrrh and aloes needed to anoint his
body, the linen cloth to enwrap him and the tomb in which he was laid (Jn
19:38-42). They gave what they had in
his time of need. Ought we not to be
ready to do the same for the sake of those who need our help?
At 9:15pm tonight in Rome, the Holy Father presided over the Via Crucis (the Way of the Cross), a private devotion which took place in the Colosseum, and which was televised world-wide. The meditations for this year's Via Crucis, entitled God is mercy, were authored by the Cardinal Archbishop of Peruggia-Città del Pieve. At the conclusion of the Stations, the Holy Father recited the following prayer.
Prayer of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
at the conclusion of the Via Crucis
O Cross of Christ!
O Cross of Christ, symbol of divine love and of human injustice, icon of the supreme sacrifice for love and of boundless selfishness even unto madness, instrument of death and the way of resurrection, sign of obedience and emblem of betrayal, the gallows of persecution and the banner of victory.
O Cross of Christ, today too we see you raised up in our sisters and brothers killed, burned alive, throats slit and decapitated by barbarous blades amid cowardly silence.
O Cross of Christ, today too we see you in the faces of children, of women and people, worn out and fearful, who flee from war and violence and who often only find death and many Pilates who wash their hands.
O Cross of Christ, today too we see you in those filled with knowledge and not with the spirit, scholars of death and not of life, who instead of teaching mercy and life, threaten with punishment and death, and who condemn the just.
O Cross of Christ, today too we see you in unfaithful ministers who, instead of stripping themselves of their own vain ambitions, divest even the innocent of their dignity.
O Cross of Christ, today too we see you in the hardened hearts of those who easily judge others, with hearts ready to condemn even to the point of stoning, without ever recognizing their own sins and faults.
O Cross of Christ, today too we see you in expressions of fundamentalism and in terrorist acts committed by followers of some religions which profane the name of God and which use the holy name to justify their unprecedented violence.
O Cross of Christ, today too we see you in those who wish to remove you from public places and exclude you from public life, in the name of a pagan laicism or that equality you yourself taught us.
O Cross of Christ, today too we see you in the powerful and in arms dealers who feed the cauldron of war with the innocent blood of our brothers and sisters.
O Cross of Christ, today too we see you in traitors who, for thirty pieces of silver, would consign anyone to death.
O Cross of Christ, today too we see you in thieves and corrupt officials who, instead of safeguarding the common good and morals, sell themselves in the despicable market-place of immorality.
O Cross of Christ, today too we see you in the foolish who build warehouses to store up treasures that perish, leaving Lazarus to die of hunger at their doorsteps.
O Cross of Christ, today too we see you in the destroyers of our “common home”, who by their selfishness ruin the future of coming generations.
O Cross of Christ, today too we see you in the elderly who have been abandoned by their families, in the disabled and in children starving and cast-off by our egotistical and hypocritical society.
O Cross of Christ, today too we see you in the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas which have become insatiable cemeteries, reflections of our indifferent and anesthetized conscience.
O Cross of Christ, image of love without end and way of the Resurrection, today too we see you in noble and upright persons who do good without seeking praise or admiration from others.
O Cross of Christ, today too we see you in ministers who are faithful and humble, who illuminate the darkness of our lives like candles that burn freely in order to brighten the lives of the least among us.
O Cross of Christ, today too we see you in the faces of consecrated women and men – good Samaritans – who have left everything to bind up, in evangelical silence, the wounds of poverty and injustice.
O Cross of Christ, today too we see you in the merciful who have found in mercy the greatest expression of justice and faith.
O Cross of Christ, today too we see you in simple men and women who live their faith joyfully day in and day out, in filial observance of your commandments.
O Cross of Christ, today too we see you in the contrite, who in the depths of the misery of their sins, are able to cry out: Lord, remember me in your kingdom!
O Cross of Christ, today too we see you in the blessed and the saints who know how to cross the dark night of faith without ever losing trust in you and without claiming to understand your mysterious silence.
O Cross of Christ, today too we see you in families that live their vocation of married life in fidelity and fruitfulness.
O Cross of Christ, today too we see you in volunteers who generously assist those in need and the downtrodden.
O Cross of Christ, today too we see you in those persecuted for their faith who, amid their suffering, continue to offer an authentic witness to Jesus and the Gospel.
O Cross of Christ, today too we see you in those who dream, those with the heart of a child, who work to make the world a better place, ever more human and just.
In you, Holy Cross, we see God who loves even to the end, and we see the hatred of those who want to dominate, that hatred which blinds the minds and hearts of those who prefer darkness to light.
O Cross of Christ, Arc of Noah that saved humanity from the flood of sin, save us from evil and from the Evil One. O Throne of David and seal of the divine and eternal Covenant, awaken us from the seduction of vanity! O cry of love, inspire in us a desire for God, for goodness and for light.
O Cross of Christ, teach us that the rising of the sun is more powerful than the darkness of night.
O Cross of Christ, teach us that the apparent victory of evil vanishes before the empty tomb and before the certainty of the Resurrection and the love of God which nothing can defeat, obscure or weaken. Amen!
At 5:00pm local time today, inside the Vatican Basilica, the Holy Father, Pope Francis presided over the celebration of the Lord's Passion.
During the Liturgy of the Word, the Passion according to Saint John was read, then the Preacher of the Papal Household, Father Raniero Cantalamessa, OFM Cap. spoke the homily. The Liturgy of the Passion continued with the Prayers of the Faithful and the adoration of the Holy Cross and finally concluded with the distribution of Holy Communion.
Reflection prepared by Father Raniero Cantalamesa, OFM Cap.
for the celebration of the Lord's Passion
God . . . through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation. . . . We beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. Working together with him, then, we entreat you not to accept the grace of God in vain. For he says, At the acceptable time I have listened to you, and helped you on the day of salvation. Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation! (2 Cor 5:18–6:2)
These words are from Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians. The apostle’s call to be reconciled to God does not refer to the historical reconciliation between God and humanity (which, as we just heard, already occurred through Christ on the cross); neither does it refer to the sacramental reconciliation that takes place in Baptism and in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. It refers to an existential and personal reconciliation that needs to be implemented in the present. The call is addressed to baptized Christians in Corinth who belonged to the Church for a while, so it is therefore also addressed to us here and now. The acceptable time, the day of salvation for us, is the Year of Mercy that we are now in.
But what does this reconciliation with God mean in its existential and psychological dimension? One of the causes, and perhaps the main one, for people’s alienation from religion and faith today is the distorted image they have of God. What is the predefined idea of God in the collective human unconscious? To find that out, we only need to ask this question: What ideas, what words, what feelings spontaneously arise in you without thinking about it when you say the words in the Lord’s Prayer, ‘May your will be done’?
People generally say it with their heads bent down in resignation inwardly, preparing themselves for the worst. People unconsciously link God’s will to everything that is unpleasant and painful, to what can be seen as somehow destroying individual freedom and development. It is somewhat as though God were the enemy of every celebration, joy, and pleasure—a severe inquisitor-God.
God is seen as the Supreme Being, the Omnipotent One, the Lord of time and history, that is, as an entity who asserts himself over an individual from the outside; no detail of human life escapes him. The transgression of his law inexorably introduces a disorder that requires a commensurate reparation that human beings know they are not able to make. This is the cause of fear and at times hidden resentment against God. It is a vestige of the pagan idea of God that has never been entirely eradicated, and perhaps cannot be eradicated, from the human heart. Greek tragedy is based on this concept: God is the one who intervenes with divine punishment to reestablish the moral order disrupted by evil. All this goes back to the image of God envious of human freedom that the serpent instilled in Adam and Eve.
Of course in Christianity the mercy of God has never been disregarded! But mercy’s task is only to moderate the necessary rigours of justice. It was the exception, not the rule. The Year of Mercy is a golden opportunity to restore the true image of the biblical God who not only has mercy but is mercy.
This bold assertion is based on the fact that God is love (1 Jn 4:8, 16). It is only in the Trinity, however, that God is love without being mercy. The Father loving the Son is not a grace or a concession, it is a necessity; the Father needs to love in order to exist as Father. The Son loving the Father is not a mercy or grace; it is a necessity even though it occurs with the utmost freedom; the Son needs to be loved and to love in order to be the Son. The same can be said about the Holy Spirit who is love as a person.
It is when God creates the world and free human beings in it that love ceases for God to be nature and becomes grace. This love is a free concession; it is hesed, grace and mercy. The sin of human beings does not change the nature of this love but causes it to make a qualitative leap: mercy as a gift now becomes mercy as forgiveness. Love goes from being a simple gift to become a suffering love because God suffers when his love is rejected. The Lord has spoken: ‘Sons have I reared and brought up, but they have rebelled against me’ (Is 1:2). Just ask the many fathers and mothers who have experienced their children’s rejection if it does not cause suffering—and one of the most intense sufferings in life.
But what about the justice of God? Has it been forgotten or underestimated? Saint Paul answered this question once and for all. The apostle begins his explanation in the Letter to the Romans with this news: Now the righteousness of God has been manifested (Rom 3:21). We can ask, what kind of righteousness is this? Is it the righteousness that gives unicuique suum, each person his or her due, and distributes rewards and punishments according to people’s merits? There will of course come a time when this kind of divine righteous justice that gives people what they deserve will also be manifested. The apostle in fact wrote shortly before in Romans that God will render to every man according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are factious and do not obey the truth, but obey wickedness, there will be wrath and fury. (Rom 2:6-8)
But Paul is not talking about this kind of justice when he writes, Now the righteousness of God has been manifested. The first kind of justice he talks about involves a future event, but this other event is occurring now. If that were not the case, Paul’s statement would be an absurd assertion that contradicts the facts. From the point of view of distributive justice, nothing changed in the world with the coming of Christ. We continue, said Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet, to see the guilty often on the throne and the innocent on the scaffold. But lest we think there is some kind of justice and some fixed order in the world, although it is upside down, sometimes the reverse happens and the innocent are on the throne and the guilty on the scaffold (See Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet, Sermon sur la Providence (1662), in Oeuvres de Bossuet, eds. B. Velat and Y. Champailler (Paris: Pléiade, 1961), p. 1062). It is not, therefore, in this social and historical sense that the innovation brought by Christ consists. Let us hear what the apostle says:
Since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, they are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as an expiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins; it was to prove at the present time that he himself is righteous and that he justifies him who has faith in Jesus (Rom 3:23-26).
God shows his righteousness and justice by showing mercy! This is the great revelation. The apostle says God is just and justifying, that is, he is just to himself when he justifies human beings; he is in fact love and mercy, so for that reason he is just to himself—he truly demonstrates who he is—when he has mercy.
But we cannot understand any of this if we do not know exactly what the expression the righteousness of God means. There is a danger that people can hear about the righteousness of God but not understand its meaning, so instead of being encouraged they are frightened. Saint Augustine had already clearly explained its meaning centuries ago: The ‘righteousness of God’ is that by which we are made righteous, just as ‘the salvation of God’ (see Ps 3:8) means the salvation by which he saves us (See Saint Augustine, The Spirit and the Letter, 32, 56, in Augustine: Later Works, trans. and intro. John Burnaby (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1955), p. 241; see also PL 44, p. 237). In other words, the righteousness of God is that by which God makes those who believe in his Son Jesus acceptable to him. It does not enact justice but makes people just.
Luther deserves the credit for bringing this truth back when its meaning had been lost over the centuries, at least in Christian preaching, and it is this above all for which Christianity is indebted to the Reformation, whose fifth centenary occurs next year. The reformer later wrote that when he discovered this, I felt that I was altogether born again and had entered paradise itself through open gates (Martin Luther, Preface to Latin Writings, in Luther’s Works, vol. 34 (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1960)). But it was neither Augustine nor Luther who explained the concept of the righteousness of God this way; Scripture had done that before they did:
When the goodness and loving kindness of God our Saviour appeared, he saved us, not because of deeds done by us in righteousness, but in virtue of his own mercy (Titus 3:4-5).
God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead through our own trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved (see Eph 2:4-5).
Therefore, to say the righteousness of God has been manifested is like saying that God’s goodness, his love, his mercy, has been revealed. God’s justice not only does not contradict his mercy but consists precisely in mercy!
What happened on the cross that was so important as to explain this radical change in the fate of humanity? In his book on Jesus of Nazareth, Benedict XVI wrote, “That which is wrong, the reality of evil, cannot simply be ignored; it cannot just be left to stand. It must be dealt with; it must be overcome. Only this counts as a true mercy. And the fact that God now confronts evil himself because men are incapable of doing so—therein lies the ‘unconditional’ goodness of God (Joseph Ratzinger (Benedict XVI), Jesus of Nazareth, Part II (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2011), p. 133).
God was not satisfied with merely forgiving people’s sins; he did infinitely more than that: he took those sins upon himself, he shouldered them himself. The Son of God, says Paul, became sin for us. What a shocking statement! In the Middle Ages some people found it difficult to believe that God would require the death of his Son in order to reconcile the world to himself. Saint Bernard responded to this by saying, What pleased God was not Christ’s death but his will in dying of his own accord: Non mors placuit sed voluntas sponte morientis (Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, Letter 190, Against the Errors of Abelard, in Anthony N. S. Lane, Theologian of the Cross (Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 2013), pp. 201-202. See also PL 182, p. 1070). It was not death, then, but love that saved us.
The love of God reached human beings at the farthest point to which they were driven in their flight from him, death itself. The death of Christ needed to demonstrate to everyone the supreme proof of God’s mercy toward sinners. That is why his death does not even have the dignity of a certain privacy but is framed between the death of two thieves. He wants to remain a friend to sinners right up to the end, so he dies like them and with them.
It is time for us to realize that the opposite of mercy is not justice but vengeance. Jesus did not oppose mercy to justice but to the law of retaliation: an eye for eye, a tooth for tooth (Ex 21:24). In forgiving sinners God is renouncing not justice but vengeance; he does not desire the death of a sinner but wants the sinner to convert and live (see Ez 18:23). On the cross Jesus did not ask his Father for vengeance.
The hate and the brutality of the terrorist attacks this week in Brussels help us to understand the divine power of Christ’s last words: Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do (Lk 23:24). No matter how far the hate of human beings can go, the love of God always has been, and will be, greater. In these current circumstances Paul’s exhortation is addressed to us: Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good (Rom 12:21).
We need to demythologize vengeance! It has become a pervasive mythic theme that infects everything and everybody, starting with children. A large number of the stories we see on the screen and in video games are stories of revenge, passed off at times as the victory of a good hero. Half, if not more, of the suffering in the world (apart from natural disasters and illnesses) come from the desire for revenge, whether in personal relationships or between states and nations.
It has been said that Beauty will save the world (Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Idiot, III, 5, trans. Henry and Olga Carlisle (New York: New American Library, 1969), p. 402. But beauty, as we know very well, can also lead to ruin. There is only one thing that can truly save the world, mercy! The mercy of God for human beings and the mercy of human beings for each other. In particular, it can save the most precious and fragile thing in the world at this time, marriage and the family.
Something similar happens in marriage to what happened in God’s relationship with humanity that the Bible in fact describes with the image of a wedding. In the very beginning, as I said, there was love, not mercy. Mercy comes in only after humanity’s sin. So too in marriage, in the beginning there is not mercy but love. People do not get married because of mercy but because of love. But then after years or even months of life together, the limitations of each spouse emerge, and problems with health, finance, and the children arise. A routine sets in that quenches all joy.
What can save a marriage from going downhill without any hope of coming back up again is mercy, understood in the biblical sense, that is, not just reciprocal forgiveness but spouses acting with compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness and patience (Col 3:12). Mercy adds agape to eros, it adds the love that gives of oneself and has compassion to the love of need and desire. God takes pity on human beings (cf Ps 102:13). Shouldn’t a husband and wife, then, take pity on each other? And those of us who live in community, shouldn’t we take pity on one another instead of judging one another?
Let us pray. Heavenly Father, by the merits of your Son on the cross who became sin for us (cf 2 Cor 5:21), remove any desire for vengeance from the hearts of individuals, families, and nations, and make us fall in love with mercy. Let the Holy Father’s intention in proclaiming this Year of Mercy be met with a concrete response in our lives, and let everyone experience the joy of being reconciled with you in the depth of the heart. Amen!
