Easter Sunday: Pope Francis says Christ cannot be reduced to a hero of the past

Pope Francis asked to look for Christ “in everyday life”, accompanying as he “the tears of those who suffer”, because the resurrection makes it impossible to reduce “to a hero of the past” or be indifferent to suffering.

“He is alive and always remains with us, crying the tears of those who suffer and multiplying the beauty of life in the small love gestures of each of us,” he said in the text of the homily he prepared for the solemn Mass of the Easter Sunday of Resurrection that was chaired in his place by Cardinal Angelo Comastri.

The rite began with the traditional Rose with which everyone present was invited in the Plaza de San Pedro and who followed the live celebration to join the joy of Jesus Christ’s victory over death.

The Pontiff, who this Holy Saturday surprised a group of pilgrims when he appeared by surprise in the Basilica of San Pedro to pray, indicated that the announcement of Easter is that “death” has not been able to retain Christ, that “he is no longer wrapped in the shroud, and therefore cannot be locked in a beautiful story to tell.”

“It cannot be reduced to a hero of the past or think of him as a statue placed in the room of a museum,” he insisted.

In the homily, Pope Francis reflected on the attitude assumed by the disciples, which upon receiving “the disconcerting news, both of them ran together.”

“All the protagonists of the Easter stories run! And this” run “expresses, on the one hand, the concern that the body of the Lord had taken; but, on the other hand, the career of the Magdalena, of Peter and of John manifests the desire, the impulse of the heart, the inner attitude of who is in search of Jesus,” the Holy Father explained in this way that Christians cannot remain motionless.

“Because if he has risen from the dead, then he is present everywhere, he lives among us, he hides and also reveals himself today in the sisters and brothers that we find on the road, in the most anonymous and unpredictable situations of our life,” he said.

That is why Easter faith, he emphasized, “is far from being a static solution or settling quietly in some religious security.”

On the contrary, the Pontiff said that Easter “drives the movement” and to have eyes capable of “seeing beyond, to discover Jesus, the living, as the God who reveals himself and also today is present, speaks to us, precedes us and surprises us.”

“This is the greatest hope of our life: we can live this poor, fragile and wound existence, clinging to Christ, because He has defeated death, expires our darkness and will overcome the darkness of the world, to make us live with him in joy, forever,” he said while emphasizing that the jubilee of hope 2025 calls the faithful to renew their hope and share it with humanity.

He added: “We cannot park our hearts in the illusions of this world or lock him in sadness; we must run, full of joy. We run to the encounter of Jesus, we rediscover the invaluable grace of being his friends.”

Finally, Cardinal Cosmatri thanked the Holy Father for his effort to prepare the homily: “Thank you Pope Francis, for this strong invitation to awaken our faith in Jesus risen and live and always present to our side,” he said after wishing for a good Easter to all present.