Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - At the end of a concelebration of the Eucharist in St Peter’s Square on Sunday 15 April to mark his 80th birthday, Pope Benedict XVI led the recitation of the Regina Cæli midday Easter prayer. “I offer sincere thanks to everyone, the Pope said, and I extend these thanks to the whole Church, which like a real family has surrounded me with affection over the past few days”.
On the second Sunday of Easter the Pope invited those present to consider the spiritual time inaugurated by God when He raised Jesus from the dead : “The Spirit Creator, infused new, eternal life into the buried body of Jesus of Nazareth, bringing the work of creation to completion raising up the "first born": first born of a new humanity, a new world, a new era. This renewing of the world can be said in one word: the word of greeting used by the Risen Jesus, much greater than the announcement to his disciples of his victory over death: "Peace be with your!". Peace is a gift which Christ gives his friends to be a blessing for every human person and all peoples. Not peace according to the mentality of the ‘world’, as a balance of powers, but a new reality, a fruit of God’s loving mercy”. This is the peace which Jesus Christ won at the price of his blood and which he communicates to those who place their trust in Him”.
Lastly the Pope again thanked the countless people who expressed their spiritual closeness on the occasion of his 80th birthday and the anniversary of his election as Successor of Peter and he concluded “May Mary, Mater Misericordiae, Mother of Jesus divine mercy incarnate, help us to let ourselves be renewed by the Spirit so we may cooperate with God in the work to build peace in the world, work which makes no noise but continues with countless acts of charity performed by His children”. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 17/4/2007; righe 22, parole 339)
