Vatican City (Fides Service) - "After his resurrection the Lord appeared many times to his disciples and had various meetings with them…<Peace be with you>, he says upon entering the Upper Room, and he repeats this greeting no less than three times. We can say that this expression "peace be with you" in Hebrew Shalom! Contains and summarizes in a way the entire message of Easter. Peace is the gift offered to mankind by the Risen Lord and it is the fruit of new life inaugurated by his resurrection."
In his address during the general audience on April 23, in St Peter's Square, the Holy Father focused his meditation on the Easter Seasons which has just begun, commenting Psalm 135: "Peace can be identified with the "newness" inserted in history by the Paschal sacrifice of Christ - the Holy Father explained. It is born from a profound renewal of the human heart. It is not therefore the result of human efforts neither can it be reached only with agreements among individuals or institutions. It is instead a gift to be welcomed with generosity, to be safeguarded with care and to be rendered fruitful with maturity and responsibility. However travailed the situations and strong the tensions and conflicts, nothing can resist the effective renewal brought by the Risen Christ. He is our peace".
The Pope then recalled that the Octave of Easter would close next Sunday, called Sunday in Albis, and also Sunday of Divine Mercy. "Divine mercy opens heart to our brothers and sisters and it is with forgiveness offered and received that peace is built in families and in every other environment of life." Lastly the Holy Father renewed his greetings for Easter entrusting families and communities to "the heavenly protection of Mary, Mother of Mercy and Queen of Peace". See address in various languages at www.fides.org SL (Fides Service 24/4/2003 EM lines 21 Words: 302)