"LOVE HAS TRIUMPHED"

Jesus Christ is risen! Love has triumphed over hatred, life has conquered death, light has dispelled the darkness!

JESUS IS THE WAY

By His death and resurrection, Jesus shows everyone the way to life and happiness. This way is humility, which involves humiliation. This is the path that leads to glory.

HUMBLE YOURSELVES

Only those who humble themselves can go towards the "things that are above", towards God (cf. Col 3:1-4). The proud look "down from above"; the humble look "up from below".

FOLLOW JESUS

To enter into the mystery, we need to "bend down", to abase ourselves. Only those who abase themselves understand the glorification of Jesus and are able to follow Him on His way.

LEARN FROM JESUS

The world proposes that we put ourselves forward at all costs, that we compete, that we prevail... But Christians, by the grace of Christ, dead and risen, are the seeds of another humanity, in which we live in service to one another, not to be arrogant, but rather respectful and ready to help.

"TRUE STRENGTH!"

This is not weakness, but true strength! Those who bear within them God's power, His love and His justice, do not need to employ violence; they speak and act with the power of truth, beauty and love.

ASK JESUS

From the risen Lord we ask today the grace not to succumb to the pride which fuels violence and war, but to have the humble courage of pardon and peace. We ask Jesus, the Victor over death, to lighten the sufferings of our many brothers and sisters, who are persecuted for His name, and of all those who suffer injustice as a result of ongoing conflicts and violence. There are so many of them!

JESUS IS OUR PEACE

May the marginalized, the imprisoned, the poor and the migrants who are so often rejected, maltreated and discarded, the sick and the suffering, children, especially those who are victims of violence; all who today are in mourning, and all men and women of good, hear the consoling and healing voice of the Lord Jesus: "Peace to you!" (Lk 24:36). "Fear not, for I am risen and I shall always be with you" (cf. Roman Missal, Entrance Antiphon for Easter Day).

(Source: Urbi et Orbi Message, Easter 2015, April 5, 2015)