Your Outstanding Eminence.
Your Excellencies.
Dear brother in Episcopal service.
Dear brothers and sisters!
Since the original human fall, life on Earth has never been without problems, whether major or minor. We could say that these are cyclical repetitions, but on a linear path towards the final eschatological end, and only the Father knows the day of that definite end (Matthew 13:32).
On this journey through this Earth, this valley of tears (Psalm 23:4), we remain in hope, no matter what, "in hope against all hope" (Romans 4:18). It is an expression of the Christian life, of a human earthly existence patiently waiting to be fulfilled by the promise of Christ, in the new heaven and new earth (cf. Revelation 21:1) which we hope to inhabit after the resurrection of Christ, conformed with him who is our glory.
The resurrection of Christ illuminated the darkness and abyss of human nonsense and restored the eternal meaning of human existence. By Christ's resurrection we discern the true spiritual colors and outlines of the created world, which had hitherto been blurred, vague. We discern that human life is deeply meaningful no matter what happened to that individual and small life, because that little human life is observed andfollowed by the Higher Eye, by the Father of Mercy, no matter how much that little human life is trampled.
By his suffering and death on the Cross, our Lord conformed himself and radically showed solidarity with all the little ones and the trampled. And Jesus was overrun - shamefully crucified and killed on the cross. But death is not the last word! This is witnessed to us by the resurrection of Christ, that blessed dawn of life!
Indeed, the greatest glory of God is manifested in the crucifixion of Christ. Therefore, St. Paul does not boast primarily of Christ's miracles, nor of what the world created while asGod he was with the Father, or what he commanded nature by becoming man, but the greatest glory is in Christ suffering: "May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Galatians 6:14). Like St. Augustine said: "Great is what the Lord has promised us in the future, but even greater is what he has already done for us."
The cross of Christ shows us that we must not measure others as others measure us. If we returned to others the measure we received, would we retain our human dignity? Would our inner nobility and our morals be kept intact? No matter what we have gone through in life, no matter how much suffering befalls us, we must never allow the nobility of our soul and the light of the mind to be lost. We must always look in our eternal common Homeland about which Jesus said, "I am going to prepare a place for you. You know where I am going"(cf. John 14:1-4). We must not lose in our lives the light of faith, the inexhaustible hope that shines in Christ. We must not allow the love that is in us to be trampled upon, because we are all temples of the Holy Spirit.
This Easter, we especially pray for all the people affected by the war in Ukraine, for a peaceful solution and for the end of the war. The little ones always suffer the most, let's help them as much as we can. We pray for the many who have perished and left this world; we pray for the many families who are waiting to return and hope to return. Many of these families on this earth will unfortunately never be reunited. At the same time, let us not forget the many other refugees from Africa, Syria and the world. Let us be kind to them and helpful. We pray for all the abandoned, hungry and thirsty, for the bereaved.
Temptation is human life on earth (cf. Job 7:1), but that temptation is not meaningless, it has a deep meaning: to be purified like gold, to shine like gold, to let fire remove all sediment and all impurity. The trials of life are like fire, so go through life, dear brothers and sisters, in such a way that you come out purified and not burnt out; in golden glow, not in soot. Such tempted gold in God's eyes is precious, very precious for the future of man and the future of the Church.
Temptations are not easy, they are often fateful and difficult, but with God's help we are all able to go through the ordeals of our own lives. Let us be faithful to God, love one another as Christ loved us. It's a real signpost, it's a real call.
May the risen Lord attract you with his love, may his presence shine through you, so youcan have abundant fruit in spreading the kingdom of God!
Happy and blessed Easter!
+ Leonardo
patriarch
Your Excellencies.
Dear brother in Episcopal service.
Dear brothers and sisters!
Since the original human fall, life on Earth has never been without problems, whether major or minor. We could say that these are cyclical repetitions, but on a linear path towards the final eschatological end, and only the Father knows the day of that definite end (Matthew 13:32).
On this journey through this Earth, this valley of tears (Psalm 23:4), we remain in hope, no matter what, "in hope against all hope" (Romans 4:18). It is an expression of the Christian life, of a human earthly existence patiently waiting to be fulfilled by the promise of Christ, in the new heaven and new earth (cf. Revelation 21:1) which we hope to inhabit after the resurrection of Christ, conformed with him who is our glory.
The resurrection of Christ illuminated the darkness and abyss of human nonsense and restored the eternal meaning of human existence. By Christ's resurrection we discern the true spiritual colors and outlines of the created world, which had hitherto been blurred, vague. We discern that human life is deeply meaningful no matter what happened to that individual and small life, because that little human life is observed andfollowed by the Higher Eye, by the Father of Mercy, no matter how much that little human life is trampled.
By his suffering and death on the Cross, our Lord conformed himself and radically showed solidarity with all the little ones and the trampled. And Jesus was overrun - shamefully crucified and killed on the cross. But death is not the last word! This is witnessed to us by the resurrection of Christ, that blessed dawn of life!
Indeed, the greatest glory of God is manifested in the crucifixion of Christ. Therefore, St. Paul does not boast primarily of Christ's miracles, nor of what the world created while asGod he was with the Father, or what he commanded nature by becoming man, but the greatest glory is in Christ suffering: "May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Galatians 6:14). Like St. Augustine said: "Great is what the Lord has promised us in the future, but even greater is what he has already done for us."
The cross of Christ shows us that we must not measure others as others measure us. If we returned to others the measure we received, would we retain our human dignity? Would our inner nobility and our morals be kept intact? No matter what we have gone through in life, no matter how much suffering befalls us, we must never allow the nobility of our soul and the light of the mind to be lost. We must always look in our eternal common Homeland about which Jesus said, "I am going to prepare a place for you. You know where I am going"(cf. John 14:1-4). We must not lose in our lives the light of faith, the inexhaustible hope that shines in Christ. We must not allow the love that is in us to be trampled upon, because we are all temples of the Holy Spirit.
This Easter, we especially pray for all the people affected by the war in Ukraine, for a peaceful solution and for the end of the war. The little ones always suffer the most, let's help them as much as we can. We pray for the many who have perished and left this world; we pray for the many families who are waiting to return and hope to return. Many of these families on this earth will unfortunately never be reunited. At the same time, let us not forget the many other refugees from Africa, Syria and the world. Let us be kind to them and helpful. We pray for all the abandoned, hungry and thirsty, for the bereaved.
Temptation is human life on earth (cf. Job 7:1), but that temptation is not meaningless, it has a deep meaning: to be purified like gold, to shine like gold, to let fire remove all sediment and all impurity. The trials of life are like fire, so go through life, dear brothers and sisters, in such a way that you come out purified and not burnt out; in golden glow, not in soot. Such tempted gold in God's eyes is precious, very precious for the future of man and the future of the Church.
Temptations are not easy, they are often fateful and difficult, but with God's help we are all able to go through the ordeals of our own lives. Let us be faithful to God, love one another as Christ loved us. It's a real signpost, it's a real call.
May the risen Lord attract you with his love, may his presence shine through you, so youcan have abundant fruit in spreading the kingdom of God!
Happy and blessed Easter!
+ Leonardo
patriarch