Pope Francis: do not be afraid to go forth and announce the Risen Christ
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Sunday urged the faithful to be courageous in proclaiming
their faith. Speaking to crowds of pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square for
the Regina Coeli prayer, the Pope highlighted the fact that the eighth day of Easter
is also Divine Mercy Sunday, and he renewed his Easter greetings with the words of
the Risen Christ: Peace be with you. These words – he said – are not a simple
greeting: they are a gift – the precious gift that Christ offered to his disciples
after he rose from the dead. “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you.
Not as the world gives do I give to you…” And the Pope said "this peace is the fruit
of the victory of God’s love over evil, it’s the fruit of forgiveness". And he said
this is the true peace that comes from having experienced God’s mercy. And speaking
of the peace Jesus gave to the Apostles so that they could spread it in the world
the Pope said we too must have the courage to be witnesses of the faith in the Risen
Christ. We must not be afraid – he said – to be Christians and to live as Christians. Pope
Francis urged those listening to have the courage to go forth and to announce the
Risen Christ because He is our peace, He made peace possible with his love and his
forgiveness, with his blood and with his mercy. And Pope Francis concluded his
address announcing he would be celebrating Mass in the afternoon in the Basilica of
St. John Lateran, the Cathedral of the Bishop of Rome, and he invited those present
to pray for the bishop and for the people of Rome in their journey of faith and charity.