Pope: Faith sheds light on mystery of death

(Vatican Radio) During his general audience in a cold St Peter’s Square today, Pope Francis continued his series of reflections on the Creed, explaining how our Christian faith sheds light on the mystery of death and brings us the hope of Resurrection.

Philippa Hitchen reports:

Tens of thousands of pilgrims and visitors packed into St Peter’s Square on Wednesday morning, despite the near freezing temperature. Pope Francis, also wrapped up in a long white coat and scarf, reflected on the mystery of death, saying that without belief in God and a vision of life as something greater than earthly existence, death can seem like a tragedy that we misunderstand, fear and deny
Without faith, the Pope said, death can seem scandalous, especially when children suffer and die. But as we know when we lose a close friend or family member, our human hearts rebel against this false vision and we yearn for the infinite, the eternal, the knowledge that life does not end with death.
This yearning for life, he continued, finds its answer in the Resurrection of Christ, which offers both the certainty of eternal life and shows us the true meaning of death. Furthermore, those who show mercy to others need never fear death, but instead prepare themselves for death through prayer, the Sacraments and the practise of charity
If we remain close to God in our lives, especially in solidarity with the poor and vulnerable, the Pope concluded, “we need not fear death but rather welcome it as the door to heaven and to the joy of eternal life.”