His Holiness Pope Francis on Easter Vigil: May the light of the Resurrection illumine our hearts

Candles illuminating Saint Peter's Basilica at the start of the Easter Vigil

In his homily for the Easter Vigil read by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re presiding on his behalf, His Holiness Pope Francis explains how this celebration "reminds us that the light of the Resurrection illumines our path" and our hearts. The Pope made a brief visit to St. Peter's Basilica a couple hours before the celebrations for a moment of prayer and to draw close to the faithful gathering for the Easter Vigil in the Basilica.

By Thaddeus Jones

In his homily read by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals, during the Easter Vigil in Saint Peter’s Basilica, Pope Francis underscored how “the light of the Resurrection illumines our path one step at a time,” breaking through the darkness of history and shining in our hearts. Cardinal Re presided over the Easter Vigil on behalf of Pope Francis who has been limiting his public activities as he continues recovery from his respiratory illnesses of recent months.

Before the celebration began, the Pope made a brief visit to the Saint Peter's Basilica to spend some time in prayer and to be close to the faithful arriving for the Easter Vigil liturgy to be celebrated almost two hours later. Over five thousand faithful gathered in the Basilica and the square outside.

The light of the Resurrection calls for “the response of a humble faith, devoid of all triumphalism,” said the Pope in his homily Cardinal Re shared during the celebration. “The Resurrection is like little seeds of light that slowly and silently come to take root in our hearts, at times still prey to darkness and unbelief.”

Helping the “seed of light” grow

The light of the Resurrection helps us “to deal with the nights that dwell in our hearts and the shadows of death that so often loom over our world,” the Pope pointed out, since “in our earthly history the power of his Resurrection is still being brought to fulfilment.” And we are called to be part of that process, he said, entrusted to help that “small seed of light” be protected and grow.

Letting Easter hope blossom

“Brothers and sisters, during this Jubilee Year in particular, we should feel strongly within us the summons to let the hope of Easter blossom in our lives and in the world!”

The Pope acknowledged how death, violence and the dark shadows of evil in our world can weigh us down and obscure the light of hope, but “let us not lose heart, but return to the message of this night.”

“The light quietly shines forth, even though we are in darkness; the promise of new life and a world finally set free awaits us; and a new beginning, however impossible it might seem, can take us by surprise, for Christ has triumphed over death.”

This message of renewed hope that fills our heart in celebrating the Risen Jesus should help us remember how we are “in God’s hands” who will help us overcome the dark nights in our lives…

This news was originally published on the Vatican News website, click here to read more.