Pope, "in the hope given to us by the Risen Christ", calls for Fr Tom’s release
“All of us Christians are called to pass on this message of resurrection to those we meet; especially to those who suffer, who are alone, who are in precarious conditions, the sick, the refugees, the marginalised.”
Vatican City (AsiaNews) – Pope Francis appealed for the release of Fr Tom Uzhunnalil, SDB, who was abducted on 4 March in Aden (Yemen) “and for all those abducted in areas of armed conflict”.
The pontiff made the request before the recitation of the Regina Coeli "in the hope given to us by the Risen Christ", which "instils an intimate joy and invincible hope in the hearts of believers".
Francis told the 50,000 people in St Peter's Square that "Today's Gospel narrates the third appearance of the risen Jesus to the disciples on the shore of Lake Galilee, with the description of the miraculous catch (cf. Jn 21:1-19).
“The story describes the daily life of disciples who went back to their land to work as fishermen, after the traumatic days of the passion, death and resurrection of the Lord. It was hard for them to understand what had happened. Although everything seemed to be over, it is still Jesus who tried to seek out his disciples again. This time he met them at the lake, where they had spent the night on the boats without catching anything.
“Their nets appeared empty, a bit like their experience with Jesus. They had known him, had left everything to follow him, full of hope . . . and now? Yes, they had seen him risen, but they thought, ‘He went away; he left us’. For them, it was like a dream. But then, at dawn, Jesus showed up on the lakeshore. They did not recognise him (cf. v. 4).
“To those tired and disappointed fishermen, the Lord said, ‘Cast the net over the right side of the boat and you will find something’ (v. 6). The disciples trusted Jesus and the result was an incredibly abundant catch. At this point, John turned to Peter and said, ‘It is the Lord!’ (v. 7). Upon hearing this, Peter jumped into the water and swam towards the shore, toward Jesus.
“Those words, ‘It is the Lord!’ carry all the enthusiasm of the paschal faith, full of joy and amazement, which contrasts sharply with the bewilderment, despair, and the sense of helplessness that had filled the minds of the disciples. The presence of the risen Jesus transformed everything: darkness was overcome by light, useless work became fruitful and promising again, the feeling of fatigue and neglect gave way to a new momentum and the assurance that He is with us."
"Since then, these same sentiments enliven the Church, the Community of the Risen One. We are all the Community of the Risen. If at first glance it may seem at times that the darkness of evil and fatigue of daily life have the upper hand, the Church knows with certainty that the light of Easter shines now everlasting on those who follow the Lord Jesus. The great proclamation of the Resurrection fills the hearts of believers with a profound joy and an invincible hope. Christ is truly risen! Today too, the Church continues to make this festive announcement resonate: joy and hope continue to flow into hearts, faces, deeds, and words. "
"All of us Christians are called to pass on this message of resurrection to those we meet; especially to those who suffer, those who are alone, those who are in precarious conditions, the sick, the refugees, the marginalised. To everyone, we bring a ray of light of the risen Christ, a sign of his merciful power. May He, the Lord, also renew in us the paschal faith. May He make us ever more aware of our mission in the service of the Gospel and our brothers and sisters. May He fill us with His Holy Spirit so that, supported by Mary’s intercession, and with the whole Church, we may proclaim the greatness of his love and the richness of his mercy."
After the Marian prayer, after the appeal for the release of Father Tom, the pope said that in Italy today was the National Day for the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, whose theme is ‘I shall be there in the Italy of tomorrow’.
"I hope,” he said, “that this great university, which continues to provide an important service to Italian youth, may carry on its educational mission with renewed commitment, upgrading it more and more to meet today's needs."
.png)
