Pope: Life, Death, Nothingness, Resurrection

At the Angelus, Pope Francis proclaims the Christian faith of the Resurrection before the "doubt that touches mankind of all times ... after this earthly pilgrimage, what will become of our life?  Will it belong to nothingness, to death? "  The "clear certainty of Jesus on the Resurrection is entirely based on the fidelity of God, who is the God of life".  A round of applause for a Spanish blessed and a Portuguese saint.  An appeal for South Sudan and Bolivia.

Vatican City (AsiaNews) - Life, death, nothingness, resurrection: today, before the Angelus prayer, Pope Francis confronted the "doubt that touches mankind of all  times and us too: after this earthly pilgrimage, what will become of our life?  Will it belong to nothingness, to death?".

His  cue comes from the Gospel page of today's Mass (32nd per year, C, Luke 20,27-38), which offers "a wonderful teaching of Jesus on the Resurrection of the dead" in response to the "insidious question" of the Sadducees, who "did not believe  in the Resurrection ".

With his response, underlined Francis, "Jesus first of all invites his interlocutors - and us too - to think that this earthly dimension in which we live now is not the only one, but there is another, no longer subject to death, in which it will be fully manifest that we are children of God ... This clear certainty of Jesus on the Resurrection is entirely based on the fidelity of God, who is the God of life ".

As for the "doubt" ("what will become of our life? Will it belong to nothing, to death?"), "Jesus replies that life belongs to God, who loves us and cares so much about us, to the point of binding His name to ours: He is "the God of Abraham, God of Isaac and God of Jacob.  God is not of the dead, but of the living;  because everyone lives for Him "(vv. 37-38).  Here is the wisdom that no science can ever give!".

"Here - he added - the mystery of the resurrection is revealed, because the mystery of life is revealed: life subsists where there is a bond, communion, brotherhood;  and it is a life stronger than death when it is built on true relationships and bonds of fidelity.  On the contrary, there is no life where one claims to belong only to oneself and to live as islands: in these attitudes death prevails.  In fact, the Resurrection is not only the fact of resurrecting after death, but it is a new kind of life that we can already experience now ".

After the Marian prayer, the Pope recalled the beatification that took place in Granada (Spain) of Maria Emilia Riquelme y Zayas, foundress of the Missionary Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament and of Mary Immaculate;  the canonization of St. Bartholomew Fernandes of the Martyrs, in Braga (Portugal).

Immediately afterwards he expressed "a special thought to the dear people of South Sudan", which Francis wants to visit this year.  Recalling the spiritual retreat for the country's authorities, which took place in the Vatican last April, the Pope expressed the desire to "renew my invitation to all the actors of the national political process to seek what unites and to overcome what divides, in  spirit of true brotherhood.  The South Sudanese people have suffered too much in recent years and await with great hope for a better future, especially the definitive end of conflicts and a lasting peace.  I therefore urge those responsible to tirelessly continue,their commitment to an inclusive dialogue in the search for consensus for the good of the nation.  I also express the hope that the international community will not neglect to accompany South Sudan on the path of national reconciliation ".  He concluded the appeal by inviting everyone to pray for this country, for which he has "a special affection".  And he recited a Hail Mary with all the pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square.

The pontiff also entrusted the faithful to pray for  "the situation of the beloved Bolivia, close to my homeland", where since October 21st, a large part of the population disputes the re-election of Evo Morales, accused of fraud for having obtained his fourth term as  President.  In recent days, hundreds of policemen mutinied and defended the protesters.  "I invite all Bolivians - said Francis - in particular the political and social actors, to await with a constructive spirit, in a climate of peace and serenity, for the results of the election review process, which is currently underway".