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Instituut
voor Islamitische Studies en Publicaties |
ENGLISH TEXT OF POPE'S EASTER SPEECH Following is the Vatican's official English
translation of Pope John Paul II's Easter message ``Urbi et Orbi'' (``To the
City and to the World''), delivered Sunday in Italian: In the risen Christ all creation rises to new
life. May the Easter proclamation reach all the peoples of the Earth and may all
the people of good will feel themselves called to an active role in this day
which the Lord has made, the day of his resurrection, when the church, filled
with joy, proclaims that the Lord is truly risen. This cry which bursts forth from the hearts of
the disciples on the first day after the Sabbath has spanned the centuries and
now, at this precise moment of history, renews once more humanity's hopes with
the unaltered certainty of the resurrection of Christ, the redeemer of mankind. In the risen Christ all creation rises to new
life. The amazed surprise of the apostles and the women who rushed to the tomb
at sunrise today becomes the shared experience of the whole people of God. As the new millennium begins its course, we
wish to hand on to the younger generation the certitude that is basic to our
lives: Christ is risen and in him all creation rises to new life. ``Glory to you, O Christ Jesus, today and
always you will reign.'' We are reminded of this faith-filled hymn, which we
sang so many times during the course of the Jubilee praising him who is ``the
Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.''
(Revelations 22:13) To him, the pilgrim church remains faithful
``amid the world's persecutions and God's consolations.'' (St. Augustine) She
looks to him and has no fear. She walks with her gaze fixed on his face, and
repeats to the men and women of our day that he, the risen one, is ``the same
yesterday and today and forever.'' (Hebrews 13:18). On that tragic Friday of the Passion, which
saw the Son of Man become ``obedient unto death, even death on a cross,''
(Philippians 2:8) the early phase of the redeemer's life came to a close. Now dead, he was hurriedly placed in the tomb,
at the setting of the sun. A singular sunset! The ominous darkness of that hour
signaled the end of the first act of creation, convulsed by sin. It seemed like
the victory of death, the triumph of evil. Instead, while the tomb lay in cold
silence, the plan of salvation was approaching its fulfillment, and the new
creation was about to begin. Made obedient by love even to the extreme
sacrifice, Jesus Christ is now exalted by God, who ``has bestowed on him the
name which is above every name.'' (Philippians 2:9) In this name every human
life recovers hope. In this name human beings are freed from the power of sin
and death and restored to life and love. On this day heaven and earth sing out the
ineffable and sublime ``name'' of the Crucified One who has risen. Everything
appears as before, but in fact nothing is the same as before. He, the Life that
does not die, has redeemed every human life and reopened it to hope. ``The old has passed away, behold, the new has
come.'' (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:17) Every project and plan of this noble and frail
creature that is man has a new name today in Christ risen from the dead, for in
him all creation rises to new life. The words of Genesis are fully fulfilled in
this new creation: ``Then God said 'Let us make man in our image, after our
likeness.''' (Genesis 1:26) At Easter, Christ, the new Adam, having become
``a life-giving spirit,'' (1 Corinthians 15:45) ransoms the old Adam from the
defeat of death. Men and women of the third millennium, the
Easter gift of light that scatters the darkness of fear and sadness in meant for
everyone; all are offered the gift of the peace of the risen Christ, who breaks
the chains of violence and hatred. Rediscover today with joy and wonder that the
world is no longer a slave to the inevitable. This world of ours can change:
peace is possible even where for too long there has been fighting and death, as
in the Holy Land and Jerusalem; it is possible in the Balkans, no longer
condemned to a worrying uncertainty that risks causing the failure for all
proposals for agreement. And you, Africa, a continent tormented by
conflicts constantly threatening, raise your head confidently, trusting in the
power of the risen Christ. With this help, you too, Asia, the cradle of age-old
spiritual traditions, can win the challenge of tolerance and solidarity; and
you, Latin America, filled youthful promise, only in Christ will you find the
capacity and courage needed for a development respectful of every human being. Men and women of every continent, draw from
his tomb, empty now for ever, the strength needed to defeat the powers of evil
and death, and to place all research and all technical and social progress at
the service of a better future for all. ``In the risen Christ all creation rises to
new life.'' From the moment when your tomb, O Christ, was found empty and
Cephas, the disciples, the women, and ``more than five hundred brethren'' (1
Corinthians 15:6) saw you risen, there began the time in which the whole of
creation sings your name ``which is above every other name'' and awaits your
final return in glory. During this time, between Easter and the coming of your
everlasting kingdom, a time like the travail of giving birth (cf. Romans 8:22),
sustain us in our dedication to building a more human world, a world soothed by
the balm of your love. Paschal victim offered for the salvation of
the world, grant that this commitment of ours will not falter, even when
weariness slows our steps. You, victorious King, grant to us and to the world
eternal salvation! The Guardian, April 15, 2001 |