Wednesday, April 20, 2011 Easter 2011
This week, aptly named Santa, is the most important annual liturgical calendar for Christians worldwide. In it we commemorate the passion and death on the Cross Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah. On Thursday, the first day of the Easter Triduum, the Church recalls the establishment of the Eucharist at the Last Supper and the institution of the priesthood. The Archbishop presides concelebrated Mass with his priests Carismal. It is significant also washing of the feet, which recalls the gesture of Jesus with his apostles. In the evening we visit the Holy Sepulchre. Friday is the day of death of the Redeemer. No Masses are celebrated and venerated the Cross and pray the Via Crucis and in many cities worldwide, including ours, mass processions are held, is a day of meditation and fasting and abstinence from meat. The Sabbath is a day of waiting, not Masses are celebrated. On Sunday, however, will be Gloria, because they celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus as he promised and that gives meaning to all their religion is the most important holiday of the Christian world, because it means the triumph of life over death , is the feast of renewal and hope. It is also Easter, name received from the Jewish Passover, or Pesach.
remember that the Jews celebrate Passover or Pass, to commemorate the Exodus from Egypt, and the Red Sea, actually happened circa 1250 BC. (Exodus 12:1-9). The biblical event marks the birth of the Jewish nation. For
Instead Christians, Easter is the Resurrection. As St. Paul says: "For I delivered unto you first of which also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and was buried, and rose the third day according to the Scriptures" (Corinthians 15 :3-4).
remember that the first Christians, being Jews, they celebrated Easter by taking a relationship with Jesus as the Lamb of God (Agnus Dei), who takes away the sins of the world. Christians transformed the celebration of Passover as a feast of the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth after the Council of Nicea under Constantine. Since then, initiated the separation between Judaism and Christianity that caused distortions occurring at different ages and places, confrontation and persecution, creating legends and accusations against Jews, in many cases absurd.
Well into the twenty-first century things have changed, the churches are tolerated, respected and in some ways are shown together, what should have been so long since we all believe in one and the same God as Christians and Jews both share the Old Testament. Undoubtedly contributed greatly to meet the two great religions of the historic visit by Pope John Paul II to the Synagogue of Rome on April 13, 1986, where he was welcomed by Rabbi Elio Toaff. Also present Pope Benedict XVI visited the Temple of the Jews of Rome, Sunday January 17 last year. For Joseph Ratzinger, was the third time he entered during his pontificate in a synagogue, had previously been in Cologne (2005) and in New York 2008). For Jewish and Christian religions, Easter is the major celebration, but today have different meanings.
And according to my Christian faith, reproduce, for the enormous value they represent, the final words of the message of Benedict XVI to celebrate Easter last year, before delivering the blessing "urbi et orbi" : " That the Resurrection of Christ bring light and strength to all the nations responsible for the economic and financial activity may finally be driven by criteria of truth, justice and fraternal aid. That the saving power of the resurrection of Christ fill all of humanity, to overcome the many tragic expressions of a "culture of death" that is spreading, you can build a future of love and truth, where all human life is respected and welcomed.
Dear brothers and sisters. Easter is not magic. In the same way that the Jewish people found the desert, beyond the Red Sea, so the Church, after the Resurrection, is the joys and hopes, the grief and anguish of the story. And yet, this story has changed, has been marked by a new and everlasting covenant, it is truly open to the future. So saved by hope, we continue our journey in the heart leading the singing old and ever new, "Sing to the Lord, glorious his victory."
VERY HAPPY EASTER!
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