Holy Father Pope Francis delivered his Easter Sunday message asking the faithful to respond immediately to God’ surprises. His Holiness Pope Francis was addressing the faithful gathered at St. Peter’s Square where he reminded the faithful that God surprises the women with a proclamation which became a greeting in the early Church: “The Lord is risen!” Holy Father highlighted that God does not know how to make an announcement without surprising us. Surprise moves our hearts and touches us where we do not expect.
As reported by Vatican Radio, Holy Father Pope Francis remarked that “God’s surprises demand an immediate response. Peter and John ran to the tomb. The shepherds on the night when Christ was born ran to see what the angel had revealed to them. The Samaritan woman also ran to say to her people, “this is something entirely new. I have met a man who has told me everything that I have done—and the people knew what she had done.” “Further, His Holiness added, “There is one person in the Gospel who takes his time, who does not want to take a risk. This is Thomas. But the good Lord waited for him in the same way that he waits patiently for those people who do not get up and respond to the surprise announcement right away.”
His Holiness Pope Francis concluded his homily by encouraging the faithful to question oneself that “Do I have a heart open to God’s surprises? Am I am able to go quickly, or do I always hang back and excuse myself until tomorrow.”
