God makes life and hope flourish

The words of Pope Francis remind us that true hope comes from the encounter with Jesus: even in the face of fear and death.

In a time of difficulty and uncertainty, Pope Francis's words from his 2020 Easter homily remind us that Easter is not just a liturgical calendar, but an invitation to rediscover the power of authentic hope.

In the face of life's fears and trials, we can find comfort in the Easter message: hope does not come from ourselves, but is a gift born from an encounter with Jesus, the author of new life.

At dawn, the women go to the tomb. There, the angel tells them: "Do not be afraid, he is not here; he is risen." Before a tomb, they hear words of life and then encounter Jesus, the author of hope, who confirms the message and says: "Do not be afraid. Do not be afraid, do not be afraid."

Here is the message of hope for us today. These are the words that God repeats to us in the night we are living through. Today, we conquer a fundamental right, one that will not be taken away from us: the right to hope.

It is a new, living hope that comes from God. It is not mere optimism, it is not a pat on the back, a passing encouragement, with a passing smile. No. It is a gift from heaven, one that we could not have procured on our own. Everything will be fine, we have tenaciously said in these weeks, clinging to the beauty of our humanity and allowing words of encouragement to rise from our hearts.

But as the days go by and fears grow, even the boldest hope can evaporate. Jesus' hope is different. It instills in our hearts the certainty that God knows how to turn everything to good, because even from the grave he brings life.

(Pope Francis, April 11, 2020)

So, even today, in the silence of our nights and in the challenges of our days, we can hear that invitation: “Do not be afraid.”

The hope Jesus gives us doesn't fade with hardship, but accompanies us, sustains us, and transforms us. It is the certainty that, even in the darkest moments, God can make life flourish where only death seems to exist, and it reminds us that no trial can ever extinguish the light of his promise.

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• Vatican News