Pope Francis's Easter message, which historians say is part of the “speeches that have changed the world”

12 years ago, also Easter, Pope Francis gave a famous speech, in which he spoke about “the greed that follows the easy gain”, “the inequitable exploitation of natural resources” and “trafficking in people, the largest form of slavery in this 21st century!”.

• In front of the believers, gathered in Rome to listen to the resurrection message, the new pope gave hope to a whole world with his messages, which later made the British historian Simon Sebag Montefiore include the moment in the anthology: “Speeches that have changed the world.”
• One of the memorable expressions in this discourse is how the planet suffers. It was a foreshadowing of what would happen. The pope reminded us that we did not create the planet. And we have a debt. He called us “responsible guards of creation”.

Pope Francis started his mandate in March 2013, in a difficult context for the Catholic Church. His predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, had retired, a month ago, a gesture that no one had made to the 600-year-old Vatican.

Although the official version was that withdrawal was caused by Joseph Ratzinger's health problems, many speculated that the real reason for constituted the scandals in which the church had been involved.

In 2012, Vati-Fatkes revealed documents that demonstrated facts of corruption at the Vatican. Including, Pope Benedict was involved in this scandal.

Also, during that period, the Vatican was accused of orchestrating the misfortune of the sexual abuse of which Catholic priests in Europe and North America were guilty.

Neither the positions of the Church regarding contraception (for example, refusal to promote condoms in regions with a high rate of HIV infection) or those related to homosexuality and the role of women in the church were highly appreciated, writes Sebag Montefiore in the book “Speeches that changed the world”.

But, perhaps more importantly, the whole world was trying in those years to recover after the financial crisis that hit the world since 2008.

An opponent not of capitalism but of lack of rules

In this context, a new pope, who was known for his activity in support of the poor from Buenos Aires and took his name Saint Francis of Assisi, famous for his modest humility and life, installed at the Vatican.

As a symbolic gesture, he changed the official car in Mercedes Benz, with whom he used to go Benedict, with a modest Ford Focus, writes Montefiore.

In the first Easter, kept as a pope, Francis spoke to the world about the topics that kneaded it: it attacked non -democratic capitalism (and which led to the 2008 economic crisis) and “the greed of those looking for easy winnings”. He spoke about the inequitable exploitation of natural resources and about the selfishness behind the trafficking of people, “the most extensive form of slavery in this 21st century”.

With the pope's messages they resonated millions of people from all over the world, who were struggling to overcome the shock produced by the financial crisis.

“The Pope gave the feeling that in his mandate, the church will have a renewed relevance for the whole world,” says the British historian. Then came this disturbing message, the pope who left us now.

Pope Francis's full Paper Day 2013

“Dear brothers and sisters in Rome and everywhere in the world,

What joy is it for me to give you this message: Christ has resurrected! I would like to get to each house and every family, especially where the suffering is greater, in hospitals, in prisons …

Above all, I would like to enter every heart, because there God wants to sow this good news: Jesus has risen, there is hope for you, you are no longer in the power of sin, evil! Love triumphed, Mila was victorious! The mercy of God always triumphs!

And we, like the disciple women of Jesus, who went to the grave and found him empty, we can ask what this event means (cf. 24: 4). What does Jesus mean has resurrected?

It means that the love of God is stronger than evil and death itself; It means that the love of God can transform our lives and let those desert places in our hearts flourish. God's love can do this!

The same love for which the Son of God became man and followed the path of humility and self -giving to the end – to hell – to the abyss of separation from God – the same merciful love flooded the dead body of Jesus, to transfigured it, made to pass to eternal life. Jesus did not return to his previous life, to the earthly life, but entered the glorious life of God and entered there with our humanity, opening us to a future of hope.

Here is the Easter: it is the exodus, the passage of human beings from the slavery of sin and evil to the freedom of love and goodness. Because God is life, only life, and we are his glory: the living man (cf. Irineu, Adverse Haereses, 4.20.5-7).

Each generation is due to the “freedom of good”

Dear brothers and sisters, Christ died and resurrected once and for all, but the power of resurrection, this transition from the slave to the freedom of good, must be made in every era, in our concrete existence, in our daily lives.

How many deserts, even today, has to cross human beings! Above all, the inner desert, when we have no love for God or for the neighbor, when we fail to realize that we are the guards of everything that the Creator has given us and continues to give us. The mercy of God can make even the most arid land become a garden, it can restore the life of dry bones (cf. 37: 1-14).

So, this is the invitation I address to all: to accept the grace of the Resurrection of Christ! Let us be renewed by the mercy of God, to be loved by Jesus, to allow the power of His love to transform our lives; And to become agents of this mercy, channels through which God can wet the earth, protect the whole creation and make justice and peace flourish.

Thus, we ask the resurrected Jesus, who transforms death into life, to change hatred in love, revenge in forgiveness, war in peace. Yes, Christ is our peace, and through Him we implore peace for the whole world.

Peace for the Middle East, especially between the Israelis and the Palestinians, who strive to find the way of an agreement, so that they can resume with good will and courage to end a conflict that lasted too long.

Peace in Iraq, for every act of violence to cease, and especially for Syria dear, for his end -torn conflict and for many refugees waiting for help and relief. How much blood was spilled! And how much suffering does it have to be until a crisis political solution is found?

Peace for Africa, still the scene of violent conflicts. In Mali, or that the unit and stability are restored; In Nigeria, where, unfortunately, the attacks continue, seriously threatening the lives of many innocent people, and where a large number of people, including children, are held hostage of terrorist groups. Peace in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo and in the Central Republic, where many have been forced to leave their homes and continue to live in fear.

Peace in Asia, especially in the Korean Peninsula: or that the disagreements are overcome and increase a renewed spirit of reconciliation.

“Responsible guards of creation”

Peace throughout the world, still divided by greed that follows the easy gain, injured by the selfishness that threatens human life and family, selfishness that continues in human trafficking, the largest form of slavery of this 21st century; Trafficking in people is the most extensive form of slavery in this 21st century! Peace to the whole world, ended by the violence related to drug trafficking and the inequitable exploitation of natural resources! Peace to this land of ours! May the resurrected Jesus bring relief to the victims of natural disasters and make us responsible guards.

Dear brothers and sisters, to all those who listen to me, from Rome and from all over the world, I address the invitation from Psalm: “Thank the Lord for being good, for His steadfast love lasts forever. Israel to say,” His unlimited love is eternal “(Ps 117,1-2).

Dear brothers and sisters, you, who came from all corners of the world in this market in the heart of Christianity, and you, related to modern technology, I reiterate my greeting: Happy Easter! ”.