Pope Francis: Resurrection Is the Best Medicine for Sorrow

Christ’s Resurrection: An Overwhelmingly Beautiful Light

At the General Audience in St. Peter's Square on Wednesday, Pope Leo XIV meditated on Christ's Resurrection, stating, "A person can never complete contemplation or meditation regarding this event." He concluded that the more one investigates this event, the more they will become attracted to an "overwhelmingly beautiful but awe-inspiring light."

Sadness: The Thief That Steals Our Joy

The Pope detailed how the resurrection of Jesus provides a way to deal with one very severe problem felt by so many people today: sadness. Sadness is a feeling experienced by many people on a daily basis and has become an ever-present feeling for many people. The Pope described sadness as a feeling of instability felt in the very core of a person's being; thus, sadness does not permit that person to feel joy.

Sadness functions like a thief who quietly steals away one's happiness, leaving only despair. According to Pope Leo: “Sadness takes the life out of life, making your time here seem pointless or without direction.”

The Road to Emmaus: A Journey Through Grief

The story of two disciples travelling to Emmaus as shown in the Gospel of Luke is a significant modern occurrence. The disciples were grappling with disillusion and grief over Jesus’ death. The Pope argues that the story of the two disciples represents a powerful example of human sorrow because it is “the end of a journey where one has put in all their efforts, which has resulted in an end of something that had always seemed like the focal point of one’s existence.”

At a point of hopelessness for these two men, Jesus appeared to them as an unknown person. The gospel accounts state that both men were still and “looking sad.” Pope Leo pointed out that the Greek word used indicated extreme sorrow, and this was written plainly from the expressions on their faces.

Breaking Bread and Restoring Hope

Hope exists as a concrete and palpable entity.

Jesus' words to the disciples pointed out the foolishness of their hearts. Jesus used his frankness not to more greatly deepen their sorrow but instead brought hope back to them. The turning point of the story is when Jesus broke the bread, opening the "eyes of the heart" and restoring their vision that had been clouded by despair.

That moment rekindled a sense of joy among the disciples, motivating them to convey their experience to others.

The Lord Is Risen: A True, Material Fact

The Easter Christian greeting, "The Lord Is Risen," has a significant and purposeful meaning. Jesus did not merely rise up when they proclaimed that he had, but he actually rose again by tangible evidence with proof in his own body from being crucified. Pope Leo stated, "The fact of living is not just an empty word, but a true, material fact."

Pope Francis desires that we remember the joy of Jesus' disciples on the road to Emmaus when going through other hardships that can occur in life. Jesus as the risen Lord gives us a new way of seeing, a hope that can drive away our sadness.

Looking at the Resurrection changes one's attitude toward the world; realizing that we have been redeemed -and continue to be redeemed- is empowering, as well as changing the way we see history. "History still has lots of good things to look forward to."