April 8, 2012 Feast of Easter

To all the faithful in the Catholic Archdiocese of Tokyo, I announce the joy of the Resurrection of the Lord! May the Peace of the Risen Lord be with you always!

On the night of the Easter vigil many people received the sacrament of baptism, and I congratulate you all.

You have all taken part in the mystery of Christ’s Passover accomplished through the Crucifixion and Resurrection of the Lord. We have died to the ‘old man’ and have been transformed into something entirely new. The ‘old man’ means a life lived in sin and dominated by sin. The ‘new man’ is someone who has received the life of God and has been born again through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Let us engrave deeply in our hearts the words of the Apostle Paul, “Since we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Christ.” (Romans 6, 8). The mission of the church is to serve as a witness to the Resurrection of Christ our Lord. In the first reading of today’s Mass, the Apostle Peter testifies strongly to the Resurrection of the Lord, and declares that Jesus has overcome sin and death.

Now we who belong to the church in Japan walk together with those who are still suffering from the effects of the Great East Japan Earthquake. I hope that we may receive light from the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ, and enable this light to shine on all those affected by the disaster, as we attempt to encourage and comfort them. Therefore, let us pray sincerely for the guidance of the Holy Spirit so that we can walk in the path of a deep and strong faith.

Pope Benedict XVI, responding to the needs of today, has declared a “Year of Faith,” starting from October 11 of this year, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Vatican II. Let us pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit so that while learning the spirit of Vatican II, we may deepen our faith.

May the blessing of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit be abundantly poured out upon you all.