Pope Francis greets all those present from Rome and around the world for the Palm Sunday celebration and asks everyone to unite in prayers for peace, remembering Ukraine in particular. He thanks everyone for their prayers during these days.
At the conclusion of the Palm Sunday celebration in Saint Peter's Square before leading the recitation of the Angels prayer, Pope Francis offered his greetings to all those present coming from near and far.
The Pope offered his blessing to a peace caravan that left Italy for Ukraine in recent days to bring humanitarian ncecessities. Associations involved include the Pope John XXIII, FOCSIV, Pro Civitate Christiana, Pax Christi and other associations. The solidarity marks a sign of the closeness of the people of Italy to the battered people of Ukraine. The recalled that today "they are offering olive branches, symbols of the peace of Christ."
As Holy Week begins, the Pope invited everyone to live this time as the tradition of the holy, faithful people of God teaches us, which means accompanying the Lord Jesus with faith and love. He invited everyone to learn from our Mother, the Virgin Mary, who followed her Son Jesus with the closenss of her heart, one soul with Him.
Pope Francis' Gospel reflection
Jesus says one thing from the Cross, one thing alone: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mt 27:46). These are powerful words. Jesus had suffered the abandonment of his own, who had fled. But the Father remained for him. Now, in the abyss of solitude, for the first time he calls him by the generic name “God”. And “in a loud voice” he asks the question “why?” (…) Why did all this take place? Once again, it was done for our sake, to serve us. So that when we have our back to the wall, when we find ourselves at a dead end, with no light and no way of escape, when it seems that God himself is not responding, we should remember that we are not alone. Jesus experienced total abandonment in a situation he had never before experienced in order to be one with us in everything. (Palm Sunday, XXXV World Youth Day, 5 April 2020).
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