“The Risen Christ is the hope of Christians” – Pope Francis

Pope Francis held his weekly General Audience in St. Peter’s Square on Wednesday, continuing his catechesis on Christian hope.

Reflecting on 1Cor 15, the Holy Father said the Risen Christ is the hope of Christians, since his resurrection is the event that grounds our faith.

Please find below the official English summary of the Pope’s catechesis:

Dear Brothers and Sisters:  In these joyful days of Easter, our continuing catechesis on Christian hope looks to the Risen Jesus.  Saint Paul tells the Corinthians that Jesus himself is our hope.  His resurrection is the event that grounds our faith; without our confident belief in its historical reality, the Christian faith would be a mere human philosophy, and Jesus himself simply another great religious figure.  Our belief is based on the testimony of those who encountered the Risen Christ, from Saint Peter and the group of the Twelve to Saint Paul, who was converted by his dramatic meeting with the Lord on the road to Damascus.  Encountering Christ in faith is always a surprise; it is a grace given to those whose hearts are open.  It overturns our comfortable existence and opens us to an unexpected future, sowing life and light in place of death and sorrow.  This is the reason for our Easter joy: in the risen Jesus, who dwells in our midst, we encounter the power of God’s love, which triumphs over death and brings ever new life and undying hope.

Source: Vatican Radio