Pope: All Christians are Called to be 'Angels'. Heralds of the Resurrection

Pope Benedict XVI is in Castel Gandolfo for Easter. Before reciting the Regina Coeli, he recalled the mission of "messengers" of the Resurrection. "As Jesus announced the love of God the Father, we too must be the love of Christ."

CASTEL GANDOLFO (AsiaNews) - All Christians have the mission to be "angels", heralds of the message of love, brought by Jesus through the sacraments of baptism and confirmation announced the Pope. This was Benedict XVI´s message this Easter Monday to two thousand people present for the Regina Caeli in the courtyard of the Apostolic Palace of Castel Gandolfo, where the Pope arrived yesterday afternoon for a short period of rest.  "As you know - said Benedict XVI - "the Monday after Easter Sunday is traditionally called 'Angels´ Monday'. It is very interesting to deepen this reference to the Angels. Naturally, our thoughts turn immediately to the Gospel accounts of Jesus' resurrection, which refers to the figure of a messenger of the Lord ", who announced the resurrection to the women who came to the tomb". "But the Angel of the Resurrection" - Pope Benedict XVI continued - "has another meaning.  It must be borne in mind that the term 'angel' in addition to defining the Angels, spiritual beings endowed with intelligence and will, servants and messengers of God, is also one of the oldest titles attributed to Jesus himself. "We read, for example, in Tertullian: 'He - that is Christ - was also called "angel of good council" that is the herald, which is a term denoting an office, not nature. In fact, he had to announce to the world the Father's great plan for the restoration of man '(De carne Christi, 14). Thus says the ancient Christian writer. "  "Jesus Christ, the Son of God, therefore, is also called the Angel of God the Father: He is the messenger par excellence of his love. Dear friends - said the Pope - we now think of what the Risen Jesus told the Apostles: 'As the Father has sent me, so I send you' (Jn 20:21) and he communicated to them his Holy Spirit. This means that, as Jesus was the herald of the love of God the Father, we too must be the love of Christ.  "We are messengers of his resurrection and victory over evil and death, the bearers of his divine love. Of course, we are by nature men and women, but we receive the mission of the 'angels', messengers of Christ.  It is given to all in Baptism and Confirmation. Especially through the Sacrament of Holy Orders it is received by priests, ministers of Christ, I like to emphasize this in this Year for Priests."