‘Run’ to seek Christ in everyday life, Pope Francis says in Easter Sunday homily

CNA Newsroom, Apr 20, 2025 / 06:10 am

Under clear spring skies and surrounded by thousands of faithful gathered in a St. Peter’s Square adorned with vibrant yellow daffodils, Pope Francis’ Easter Sunday homily called Christians to actively seek the risen Jesus in their daily lives, urging believers to “run” just as the disciples did after discovering the empty tomb.

“We must look for him without ceasing,” emphasized the pope’s text, which was delivered by Cardinal Angelo Comastri on April 20. “Because if he has risen from the dead, then he is present everywhere, he dwells among us, he hides himself and reveals himself even today in the sisters and brothers we meet along the way.”

Earlier in the morning, at approximately 11:30 a.m., Pope Francis held a brief private meeting with U.S. Vice President JD Vance at the Casa Santa Marta. The meeting, which lasted only a few minutes, provided an opportunity for the two to exchange Easter greetings.

Vance previously met Cardinal Pietro Parolin on Saturday to discuss international relations, religious freedom, and humanitarian concerns.

The homily described how the Gospel account of Easter features the disciples “running” to discover Christ’s resurrection. This physical movement, the text explained, symbolizes the spiritual dynamism required of Christians.

“The protagonists of the Easter narratives all ran!” the homily stated. “This ‘running’ expresses, on the one hand, the concern that the Lord’s body had been taken away; but, on the other hand, the running of Mary Magdalene, Peter, and John expresses the desire, the yearning of the heart, the inner attitude of those who set out to search for Jesus.”

The prepared text emphasized that followers of Christ “cannot remain stationary” but must “take action” to seek Jesus “in life,” “in the faces of our brothers and sisters,” and “in everyday business” — “everywhere except in the tomb.”

Pope Francis warned against confining Christ “to a fairy tale” or thinking of him “as a statue in a museum,” insisting instead on the living presence of Jesus in the world today.

The homily highlighted the radical nature of the Easter faith, describing it as “anything but a complacent settling into some sort of ‘religious reassurance.’” Rather, “Easter spurs us to action” and “invites us to have eyes that can ‘see beyond.’”

The homily concluded with a prayer asking for renewal: “Lord, on this feast day we ask you for this gift: that we too may be made new, so as to experience this eternal newness. Cleanse us, O God, from the sad dust of habit, tiredness, and indifference.”

This year’s Easter celebration took on special significance as it coincided with the current jubilee year, with the homily specifically noting how “the jubilee invites us to renew the gift of hope within us.”