My dear brothers and sisters,
Lazarus Saturday is a day of joy and hope for our Holy Church, as it foretells the radiant Resurrection of the Lord. Christ, by raising His friend Lazarus, reveals to us His power over death and calls us all to a new life full of light and faith.
In the Missionary Diocese of Majunga and North Madagascar, this message takes on special meaning. In a multi-religious environment, we are called, with discernment, love and respect for all, to bear witness to the truth of the Risen Christ. Our mission is not limited to words, but is expressed above all through practical love, sacrifice and service to every person.
Today too, the Lord addresses His “come forth” to every heart tried by fear, poverty and isolation. We are called to become instruments of His grace, carrying the light and hope of the Resurrection to every corner of the local community.
Let us renew our zeal, strengthen our unity and journey with faith towards Holy and Great Week.
We are already preparing for tomorrow’s great day, Palm Sunday, carefully making the palms that will be offered to the devout faithful, from the palm trees of the church of Saint Nicholas of our Missionary Diocese.
With fatherly love and good wishes,
Today, on the blessed day of Lazarus Saturday, the grace of God overshadowed abundantly the Missionary Diocese of Majunga and North Madagascar, granting us the inexpressible joy of performing the Holy Sacrament of Baptism for twenty-three new souls.
On this day, when our Church celebrates the raising of Lazarus by our Lord Jesus Christ, we have a foretaste of the great and world-saving event of the Resurrection. Christ is revealed as the Lord of life and death, the One who “holds the keys of Hades and of death” and grants eternal life.
In the same way, our newly illumined brothers and sisters, through Holy Baptism, have come out of the spiritual tomb of sin and darkness and entered into the light of grace and true life. “As many as have been baptised into Christ have put on Christ”; they have become members of His Body, children of God by grace and heirs of His Kingdom.
This missionary blessing is a living testimony that the work of the Church continues unceasingly and that the Resurrection of Christ is active today too, renewing people’s hearts and transforming their lives.
We glorify God for this great blessing and pray that the newly illumined may remain steadfast in the faith, grow “in wisdom and stature and grace” and become radiant members of the Church, carrying the light of Christ into every corner of their lives.
May Christ, the victor over life and death, always raise the souls of us all from every spiritual tomb and lead us to the eternal joy of the Resurrection.
