The risen Christ brings joy, hope along life's journey, pope says

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The joy of Christ's resurrection can repair the widespread sadness and malaise in today's world, Pope Leo XIV said.

"On the paths of the heart, the Risen One walks with us and for us," the pope said Oct. 22 during his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square.

"It is the Risen One who radically changes our perspective, instilling hope that fills the void of sadness," he said.

Greeting Polish-speaking visitors during the audience, the pope highlighted that Oct. 22 marked the feast of St. John Paul II, the date of his inaugural Mass in 1978, during which he proclaimed, "Do not be afraid! Open wide the doors to Christ."

"Exactly 47 years ago, in this square, he urged the world to open itself to Christ," Pope Leo said. "This appeal is still valid today: We are all called to make it our own."

The month of October is dedicated to the rosary, he told French-speakers, and to prayer, reflection and action in support of its missionary work, he added in Italian.

All Catholics are invited "to renew our active cooperation in the mission of the church," he said.

"With the power of prayer, the potential of married life and the fresh energy of youth, may you be missionaries of the Gospel, offering your concrete support to those who dedicate their lives to the evangelization of peoples," he told young people and newlyweds who had come to the audience in their wedding attire to receive a blessing from him.

Meanwhile, in his ongoing series of audience talks on the Jubilee theme, "Jesus Christ our Hope," Pope Leo reflected on how Christ's resurrection "can heal one of the malaises of our time: sadness."

"Intrusive and widespread, sadness accompanies the days of many people," he said in his main address in Italian. "Sadness robs life of meaning and vigor, turning it into a directionless and meaningless journey."

A similar scenario can be seen in the Gospel of Luke's account of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, he said. "Disappointed and discouraged, they leave Jerusalem, leaving behind the hopes they held in Jesus, who has been crucified and entombed."

However, they met a stranger along the road who listened to them, "allowing them to unburden their disappointment," the pope said. A bit of hope is rekindled in their hearts when the stranger rebukes them for being slow to believe everything that the prophets have declared, "that Christ had to suffer, die and rise again."

It is only after they sit down and break bread with the "mysterious traveling companion" that the two disciples recognize him as Jesus, and he immediately disappears from their view, he said.

"Everything becomes clear: the shared journey, the tender and powerful word, the light of truth," Pope Leo said. "Immediately, joy is rekindled, energy flows back into their weary limbs, and gratitude returns to their memory."

Their souls are filled "with an unexpected and joyful realization: Christ is truly risen!" he said in English. "The Lord wishes to do the same for us, by dispelling any sadness and desperation that we may be feeling."

"The Lord has truly been raised," in deeds, not words, "with his body bearing the marks of his passion, a perennial seal of his love for us," the pope said in Italian. "The victory of life is not an empty word, but a real, tangible fact."

"May the unexpected joy of the disciples of Emmaus be a gentle reminder to us when the going gets tough," he said. "It is the Risen One who radically changes our perspective, instilling hope that fills the void of sadness."

Despite the darkness of his passion, "he bears witness to the defeat of death and affirms the victory of life," he said. "History still has much goodness to hope for."

"To recognize the Resurrection means to change one's outlook on the world: to return to the light to recognize the truth that has saved us, and that saves us," he said. Jesus alone "makes the impossible possible!"