Dear Brothers and sisters, peace be with you,

Early this morning I received the sad news of a companion of yours traveling with you on pilgrimage, your fellow pilgrim, your sister who passed away unexpectedly last night I believe. And of course, the sadness that death brings to all of us is something that is very human and very understandable, especially being so far away from home and on an occasion like this when we really come together to celebrate our faith with joy. And then all of a sudden, we are reminded in a very powerful way, that our life is not superficial nor do we have control over our own lives nor do we know as Jesus himself says, neither the day nor the hour when for some reason our earthy life ends. But as we also learn in the Gospel, what Martha and Mary discovered when their brother Lazarus had died, and when Jesus was not with them at first but then came several days after his death, and their understanding was that Jesus is life and resurrection.

And so in a certain way, as we celebrate this Jubilee year of hope, we are reminded in a very powerful way how much our faith in Jesus Christ needs to be part of who we are, of how we live, of how we appreciate and respect one another, and especially of how we continue to move forward in spite of such painful experiences.

Saint Augustine tells us that when someone dies of course it is very human and very natural to cry, to feel that pain, to feel the loss of someone who is dear to us, and yet he also says, do not mourn as pagans do, because we too have seen Jesus Christ die on the cross and rise from the dead. And it is our hope in the resurrection, that is the ultimate source of our hope, and we speak about a Jubilee Year of Hope, our hope is in Jesus Christ who is risen. And he calls all of us to renew our faith, calls all of us to be friends, brothers and sisters to one another, to support one another, and he says you too must be witnesses to that Gospel message. And for all of you it has touched your lives in a very personal and direct way today. So, we thought at least, in the midst of this pain, that you all experience for the loss of your friend, that at least to have this opportunity to come together to pray, to renew our faith, and to ask God both for the eternal rest of our sister but also for strengthening and consolation, strengthening of our faith and to be renewed in hope and as Church, as brothers and sisters, we therefore have gathered together for that reason.

So we ask the Lord to be with us, to be with all of you, as you live these days of the pilgrimage of the Jubilee Year of Hope and that you will all also be protected with God‘s love and God‘s grace.

The Lord be with you. May the blessing of almighty God come upon you all in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. May God be with you and give peace to your hearts.