In the Monastery of the Poor Clares of Albano, Cardinal Fernando Vérgez Alzaga, President Emeritus of the Governorate, celebrated the Holy Mass in preparation for Easter

A community in prayer to accompany the Pope and his collaborators 

A special place, where the Eucharist is celebrated while awaiting Easter: the Monastery of the Immaculate Conception of the Poor Clares of Albano. A community that, given its location within the Pontifical Villas, has always had a special bond with the Governorate and its departments. The nuns of Saint Clare have, in fact, as a special mission, that of praying for the Pope, the Church and for Vatican City.

Together with the community, in the Monastery’s church, Cardinal Fernando Vérgez Alzaga, President Emeritus of the Governorate, with Sr. Raffaella Petrini, President, Archbishop Emilio Nappa and Giuseppe Puglisi-Alibrandi, General Secretaries, together with the Directors, Deputy Directors and Office Heads, the Jesuit community and staff of the Vatican Observatory, gathered for the celebration of Holy Mass on Saturday morning, April 12.

Below is the homily of Cardinal Fernando Vérgez Alzaga:

I greet Sr. Raffaella Petrini, President of the Governorate,

I greet Archbishop Emilio Nappa and Attorney Giuseppe Puglisi-Alibrandi, General Secretaries,

I greet all the Directors, Deputy Directors and Office Heads,

I greet the Jesuit Fathers and members of the Vatican Observatory,

I greet the Mother Abbess and all the Poor Clares of the Monastery of the Immaculate Conception of the Pontifical Villas.

We gather together around the Eucharist to prepare for the upcoming Easter. We are on the eve of Holy Week which, with its rites, accompanies us to celebrate the Resurrection of Christ.

Today's Gospel is placed in the epilogue of Jesus' earthly journey. The news of the resurrection of Lazarus arouses various reactions, including the contrary ones of the Sanhedrin. These elders cannot accept that Jesus has power over life and death, because it upsets their own power system and eludes their control. It is unacceptable, in their eyes, that Jesus is the Messiah. Even an irrefutable sign like the resurrection of Lazarus is simply ignored, silenced, rejected.

In practice, the elders of the Sanhedrin deny the evidence and reveal the deep reasons for the refusal. If the return to life of Lazarus were admitted and recognized, it would have undermined their system of power, a system that they pass off as good for the people, and would have opened the way to the recognition of the Messiah. This is why this resurrection becomes unsustainable for them. Caiaphas is the spokesman for the elders' requests and expresses his opinion: the crowds follow Jesus, his signs arouse expectations and hopes. All of this is unacceptable, dangerous and destabilizing. The solution is to eliminate Jesus and silence the people in order to prevent the Romans from intervening. The decision of the High Priest is prophetic: he states “consider that it is better for you that one man should die instead of the people, so that the whole nation may not perish.”

Without knowing it, he reveals the truth about the mission of the Messiah: Jesus will die to save an entire people. That prophecy will come true a few days later, when the Savior will be put to death. The reason made clear by Caiaphas is to prevent his works from annoying the Romans so as to induce them to destroy the Temple of Jerusalem. In fact, many saw in Jesus' work that of a rabble-rouser who sooner or later would catalyze around himself a group of people who would rebel against Roman rule. Isn't this also what Judas expected of Him?

The elders do not want their relative tranquility to be disturbed and prefer to let the presumed good of men prevail over the authentic good of God. In this way, Caiaphas is the first on the list of many powerful people who repress religious freedom and the fundamental rights of every living being.

There is another aspect to keep in mind in this story of John the Evangelist. The Sanhedrin show concern for the behavior of Jesus, for something that goes beyond their understanding. Yet, the resurrection of Lazarus is incontrovertible, many witnesses confirm having seen him alive after four days spent in the tomb. The elders implicitly recognize their impotence in the face of the signs performed by Jesus. However, despite this, these Jews do not believe, they do not open their eyes to the mystery of God, but are driven to oppose, to intervene to repress his action.

When John writes his Gospel, the deportation of the Jews and the destruction of Jerusalem at the hands of the Romans have already taken place. Despite their measures against Jesus, the elders of the Sanhedrin cannot avoid what they attribute as responsibility to faith in Christ. Their judgment is completely wrong, because the social unrest thought  to be a consequence of faith in Jesus is, on the contrary, the fruit of their disbelief and rejection of the Messiah.

In the economy of Salvation, the death of Christ has salvation as its objective, because it gathers together in unity all the dispersed children of God. Sin is division, salvation is life in unity with God and with our brothers and sisters. In the death of Jesus, the prophecy of Ezekiel, which we have heard today, is fulfilled, in which the Lord will gather all his children into one people, to form one flock led by one shepherd.

Dear brothers and sisters, I am grateful for your presence, which once again confirms your kind consideration and affection for me. I thank, in particular, Sr. Raffaella for the invitation and I thank the Poor Clares for their prayers that with affection have always accompanied and accompany our service to the Church. I take this opportunity to wish you all and your families a Holy Easter.

Risen Christ, help us to experience the joy of the Father who loves us and who lives in us and fill us with Your peace and light. Mary, our Mother, grant us to live this Jubilee Year in an Easter of grace, an Easter of friendship, an Easter of encounter, an Easter of reconciliation. Amen.