Easter Greetings of the General Minister

Dear Brothers, it’s Easter and I want to send my good wishes.

We know, however, that Easter follows Good Friday. The Cross comes first. Jesus embraced the Cross until death and then rose again. Have you ever wondered how Francis, our founder, experienced Easter? It seems to me that above all it was on La Verna – when he felt alone and abandoned by his friars, when he was asking himself over and over, My God, who are You and who am I? It was then that he found himself before the Crucified, and when he identified himself with the same Crucified One. He received the stigmata and in that moment he embraced both the Crucified and his own cross as well. Thus Francis became able to say: You are good, all good, the highest good, You are beauty, You are meekness. This is my hope for all of you, that you do not fear to embrace your crosses, your sufferings and difficulties, because it is by means of them that you will find an experience of Easter in your lives.

Brothers! Happy Easter!*

Br. Mauro Jöhri OFMCap
General Minister

*Audio transcription of the video greeting

Watch the video of the General Minister (in Italian)