I came across this tonight.... it was just a few days later that the Lord
called him home.... what an amazing man!

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Urbi et Orbi Message of His Holiness Pope John Paull II
Easter Sunday, 27 March 2005

1. Mane nobiscum, Domine!
Stay with us, Lord! (cf. Lk 24:29)

With these words, the disciples on the road to Emmaus invited the mysterious
Wayfarer to stay with them, as the sun was setting on that first day of the
week when the incredible had occurred. According to his promise, Christ had
risen; but they did not yet know this. Nevertheless, the words spoken by the
Wayfarer along the road made their hearts burn within them. So they said to
him: "Stay with us". Seated around the supper table, they recognized him in
the "breaking of bread" - and suddenly he vanished. There remained in front
of them the broken bread, There echoed in their hearts the gentle sound of
his words.

2. Dear brothers and sisters, the Word and the Bread of the Eucharist, the
mystery and the gift of Easter, remain down the centuries as a constant
memorial of the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Christ! On this Easter
Day, together with all Christians throughout the world, we too repeat those
words: Jesus, crucified and risen, stay with us! Stay with us, faithful
friend and sure support for humanity on its journey through history! Living
Word of the Father, give hope and trust to all who are searching for the
true meaning of their lives. Bread of eternal life, nourish those who hunger
for truth, freedom, justice and peace.

3. Stay with us, Living Word of the Father, and teach us words and deeds of
peace: peace for our world consecrated by your blood and drenched in the
blood of so many innocent victims: peace for the countries of the Middle
East and Africa, where so much blood continues to be shed; peace for all of
humanity, still threatened by fratricidal wars. Stay with us, Bread of
eternal life, broken and distributed to those at table: give also to us the
strength to show generous solidarity towards the multitudes who are even
today suffering and dying from poverty and hunger, decimated by fatal
epidemics or devastated by immense natural disasters. By the power of your
Resurrection, may they too become sharers in new life.

4. We, the men and women of the third millennium, we too need you, Risen
Lord! Stay with us now, and until the end of time. Grant that the material
progress of peoples may never obscure the spiritual values which are the
soul of their civilization. Sustain us, we pray, on our journey. In you do
we believe, in you do we hope, for you alone have the words of eternal life
(cf. Jn 6:68). Mane nobiscum, Domine! Alleluia!