Pope Francis condemns Syrian conflict during Easter homily - 'The Risen Shepherd walks beside all those forced to leave their homelands...'

'He takes upon himself all those victimized by old and new forms of slavery...'

Pope Francis focused on the victims of war during his Easter message this year and commented on the oppressed who live on the fringes of society.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - The Pontiff decried the "latest vile" attack on Syrian civilians, which took place at a bus depot in the Aleppo area, where several uprooted families waited to be moved to new temporary housing.

An explosion left at least 100 civilians dead.

"Yesterday saw the latest vile attack on fleeing refugees," Pope Francis stated, following a prayer for peace in the Middle East.

In his Easter homily, the Pope spoke of the resurrected Christ, who watches over his flock.

"The Risen Shepherd goes in search of all those lost in the labyrinths of loneliness and marginalization," His Holiness explained. "He comes to meet them through our brothers and sisters who treat them with respect and kindness, and help them to hear his voice, an unforgettable voice, a voice calling them back to friendship with God.

"He takes upon himself all those victimized by old and new forms of slavery, inhuman labour, illegal trafficking, exploitation and discrimination, and grave forms of addiction. He takes upon himself children and adolescents deprived of their carefree innocence and exploited, and those deeply hurt by acts of violence that take place within the walls of their own home.

"The Risen Shepherd walks beside all those forced to leave their homelands as a result of armed conflicts, terrorist attacks, famine and oppressive regimes. Everywhere he helps these forced migrants to encounter brothers and sisters, with whom they can share bread and hope on their journey.

"In the complex and often dramatic situations of today's world, may the Risen Lord guide the steps of all those who work for justice and peace. May he grant the leaders of nations the courage they need to prevent the spread of conflicts and to put a halt to the arms trade.

"Especially in these days, may he sustain the efforts of all those actively engaged in bringing comfort and relief to the civil population in Syria, prey to a war that continues to sow horror and death. May he grant peace to the entire Middle East, beginning with the Holy Land, as well as in Iraq and Yemen.

"May the Good Shepherd remain close to the people of South Sudan, Sudan, Somalia and the Democratic Republic of Congo, who endure continuing hostilities, aggravated by the grave famine affecting certain parts of Africa.

"May the Risen Jesus sustain the efforts of all those who, especially in Latin America, are committed to ensuring the common good of societies marked at times by political and social tensions that in some cases have resulted in violence. May it be possible for bridges of dialogue to be built, by continuing to fight the scourge of corruption and to seek viable and peaceful solutions to disputes, for progress and the strengthening of democratic institutions in complete respect for the rule of law.

"May the Good Shepherd come to the aid of Ukraine, still beset by conflict and bloodshed, to regain social harmony. May he accompany every effort to alleviate the tragic sufferings of those affected by the conflict.

"The Risen Lord continues to shed his blessing upon the continent of Europe. May he grant hope to those experiencing moments of crisis and difficulty, especially due to high unemployment, particularly among young people."

The powerful message of Christ's presence amid the horrors of the Middle East spilled into the Pope's Easter Sunday message, in which he described the pained faces of the women who believed Jesus had died.

"If we try to imagine this scene," the Pontiff commented, "we can see in the faces of those women any number of other faces: the faces of mothers and grandmothers, of children and young people who bear the grievous burden of injustice and brutality. In their faces we can see reflected all those who, walking the streets of our cities, feel the pain of dire poverty, the sorrow born of exploitation and human trafficking.

"We can also see the faces of those who are greeted with contempt because they are immigrants, deprived of country, house and family. We see faces whose eyes bespeak loneliness and abandonment, because their hands are creased with wrinkles. Their faces mirror the faces of women, mothers, who weep as they see the lives of their children crushed by massive corruption that strips them of their rights and shatters their dreams.

"By daily acts of selfishness that crucify and then bury people's hopes. By paralyzing and barren bureaucracies that stand in the way of change.  In their grief, those two women reflect the faces of all those who, walking the streets of our cities, behold human dignity crucified."

The Pope called us all to be as the women who visited Jesus' tomb. He asked that we "retrace our steps and change the look on our faces." It is our calling to help those in need and to share the message of the Gospel.

To his credit, the Pontiff has never stopped fighting for the marginalized, the poor, the hungry, the homeless or the victims of bureaucratic circumstance and war.

Even as the world celebrates the Resurrection, Pope Francis calls for us all to remember why Jesus died - He didn't die for the rich, the blameless, the most respected or the strongest. He died for us all and loves us equally. It is our turn to learn to love one another as equals as well.

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