The New Shortage: Ketchup Can’t Catch Up – WSJ

The pandemic turned restaurants into takeout specialists, boosting demand for the condiment; ‘Everyone out there is grabbing for ketchup’

Supply chain problems are reaching into a far corner of the business universe: Ketchup packets.

After enduring a year of closures, employee safety fears and start-stop openings, many American restaurants are now facing a nationwide ketchup shortage. Restaurants are trying to secure the tabletop staple after Covid-19 upended the condiment world order. Managers are using generic versions, pouring out bulk ketchup into individual cups and hitting the aisles of Costco for substitutes.

“We’ve been hunting high and low,” said Chris Fuselier, owner of Denver-based Blake Street Tavern, who has struggled to keep ketchup in stock for much of this year.

The pandemic turned many sit-down restaurants into takeout specialists, making individual ketchup packets the primary condiment currency for both national chains and mom-and-pop restaurants. Packet prices are up 13% since January 2020, and their market share has exploded at the expense of tabletop bottles, according to restaurant-business platform Plate IQ.

Source: The New Shortage: Ketchup Can’t Catch Up – WSJ

Extra-strength acetaminophen recalled nationwide | Fox Business

Nearly 200,000 bottles of extra-strength acetaminophen, used to relieve pain and fevers and sold under multiple brand names, are being recalled nationwide due to a mislabeling issue.

A-S Medication Solutions, LLM voluntarily recalled bottles of its Acetaminophen Extra Strength 500 mg tablets because they have “an incomplete prescription drug label rather than the required OTC Drug Facts label,” the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said in a notice.

Representatives for A-S Medication Solutions did not return FOX Business’ request for comment.

Extra-strength acetaminophen is sold under various brand names

The 100-count bottles labeled with National Drug Code (NDC) 50090-5350-0 were packed inside white pill bottles within a clear plastic bag as part of Health Essentials Kits.

The kits, which included other seasonal products such as Halls cough drops, were “distributed by Humana to its members,” according to the FDA.

The affected bottles were “likely” distributed nationwide between Jan. 14, 2021, and March 15, 2021. The expiration dates are either July 31, 2022, or Aug. 31, 2022.

The company is not aware of any reports of “adverse events” related to the recalled product. However, the agency said the affected bottles, which lack “the full OTC Drug Facts chart,” should be returned.

ASM or its distributors will provide pre-addressed return mailers for customers, the FDA said.

Source: Extra-strength acetaminophen recalled nationwide | Fox Business

Pittsburgh Public Schools students are returning to classrooms

Young students wearing masks entered the doors and were greeted by school staff, including Principal Nathan Berkowicz.

“This was very, very exciting today,” Berkowicz said. “I didn’t sleep a wink last night. This has been a year in the making since the students have last been in the building.”

Inside the school, stickers were on floors to remind students to keep 6 feet of distance, though the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now says 3 feet will suffice.

Teachers sat in classrooms behind their plastic shields near rearranged student desks.

It may not be perfect, but Berkowicz said in-person learning is the focus here.

“It’s very difficult in a remote environment — you know, students holding devices and keeping their attention span — so at that age, it’s real important to get them in front of their teachers,” Berkowicz said.

When you don’t get students in front of teachers, Pittsburgh Public Schools Superintendent Anthony Hamlet said the educating starts to become undone, which is why expanded summer learning and Saturday courses are being explored for potentially 6,000 students.

“That’s something we’re planning for next year, and, so, traditionally, being in the situation we are with the learning loss, we’ve already had the summer slide, now what I call the COVID slide coupled with the summer slide, we know some kids will be behind,” Hamlet said.

To bring the students up to speed for later, day one for in-person is the first step.

“I was always confident we would be here at some point,” Hamlet said.

Source: Pittsburgh Public Schools students are returning to classrooms

Frederick, Maryland shooting: Suspect drove to Fort Detrick, where he was fatally shot, police say – CNN

Maryland police are “on scene responding to an active shooter” in the city of Frederick on Tuesday morning, according to a tweet from city police.

(CNN)A man shot and injured two people at a business in the Maryland city of Frederick on Tuesday morning before driving to the US military’s nearby Fort Detrick, where personnel there shot and killed him, police said.

Though police didn’t publicly identify the gunman, the US Navy said he was a Navy hospital corpsman, and Fort Detrick officials told CNN that he was posted at that installation.
The gunman — a 38-year-old man — entered a business at Riverside Tech Park in the northeast of the city and opened fire in or near it, striking two men, Frederick Police Chief Jason Lando told reporters.
He then drove to Fort Detrick, about 10 minutes away, where “personnel on the base” fatally shot him, Lando said.
This is a developing story.

Source: Frederick, Maryland shooting: Suspect drove to Fort Detrick, where he was fatally shot, police say – CNN

Allen Police Find 6 Dead, Say Suicide Pact Shared On Social Media Mentions ‘Killing Family’ – CBS Dallas / Fort Worth

Police confirmed the identities as 19-year-old twins Farhan and Farbin Towhid, their older brother Tanvir, 21, and their parents Iren and Towhidul Islam died. The children’s grandmother, Altafun Nessa was also a victim.

Police said the deaths are a result of a murder-suicide.

The family is part of a tight knit Bangladeshi community.

“When I heard the news I couldn’t breathe for 20 to 30 minutes. How could it happen in a community like us? We’re so close and we visit each other and talk to each other, we have dinner and stuff, but inside the house… his children were unhappy for some reason and one thing led to another,” said family friend Shawn Ahsan. “We are heartbroken. I don’t know what else to say… ”

When officers arrived, they found the bodies, all dead from gunshot wounds. Police said the deaths are a result of a murder suicide — two of the brothers killing their family.

Police said Farhan Towhid linked a lengthy suicide note from his Instagram. In it he writes “Hey everyone. I killed myself and my family.” He goes on to talk about how he has battled depression since 9th grade.

In the suicide note, Farhan Towhid said in February of this year, his older brother — who was also battling depression — made a proposition. He wrote that his brother said, “If we can’t fix everything in a year we’ll kill ourselves and our family.”

Source: Allen Police Find 6 Dead, Say Suicide Pact Shared On Social Media Mentions ‘Killing Family’ – CBS Dallas / Fort Worth

Biden infrastructure plan includes corporate tax hike, transportation money

President Biden hopes to pass a $2 trillion infrastructure and economic recovery package to jolt the economy after approval of a Covid relief plan.

  • President Biden unveiled a more than $2 trillion infrastructure and economic recovery package on Wednesday.
  • The plan aims to revitalize U.S. transportation infrastructure, water systems, broadband and manufacturing, among other goals.
  • An increase in the corporate tax rate to 28% and measures designed to prevent offshoring of profits will fund the spending, according to the White House.

Source: Biden infrastructure plan includes corporate tax hike, transportation money

Texas Highway Patrol trooper dies after being shot trying to help a driver – CNN

(CNN)After being shot in the line of duty last week, a Texas state trooper has died, according to a statement from the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS).

Trooper Chad Walker, 38, stopped to assist a driver alongside a highway near Mexia, Texas, on Friday when the driver exited the vehicle and shot him multiple times, according to series of tweets from DPS over the weekend.
“Trooper Walker’s horrific murder is a solemn reminder of the dangers law enforcement officers face every day to keep our communities safe,” Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said Wednesday night.
Walker was transported to a hospital in Waco following the shooting, DPS said. On Monday, DPS updated Walker’s condition in a statement, saying he was no longer displaying “signs of viable brain activity and he remains on life-support until he can share the gift of life as an organ donor.”
DPS announced Walker’s death Wednesday afternoon.
“Texas Highway Patrol Trooper Chad Walker was committed to protecting the people of Texas. His sacrifice will never be forgotten, and we ask that you keep his family, friends and colleagues in your prayers during the difficult days ahead,” DPS Director Steven McCraw said in a statement announcing his death on Wednesday.
A second-generation law enforcement officer who began his career in 2003, Walker leaves behind a wife and four children, according to DPS.

Source: Texas Highway Patrol trooper dies after being shot trying to help a driver – CNN

‘Genuine Pittsburgh’: Hazelwood riverfront plan pumps new life into old industrial relics | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

 

Imagine fishing from a piece of deck that was once part of an old mill coal loader. Or gazing out over the Mon from the top of a large mooring cell once used to tether barges. Or perhaps paddling to a small floating island for an afternoon picnic.

They’re all part of the vision for 1.3 miles of Monongahela riverfront once claimed by the former LTV Coke Works in Hazelwood and largely left for dead for decades.

After six months of study, including ideas and feedback from neighborhood residents, Pittsburgh-based Environmental Planning & Design has crafted a plan that turns the rusting industrial relics that mar the water’s edge into modern-day recreational amenities aimed at enhancing it.

“It’s genuine Pittsburgh,” Andrew J.G. Schwartz, studio director of Environmental Planning & Design, said in an interview.

Mark Belko: mbelko@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1262.

Read Source: ‘Genuine Pittsburgh’: Hazelwood riverfront plan pumps new life into old industrial relics | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

New batch of $1,400 stimulus checks includes ‘plus-up’ payments

  • As the government continues to send $1,400 stimulus checks, some people are getting plus-up payments to the payments they already received.
  • People who receive Social Security, Supplemental Security Income or Railroad Retirement benefits could see their checks deposited in the coming days.
  • Here’s what we know about who has received the money so far and who may still be waiting.

Source: New batch of $1,400 stimulus checks includes ‘plus-up’ payments

New monolith found in Utah outback, this one with pop-out drawer, cryptic message | Gephardt Daily

CEDAR CITY, Utah, April 4, 2021 (Gephardt Daily) — A pre-Easter family outing to the Three Peaks area near Cedar City turned much more intriguing when a member of the Anderson family came upon a shiny metal monolith that had not been there on previous trips.

“We come here every year,” Bruce Anderson, of Cedar City, told Gephardt Daily. “I think it was Thursday that some of the kids were riding ATVs and one came back and took us out to show us.”

What the kids had found was a human-made monolith, much like others found since late 2020, when the first was found in Utah’s San Juan County. Since then, multiple copycat monoliths have appeared around the world.

Source: New monolith found in Utah outback, this one with pop-out drawer, cryptic message | Gephardt Daily

Psaki answers for Biden over false Georgia election law claims

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki on Monday was pressed by both liberal and conservative members of the media about President Biden’s opposition to a new Georgia voting law after he earned “Pinocchios” from fact-checkers for making false statements about its provisions.

Biden last week urged Major League Baseball to relocate its July all-star game from Atlanta in protest and MLB took the advice, outraging Republicans who say the law was inaccurately portrayed and attacked.

Biden was awarded “Four Pinocchios” by the Washington Post, which endorsed his candidacy, for spreading misinformation about the state law’s impact on voting hours.

The law does not alter Election Day hours but expands early voting by adding a second mandatory Saturday. It also affirms that counties have the option of opening two Sundays and allowing counties to extend early voting hours beyond standard business hours.

Source: Psaki answers for Biden over false Georgia election law claims

13 Displaced After Fire At Apartments Over Jack’s Bar – CBS Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – Thirteen people were displaced after a fire over Jack’s Bar on the South Side.

It happened on East Carson and 12th Street Monday evening. The owner of Jack’s says the front part of the bar was not damaged, though the backroom sustained heavy smoke and water damage. The front portion of the bar will reopen on Tuesday morning at 7 a.m.

 

Pittsburgh Public Safety says thirteen people on the residential floors were displaced, but are all accounted for. Firefighters saved a kitten from inside one of the apartments and gave it some oxygen before reuniting it with its owner.

“I tried everything I could to find my cat and I couldn’t do it,” Pete said. “I couldn’t see. I couldn’t breathe. So I had to go out the window.

“I couldn’t believe it. I thought she was lost because there was so much smoke in my apartment and I thought she probably died of smoke inhalation.”

Fire officials say the majority of the damage is to the top floor of the building.

As the crews battled the flames, police worked to keep people back while a section of East Carson Street was shut down.

Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire Chief Darryl Jones said the cause of the fire is under investigation.

The Red Cross is helping at least 10 people.

Source: 13 Displaced After Fire At Apartments Over Jack’s Bar – CBS Pittsburgh

Here’s how Nancy Pelosi could personally benefit from Biden’s $2T spending bill | Fox News

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., is positioned to potentially personally benefit from President Biden’s $2 trillion spending bill – and here’s how she could do it.

Due to the massive electric car subsidies proposed in Biden’s infrastructure plan, Tesla is poised to be a big winner from Biden’s plan should it go through.

And, due to her husband’s massive Tesla investment, Pelosi could personally, financially benefit as Tesla grows from the  government subsidies, as the Free Beacon reported Friday.

Congressional spouses are legally allowed to invest in firms that their lawmaker husbands and wives work to regulate. However, the non-lawmaker spouse cannot act on information given to them by their congressional consort.

Source: Here’s how Nancy Pelosi could personally benefit from Biden’s $2T spending bill | Fox News

41 killed in landslides and floods in Indonesia; dozens missing

JAKARTA, Indonesia — Landslides and flash floods from torrential rains in eastern Indonesia killed at least 41 people and displaced thousands, the country’s disaster relief agency said Sunday. More than two dozen others were still missing.

Mud tumbled down from surrounding hills onto dozens of homes in Lamenele village shortly after midnight on Adonara island in East Nusa Tenggara province. Rescuers recovered 35 bodies and at least five injured, said Lenny Ola, who heads the local disaster agency.

Flash flooding killed at least six people elsewhere, according to the National Disaster Mitigation Agency. Relief efforts were hampered by power cuts, blocked roads covered in thick mud and debris as well as the remoteness of the area surrounded by choppy seas and high waves, said the agency’s spokesperson, Raditya Jati.

Source: 41 killed in landslides and floods in Indonesia; dozens missing

Hunter Biden says he has no ‘recollection’ of encounter with ex-stripper whose child he fathered | Fox News

In his forthcoming memoir “Beautiful Things,” Hunter Biden writes he “has no recollection” of an encounter with an ex-stripper from Arkansas who gave birth to their child in 2018.

The recovering addict and the son of President Biden in the book details his struggles with drugs, particularly in the wake of the death of his older brother Beau in 2015. Fox News obtained a copy in advance of its publication.

During what Hunter describes as “more than four years of active addiction” with intermittent failed attempts to get clean, he fathered a child with a stripper who worked at a Washington, D.C., club at the time. The younger Biden mentioned the woman and her child as he was explaining in his book that he’d had very little in the way of meaningful romantic relationships for most of his adult life.

Source: Hunter Biden says he has no ‘recollection’ of encounter with ex-stripper whose child he fathered | Fox News

SWAT called to Arlington home after neighbor dispute

PITTSBURGH —SWAT was called after a dispute in Arlington Sunday afternoon.

Pittsburgh police responded to the 2800 block of Spring Street around noon for man in dispute with his neighbors.

When officers arrived, they were alerted that the man went inside of his residence. Police say the man refused the commands from officers to come outside.

Police learned the man had warrants after he had barricaded himself inside the house.

Upon the arrival of SWAT, the suspect walked out of the house and surrendered to police without incident.

Source: SWAT called to Arlington home after neighbor dispute

Trio of earthquakes rattles L.A. area before dawn – Los Angeles Times

Three earthquakes centered in Inglewood shook the Los Angeles area early Monday.

A magnitude-4.0 earthquake was reported at 4:44 a.m. Monday near Inglewood, less than half an hour after two smaller foreshocks hit the same area.

The larger quake was felt across Southern California, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. A magnitude-3.3 temblor that preceded it hit the same area at 4:15 a.m., while a magnitude-2.5 shaker struck at the same time about two miles away. There were no immediate reports of damage.

The main earthquake was centered near the intersection of Prairie and Century boulevards. It occurred less than a mile from Lennox, less than a mile from Hawthorne and one mile from Los Angeles.

It was followed by several smaller quakes in the Inglewood and Lennox area.

Earthquake expert Lucy Jones said on Twitter that the magnitude-4.0 quake was strong enough to be “felt by most people awake in LA” but noted that it had occurred “very deep” in the earth, about 12 miles down. She added it was likely not on any mapped faults. The foreshock and flurry of aftershocks occurred at about the same depth, Jones said.

A KCBS-TV news broadcast was on the air when the magnitude-4.0 temblor struck.

Source: Trio of earthquakes rattles L.A. area before dawn – Los Angeles Times

Inmates stage uprising at St. Louis jail dogged by unrest | Fox News

Inmates broke windows, set a fire, and threw debris to the ground late Sunday at a St. Louis, Missouri jail that has been plagued by uprisings in recent months.

The riot broke out Sunday night around 9 p.m. at the City Justice Center, news outlets reported. Inmates were seen tossing objects out of broken windows and setting a fire. Firefighters used a hose to douse the flames.

Law enforcement responded to bring the jail under control. Inmates had moved away from the broken windows by about 10:30 p.m., according to news outlets. Then around 11 p.m., inmates broke windows on the other side of the jail and began throwing objects again. Thirty minutes later, the inmates had disappeared again and officers could be seen inside.

Source: Inmates stage uprising at St. Louis jail dogged by unrest | Fox News

Unopened Super Mario Bros. game from 1986 sells for $660,000 | Fox Business

The auction house said the video game was bought as a Christmas gift but ended up being placed in a desk drawer, where it remained sealed in plastic and with its hang tab intact until it was found earlier this year.

“Since the production window for this copy and others like it was so short, finding another copy from this same production run in similar condition would be akin to looking for single drop of water in an ocean,” said Valarie McLeckie, Heritage’s video game specialist.

The copy is the “finest” one known to have been graded for auction.

Source: Unopened Super Mario Bros. game from 1986 sells for $660,000 | Fox Business

Two killed in Salem Township house fire

Two people were killed in a house fire in Westmoreland County on Sunday.

The fire was reported at a home on the 1600 block of Route 819 in Salem Township at around 12:53 a.m.

The Westmoreland County Coroner’s office identified the victims as 57-year-old David Staats and 84-year-old Helena Staats.

“When we arrived the house was fully involved– flames coming out of every window,” said Forbes Road Fire Chief Bob Rosatti.

Rosatti said that the roof collapsed moments after the firefighter’s arrival and they were unable to enter due to the flames.

“There were two vehicles in the driveway which lead us to believe that there was somebody in there, but given the conditions of the fire there was nothing we could have done,” he said.

Once crews were able to knock the initial fire down and make the conditions somewhat safer, they were able to get closer to the home, according to Rosatti.

“We brought an aerial apparatus in and it was putting water down from the top and we found one victim,” he said. “We had to have an excavator come in and remove the debris from the structure to find the second victim.”

The Pennsylvania State Police Fire Marshal is investigating the cause of the fire, but Rosatti said he doesn’t believe it was suspicious.

Source: Two killed in Salem Township house fire

Plane crashes in Jefferson County, Colorado. Pilot is found dead | 9news.com

JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. — The pilot and only occupant of a small aircraft has died, after the plane crashed into a remote area of Jefferson County, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) said.

>The single-engine aircraft was reported missing Saturday night, but was located Sunday morning after search crews were able to see the plane from the air just after 10 a.m., according to JCSO Public Information Officer Mike Taplin.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the single-engine Magnus Fusion 212 crashed overnight about 20 miles south of Conifer, with just the pilot on board. The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board will investigate.

“The area that it was found was very difficult to get to. It took several hours for Alpine Rescue to get to him,” said Sgt. Rod Parker with JCSO. “It’s about two miles down the trailhead. And about a half-mile off of that trail on the side of a hill.”

The United States Air Force (USAF) received a notification from the aircraft’s emergency beacon and contacted JCSO Saturday night at about 8:15 p.m., according to Taplin. The aircraft was reported to have gone missing in the area of Wigwam Creek Trail, JCSO said.

Source: Plane crashes in Jefferson County, pilot found dead | 9news.com

One Person Killed, Another Injured In Hempfield Twp. Crash – CBS Pittsburgh

One person was killed and another was injured in a head-on crash in Hempfield Township.

The crash happened around 7:00 p.m. Friday night along Route 136 near Fallow Deer Lane and Harry Long Road.

Westmoreland County dispatchers tell KDKA the surviving victim was flown to the hospital.

There’s no word on their condition at this time.

Source: One Person Killed, Another Injured In Hempfield Twp. Crash – CBS Pittsburgh

Man hospitalized after early-morning shooting In Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh Public Safety said police responded to a ShotSpotter alert on the 1100 block of West North Avenue around 2:30 a.m.

Investigators found a man shot in leg who was in the road on Sheffield Street.

The victim was taken to the hospital and is still alive.

Police said a suspect reportedly ran away, but it’s unclear in what direction.

Police are still investigating.

Source: Man hospitalized after early-morning shooting In Pittsburgh

One dead following industrial accident in O’Hara Township

Police say he was struck by an industrial tote containing 330 gallons of liquid Friday morning.

One man has died after police say he was struck by an industrial tote containing liquid Friday morning.

Police say the tote that struck 43-year-old Jason D’Alicandro weighed 330 gallons.

D’Alicandro was transported to a local hospital where he later died.

Anyone with information concerning this incident is asked to call the County Police Tip Line 1-833-ALL-TIPS. Callers can remain anonymous.

Source: One dead following industrial accident in O’Hara Township

Amazon apologises for wrongly denying drivers need to urinate in bottles – BBC News

Amazon has apologised to a US politician for falsely denying that drivers are, at times, forced to urinate in plastic bottles.

Mark Pocan, a Democrat from Wisconsin, referenced Amazon making “workers urinate in water bottles” in a tweet.

The official Amazon Twitter account then replied: “If that were true, nobody would work for us.”

The company has now apologised after evidence emerged of drivers having to urinate in bottles.

Source: Amazon apologises for wrongly denying drivers need to urinate in bottles – BBC News

Schumer: Senate will act on marijuana legalization with or without Biden – POLITICO

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer really likes to talk about weed.

Schumer has been making waves on cannabis policy since he first introduced a bill to legalize marijuana in April 2018. It was part of his pitch for voting Democrat in the 2020 election, and now — with the majority in hand — he is putting together new federal marijuana reform legislation with Sens. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).

This week, Schumer’s home state of New York legalized marijuana use for adults, after years of failed efforts. More than 40 percent of Americans now live in states that have embraced full legalization.

President Joe Biden has been a conspicuous outlier among Democrats when it comes to supporting marijuana legalization. But Schumer said Biden’s reticence won’t deter the Senate from taking aggressive action to loosen federal restrictions.

Source: Schumer: Senate will act on marijuana legalization with or without Biden – POLITICO

Fallen debris from SpaceX rocket launch lands on a farm in central Washington | Space

A piece of debris from a SpaceX launch has turned up on someone’s farm in central Washington, local authorities reported Friday (April 2) — about one week after the falling rocket debris sparked reports of “shooting stars” the U.S. Pacific Northwest.

According to the Grant County Sheriff’s Office, the recovered object appears to be a composite overwrapped pressure vessel, or COPV, belonging to the second stage of the Falcon 9 rocket that launched March 4 from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, on a mission dubbed Starlink 17.

“SpaceX recovered a Composite-Overwrapped Pressure Vessel from last week’s Falcon 9 re-entry. It was found on private property in southwest Grant County this week,” the Grant County Sheriff’s Office wrote in a statement on Twitter, adding that they would not provide the exact location or the name of the man whose property it fell on.

“Media and treasure hunters: we are not disclosing specifics. The property owner simply wants to be left alone,” the sheriff’s office said in the tweet.

Source: Fallen debris from SpaceX rocket launch lands on a farm in central Washington | Space

500 million Facebook users’ personal data found on website for hackers

NEW YORK (AP) — Details from more than 500 million Facebook users have been found available on a website for hackers.

The information appears to be several years old, but it is another example of the vast amount of information collected by Facebook and other social media sites, and the limits to how secure that information is.

Source: 500 million Facebook users’ personal data found on website for hackers

Pope at Easter Vigil: Christ alive today, always helps begin anew – Vatican News

By Robin Gomes

In the hour of darkness when humanity is grappling with the pandemic and other ills, Christians need to take to heart the Easter message of the angel not to be afraid, assured that in Galilee where the Lord precedes them, their expectations will be fulfilled, their tears will be dried and their fears will be replaced by hope.   Pope Francis made the point in his homily at the Easter Vigil Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica Saturday night.

Reflecting on the Easter episode of the women at the tomb, the Pope drew attention to what the angel told them.   “Wonder at hearing the words: ‘Do not be afraid!” the Pope said.  “You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified.  He has risen’.  And a message: ‘He is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see Him’.”

Always possible to begin anew

After the initial rite of the blessing of the fire and the Paschal candle inside the basilica, Pope Francis and the concelebrants proceeded towards the altar of the chair, with a deacon bearing the lit Easter candle.  During the procession in the darkened church, the flame of the candle was first passed on to the Pope and then gradually to the concelebrants and the limited number of faithful.  After the Pope walked up the main aisle, the basilica’s lights were switched on.

Ushering in the 9th Easter of his pontificate, the 84-year-old pontiff in his homily reflected on what it means to go to Galilee.  First of all, it means to begin anew.  Galilee was the place of the first encounter of the disciples with the Lord, their first love.  It was here that they listened to Him preach and perform miracles. It was also where they misunderstood His words and in the face of the cross abandoned Him and fled.

In spite of everything, the Lord invites them to start over from where they began.  “In this Galilee,” the Pope said, “we learn to be amazed by the Lord’s infinite love, which opens new trails along the path of our defeats.”

Source: Pope at Easter Vigil: Christ alive today, always helps begin anew – Vatican News

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