Archbishop Charles Scicluna led the celebration of Easter Sunday this morning, saying that peace, faith, and reconciliation is the fruit of Jesus' resurrection, through which our own individual plagues are transformed.

Scicluna led the Easter Sunday mass on Sunday morning, which was also Freedom Day, where he read the gospel reading, Peter's account of when he and another disciple hurried to Jesus' tomb that morning, only to find it empty.

"What he found was not only proof which removes all doubt, but an invitation, to enter the tomb where Jesus was buried, and where the greatest development, progress, and the greatest moment of evolution of humanity could be witnessed - resurrection," Scicluna said.

Jesus did not return to his life before, but through the door of death emerged the existence of resurrection, and pulled the people with him, Scicluna said.

He said that just as people go through the door of the womb, they will also pass through the door of death, but will then find an open door to life.

"They asked Mary Magdalene what she saw, the tomb? the sheet? But these are not evidence which make you believe by force, these are signals which indicate a proposal, a proposal of faith," Scicluna said.

He said that people believe in resurrection as evidence is not something which is forced upon us, but a language understood by the heart.

"The heart sees what cannot be seen, and believes in what is difficult to believe with empirical evidence," Scicluna said.

"To God, we pray that he purifies our hearts, and opens the doors wide to welcome the presence of the teacher who was crucified and now resurrected," Scicluna said.

He also prayed for the gift of peace, which is in a "total crisis at an international level," and prayed for peace for society and that of individuals.

"His words were, 'peace be with you,' - this is the fruit of resurrection, peace coming from the heart, coming from the forgiving of sin and reconciliation," Scicluna said.

He said that through Jesus' plagues, the people's plagues will be transformed.

"The words of Peter are a summary of the faith of the Christian community. God was raised on the third day and granted he be visible not to all people, but to us, with witnesses chosen by God in advance, who drank and ate with him," Scicluna said.

He said that the intimacy Peter shared with the risen Lord can be shared in the blessing of the Eucharist, where individuals receive the body and blood of Jesus Christ.

Scicluna prayed for the Lord to purify people's hearts, and comes, through the Eucharist, to reconcile us with the Father, heal our wounds, and transform us in wisdom and compassion.

Through Jesus' love and grace through his death, eternal life was granted for all, Scicluna said.

The Maltese National Anthem was then sung by Church choir to commemorate Freedom Day.

Photos by Archdiocese of Malta - Claire Camilleri