“Peace be with you all!
Dear brothers and sisters, this is the first greeting of the Risen Christ, the good shepherd who gave his life for the flock of God. I too would like this greeting of peace to enter your hearts, to reach your families, to all people, wherever they are, to all peoples, to the whole earth. Peace be with you!
This is the peace of the Risen Christ, a disarmed peace and a disarming, humble and persevering peace. It comes from God, God who loves us all unconditionally. We still keep in our ears that weak but ever courageous voice of Pope Francis blessing Rome! The Pope who blessed Rome gave his blessing to the world, to the entire world, that morning on Easter Sunday.
Allow me to follow up on that same blessing: God loves us, God loves you all, and evil will not prevail! We are all in the hands of God. Therefore, without fear, united hand in hand with God and among ourselves we move forward. We are disciples of Christ. Christ precedes us. The world needs his light. Humanity needs him as the bridge to be reached by God and his love. Help us too, then each other to build bridges, with dialogue, with encounter, uniting us all to be one people always in peace. Thanks to Pope Francis!
I also want to thank all my brother cardinals who have chosen me to be the Successor of Peter and to walk together with you, as a united Church always seeking peace, justice, always trying to work as men and women faithful to Jesus Christ, without fear, to proclaim the Gospel, to be missionaries.
I am a son of Saint Augustine, an Augustinian, who said: “with you I am a Christian and for you a bishop”. In this sense we can all walk together towards that homeland that God has prepared for us.
To the Church of Rome a special greeting! [applause] We must seek together how to be a missionary Church, a Church that builds bridges, dialogue, always open to receive like this square with open arms. All, all those who need our charity, our presence, dialogue and love”.
