【慈幼通訊社 ─ 2025 年05月19 日梵蒂岡梵蒂岡城訊】 ─ 5 月 18 日（星期日），教宗良十四世在聖伯多祿廣場主持其宗座牧職就職典禮彌撒時，邀請教會一起沿著天主愛的道路前行，並保持大家庭的合一。教宗向超過 20 萬名朝聖者、來自世界各地的領䄂以及基督教各宗派代表致意，並正式宣布這就職典禮，標誌著他喜樂地展開其伯多祿牧職的工作。
出席慶祝活動的宗教代表團包括猶太教徒、穆斯林教徒、印度教徒、佛教徒、錫克教徒、瑣羅亞斯德（祆教）教徒和耆那教徒。
心中充滿感激
良十四世對他開始擔任聖座牧職時所得到的代禱和支持表示衷心的感謝，並回憶了過去幾週所經歷的強烈情感波動。
他回憶道：「先教宗方濟各安息後，我們感覺就像沒有牧人的羊，但在復活節那天得到了他的最後降福，我們用信仰、希望和喜樂，體驗了上主決不會拋棄祂的子民。」
教宗也感謝大家在祈禱中陪伴樞機團舉行的樞密會議，選出伯多祿的繼任人，共同探討如何透過一位能夠應對當今挑戰的牧者繼續傳播福音的使命。
他說，他們感受到了「聖神的化工，聖神讓我們如同樂器一般達致和諧，讓我們的心弦奏出同一旋律。」
愛與合一
教宗說：「我被揀選，並非因我有任何功勞，如今懷著敬畏和戰兢來到你們中間，作為你們的兄弟，渴望成為你們信仰和喜樂的僕人，與你們一起走在天主愛的道路上，因為他願意我們眾人合而為一家。」
教宗良十四世回顧，愛與合一是耶穌托付給伯多祿的使命的兩面。
在本主日的福音中，耶穌要門徒們繼續成為「漁人的漁夫」的使命，並將「福音的希望」帶給所有人，「以便眾人都能體驗天主的擁抱」。
教宗解釋說，伯多祿體驗到「天主無限且無條件的愛」，這使他能夠承擔這一使命。
自我犧牲的愛
教宗良十四回憶說，伯多祿當時被賦予了「愛得更多」和「為羊群獻出生命」的使命，這是一種「自我犧牲的愛」。
「伯多祿的牧職正是以這種自我犧牲的愛而稱著，因為羅馬教會以愛德為主導，其真正的權威是基督的愛德。這絕不是以武力、宗教宣傳或利用權力來俘獲他人。相反，這始終且只有是如同耶穌基督那樣去愛。」
教會是合一與共融的象徵
教宗表達了他的希望，「建立一個合一的教會，成為合一和共融的標誌，成為一個使世界和解的酵母」。
教宗說，面對一個充滿仇恨、暴力、偏見、恐懼、和「掠奪地球資源、邊緣化最貧窮者」的經濟現實，一起所造成的如此多不和諧和受傷害的世界，「我們希望成為世界團結、共融和友愛的酵母」。
「我們懷著謙卑和喜樂的心情告訴世界：仰望基督！靠近他！接受他啟迪和安慰的聖言！聆聽他給予的愛，成為他的家人：在同一個基督內，我們是一體的。」他敦促道。 「這是我們共同要走的道路，不僅在我們自己之間，也包括與我們的姊妹基督教、與其他宗教的人、及尋找天主的人、和所有抱有善意的男女一起，以建立一個和平的新世界！」
教宗秉持傳教精神，並補充說，這種方式將防止教會把自己封閉在小團體中或對世界產生優越感。
他說：「我們被召叫將天主的愛帶給每一個人，以實現合一，這合一不會抺去差異，而是欣賞每個人的歷史、社會背景與宗教文化。」
兄弟姊妹們，這是愛的時刻！福音的核心就是天主的愛，這愛使我們成為兄弟姊妹。
最後，教宗良十四世邀請所有基督徒接受聖神的啟迪，以便我們能夠建立一個「在天主之愛基礎上的教會，一個合一的標記，一個向世界張開雙臂、宣講聖言、願意被歷史『擾動』的傳教教會，並成為人類和諧的酵母」。
「讓我們同心協力，如同兄弟姊妹一樣，走向上主，彼此相愛。」
Pope Leo XIV at Inauguration Mass: ‘Let us walk towards God and love one another’
(ANS – Vaticano–Vatican City, 19 May 2025) – Pope Leo XIV presides at the Mass of Inauguration of his Petrine Ministry in Saint Peter’s Square, and invites the Church to walk together along the path of God’s love and remain united in one family. Greeting over 200,000 pilgrims, leaders from around the world, and representatives of Christian denominations, Pope Leo XIV marked the joyous start to his Petrine Ministry, officially inaugurating it with Mass in Saint Peter’s Square on Sunday, 18 May.
Religious delegations included Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, Zoroastrian and Jainists, among the many present for the celebration.
Heart full of gratitude
Expressing his heartfelt gratitude for the prayerful and joyful support offered to him as he begins his pastoral ministry as Pope, Leo XIV recalled the intense emotions experienced over these past few weeks.
“Following the death of Pope Francis, we felt like sheep without a shepherd,” he recalled, “yet having received his final blessing on Easter Sunday, and with eyes of faith, hope, and joy, we remembered how the Lord never abandons His people.”
The Pope also thanked everyone for accompanying in prayer the College of Cardinals meeting in conclave to elect the Successor of Peter as they looked at how to continue the mission of preaching the Gospel with a shepherd able to address today’s challenges.
He said they felt “the working of the Holy Spirit, who was able to bring us into harmony, like musical instruments, so that our heartstrings could vibrate in a single melody.”
United in love and unity
“I was chosen, without any merit of my own, and now, with fear and trembling,” said Pope Leo, “I come to you as a brother, who desires to be the servant of your faith and your joy, walking with you on the path of God’s love, for he wants us all to be united in one family.”
Pope Leo XIV recalled how love and unity are the two aspects of the mission entrusted to Peter by Jesus.
In the Gospel on this Sunday, Jesus entrusts the disciples to continue the mission, to be “fishers of men” and bring the “hope of the Gospel” to all people “so that all may experience God’s embrace.”
Peter’s experience of the “infinite and unconditional love of God” enabled him to take up this mission, the Pope explained.
Self-sacrificing love
Pope Leo recalled how Peter is entrusted then with “loving more” and “giving his life for the flock,” a “self-sacrificing love.”
“The ministry of Peter is distinguished precisely by this self-sacrificing love, because the Church of Rome presides in charity and its true authority is the charity of Christ. It is never a question of capturing others by force, by religious propaganda or by means of power. Instead, it is always and only a question of loving as Jesus did.”
Church, sign of unity and communion
The Holy Father expressed his hope for “a united Church, a sign of unity and communion, which becomes a leaven for a reconciled world.”
In the face of a world marked by so much discord and wounds caused by hatred, violence, prejudice, fear, and economic reality “that exploits the Earth’s resources and marginalises the poorest,” the Pope said, “we want to be a small leaven of unity, communion, and fraternity within the world.”
“We want to say to the world, with humility and joy: Look to Christ! Come closer to him! Welcome his word that enlightens and consoles! Listen to his offer of love and become his one family: in the one Christ, we are one,” he urged. “This is the path to follow together, among ourselves but also with our sister Christian churches, with those who follow other religious paths, with those who are searching for God, with all women and men of good will, in order to build a new world where peace reigns!”
The Pope upheld the missionary spirit, adding that such an approach will keep the Church from closing itself off in small groups or taking on a feeling of superiority to the world.
“We are called to offer God’s love to everyone, in order to achieve that unity which does not cancel out differences but values the personal history of each person and the social and religious culture of every people,” he said.
“Brothers and sisters, this is the hour for love! The heart of the Gospel is the love of God that makes us brothers and sisters.”
In conclusion, Pope Leo XIV invited all Christians to be enlightened by the Holy Spirit, so that we might build a Church “founded on God’s love, a sign of unity, a missionary Church that opens its arms to the world, proclaims the word, allows itself to be made ‘restless’ by history, and becomes a leaven of harmony for humanity.”
“Together, as one people, as brothers and sisters, let us walk towards God and love one another.”