(OSV News) — Invoking the memory of a region marked by war and division, Pope Leo XIV called on humanity to let go of revenge and retaliation, and instead seek the path of reconciliation and peace.   

Celebrating Mass at the Cathedral of St. Stephen in Metz, France, the pope said that Jesus’ call to turn the other cheek may seem to some as “a sign of weakness, or a concession to evil, but that is not the case.”   

“Those of you, who are the children of this land torn apart in the past by fratricidal conflicts, know full well that it is not true that those who seek revenge are stronger than those who forgive,” he said in his homily Sept. 28.  

“It is not true that those who refuse to yield are stronger than those who seek reconciliation. It is not true that those who walk away are stronger than those who face the challenge of walking together,” the pope said.   

France visit focused on peace, unity

The Mass capped a whirlwind four-day pastoral visit to France, and a day focused on peace and unity in Europe as the threat of war and conflict loomed large across the continent.   

Thousands lined the streets of Metz, waving as Pope Leo passed by in his popemobile, which occasionally stopped to bless babies. Outside the gothic cathedral, crowds cheered loudly as the bells tolled, announcing the pope’s arrival.

Pope Leo was greeted by Francois Grosdidier, the mayor of Metz, who presented the pope with several gifts, including a wooden tennis racket. The pontiff is an avid tennis player. 

French President Emmanuel Macron, as well as his wife, Brigitte, were also present at the Mass, despite France’s strict separation of church and state. In 2023, Macron attended a Mass celebrated by Pope Francis in Marseille, facing criticism at home for breaking political precedent. 

According to a statement by the Vatican press office, local authorities said an estimated 35,000 people attended the Mass “in the cathedral and in the surrounding streets and areas.”

Entering the cathedral, the pope also signed the guestbook, in which he wrote: “May the peace of God reign always in the city of Metz and in the hearts of all people.”

‘God’s promise resounds today’

Reflecting on the city, which is located in France’s northeastern Moselle department, the pope said the people of Metz have experienced firsthand the devastation wrought by European warfare over the centuries.   

“I am very pleased to preside over this Eucharistic celebration, in which we entrust the diocesan community of Metz and the whole of Europe to the Lord,” the pope said. “In this historic Moselle region, which has always been a crossroads for different peoples and has suffered as a result of its location on Europe’s frontier, God’s promise resounds today with extraordinary power.”   

In his homily, the pope recalled the day’s first reading from Isaiah, in which the prophet speaks of the coming of the kingdom of God.   

Recalling Isaiah’s use of imagery, such as a desert, a garden and a house, the pope said the desert represented “a place of sobriety and silence” where justice is established, while the garden is where justice reigns and where a person flourishes “fully by freely adhering to the Lord’s plans.”   

While the desert and garden depend on God’s action, he noted, “building a house, on the other hand, requires a more direct and significant contribution from human beings.”  

“Similarly, peace, a gift from God, requires a response from human beings through combined effort. After all, a home is more than just a stone structure; it is a place of human presence and love,” Pope Leo said.   

‘A love that cares for others’

Reflecting on the area’s history at the center of wars and conflicts, the pope said the city and the entire region “bear witness to the whole world that reconciliation is only possible when one has the courage to break the chains of resentment.”  

“It takes strength and great integrity not to be overwhelmed by evil, especially when the wounds inflicted are deep,” he said. “However, in the face of injustice, humanity’s only path to salvation is a love that cares for others and seeks to give trust regardless of the circumstances, even when confronted with the most difficult behavior to accept.”   

The pope reminded Catholics in Metz that their local church preserves “the unique legacy of a fruitful dialogue between civil society and faith” and that the cathedral’s massive stained-glass windows, which include works by the famed Jewish artist Marc Chagall, serve as “an extraordinary symbol of ecumenism and interreligious dialogue.”

“This cathedral teaches us that God’s light does not erase our unique identities but rather unites different histories and cultures into a single marvelous mosaic of peace — so necessary in our time, torn as it is by new divisions and conflicts,” Pope Leo said.   

“As we contemplate these stained-glass windows, we learn that Europe’s future does not lie in uniformity, but in the harmony of differences, where the wounds of the past become openings through which light shines,” he said.

Junno Arocho Esteves is an international correspondent for OSV News. Follow him on X @jae_journalist.