Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!

I am pleased to begin this second day in Paris with you, in a house that bears witness to the whole city that it is possible to encounter one another and to live together in dignity and peace. I thank the Archdiocese of Paris, the Scalabrinian Sisters, and all the staff members and volunteers who bring this place to life and serve those who find here a welcome, a listening ear, formation and friendship. I offer a special word of thanks to those who have shared their testimony.

The name of your Center for Social Support and Integration, which refers to Saint Bakhita, inspires us to recognize the fundamental role of women in building a civilization of love, which is an alternative to a culture that tears communities apart and leaves cities sick with loneliness. When we look closely, the history of the Church and of humanity is not written by those who give the impression of winning by imposing themselves and “dominating the room,” but by those who “make room,” initiate processes of peace, build trust and encourage life. These are not merely sentiments, but decisions and commitments that run counter to prevailing trends, whose public importance and promise for the future we are recognizing with ever greater clarity. Saint Bakhita invites us to see those who are invisible, to free those whom today’s economy and culture enslave, and to honor the immeasurable dignity of every brother and sister, in whom Jesus himself comes knocking at our door.

Dear friends, “for Christians, the poor are not a sociological category, but the very ‘flesh’ of Christ. It is not enough to profess the doctrine of God’s Incarnation in general terms. To enter truly into this great mystery, we need to understand clearly that the Lord took on a flesh that hungers and thirsts, and experiences infirmity and imprisonment” (Apostolic Exhortation Dilexi Te, 110). Christ, poor and crucified, continues to allow himself to be encountered and loved through these men and women, who call us to go beyond ourselves and to dare to practice charity.

Brothers and sisters, a most important insight that inspires your commitment concerns the exchange of gifts, which takes place anew in every encounter. No one is so poor as to have nothing to give; no one is so rich as to have nothing to receive. There is life in abundance wherever each person’s limitations become an opening to the mysterious presence of others, in whom the Other par excellence — the God of life — draws near.  This does not deny the hardship that sin has introduced into history, but it helps us not to remain imprisoned by it. We proclaim that redemption is possible, that it has begun, that it is ongoing, and that it involves us as living members of the Body of Christ.

Let us also not forget that “the eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I have no need of you,’ nor again the head to the feet, ‘I have no need of you.’ On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable” (1 Cor 12:21-22). These words of Saint Paul were addressed to the Christians of Corinth, one of the most prosperous and vibrant cities of his time. There, the Gospel had been embraced by people of diverse origins and social backgrounds, including many who were poor and marginalized (cf. 1 Cor 1:26-29), as is the case for some of you today. “But God,” the Apostle continued, “has so arranged the body, giving the greater honor to the inferior member, that there may be no dissension within the body, but the members may have the same care for one another” (1 Cor 12:24-25).

I therefore thank you for your work, as well as all those throughout France who carry out this service in similar institutions. Continue to bear witness to that care for one another which, through fraternal welcome, programs of formation, and dialogue with the city, elevates the spirit and makes the world more humane. May Saint Bakhita, together with the great witnesses of charity who have shaped the presence of the Church in France, especially during periods of tumultuous change, intercede on your behalf.

Thank you! May the Lord bless you.