My beloved brothers and sisters in the Lord,
Peace be with you!

We still remember the greeting that the Holy Father Pope Leo XIV addressed urbi et orbi—to the world and to the city—on the evening of May 8, 2025, when he was elected successor of Saint Peter: “Peace be with you all!” he said, adding that “this is the first greeting of the Risen Christ, the Good Shepherd who gave his life for the flock of God.”
It was not in vain that the Holy Father began his first message with these words, following in the footsteps of his predecessors, thus reminding us of the importance of peace in a world torn apart by conflicts and wars, by hatred and a thirst for revenge, by the denial of the dignity of the born and unborn human person—even on the part of the disciples of the One who addresses us with “Peace be with you!” (Jn 20:19) “Of all earthly and mortal things,” said Saint Augustine, “there is none better than peace,” because peace is not a thing, but a Person, and this Person is our Savior Himself, as Saint Paul says: “[Jesus] is our peace” (Eph 2:14).

We are gathered on this holy day of the Lord’s Resurrection, on “the day the Lord has made for us to rejoice and be glad in” (cf. Ps 118[117]:24), and it is fitting that we rejoice, for “our Passover, Christ, has been sacrificed!” (1 Cor 5:7) He was sacrificed for our salvation; he was sacrificed to restore the peace between God and humanity that had been destroyed by humanity’s sin, by its disobedience and rebellion against the Creator. The Resurrection of Jesus is the kiss of peace, it is the tender embrace that God the Father gives to humanity as a sign of his forgiveness, mercy, love, and fatherly care for the human being created in his image and likeness (cf. Gen 1:26). And what could be more precious to man than to know he is at peace with the One who created and redeemed him!

Pope Benedict XV (1914–1922) called peace “God’s wonderful gift.” It is a gift which, as Jesus says, he does not give to us as the world gives it (cf. Jn 14:27), because peace is not merely the silence of weapons: it is an attitude of the heart. We understand this from the evangelist John, who writes that “one of the soldiers pierced [Jesus’] side with a spear, and immediately blood and water flowed out” (Jn 19:34), that is, the two sacraments: Baptism—which restores peace between God and humanity—and the Eucharist—which strengthens this peace and brings it to perfection. That is why it is significant that, on the Night of the Resurrection, we renew our Baptismal promises, that is, we recommit ourselves to preserving the peace received on the day we became, “through water and the Holy Spirit” (cf. Jn 3:5), children of God. And preserving this peace is not only difficult, but downright impossible without the Holy Eucharist, in which we receive Jesus, who warns us that “without me you can do nothing” (Jn 15:5).

We must not wait for peace to come from above, from God, and from others, while we simply remain its beneficiaries. Peace begins with us, springing from our hearts—provided, of course, that they are filled with peace. The heart gives what it abounds in! If it abounds in peace, it will give peace; if it abounds in hatred, it will sow hatred around it. Therefore, let us repeat as often as possible the invocation with which the Litany of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus concludes: “Lord Jesus Christ, meek and humble of heart, make our hearts like Your Heart!”, for the Heart of Jesus abounds in peace.
What can prevent our heart from being filled with peace and from giving peace? “The doors of the place where the disciples were gathered were locked out of fear of the Jews” (Jn 20:19), John tells us. It is precisely this “locking” that is the first obstacle to peace, because it prevents the word of God—which is a word of peace—from entering our hearts, thus depriving them of the desire for peace; it prevents them from receiving God’s forgiveness and the forgiveness of others, but also from giving forgiveness. And without forgiveness there is no peace, and where there is no peace there is no resurrection, because the risen Jesus cannot enter a heart closed off by feelings of hatred and revenge.

Fear, too, is an obstacle on the path to peace, because it causes us to reject the gift of peace that Jesus offers us through his resurrection. We fear for tomorrow, “what we will eat or drink or wear” (cf. Mt 6:31); we fear difficulties, illness, death, and so on. And this fear puts us at odds with God, who tells us: “Do not worry about tomorrow” (Mt 6:34). The Resurrection of Jesus, which signifies victory over death, shows that every evil can be overcome, that every difficulty can be surmounted; all that is needed is trust in Providence. Fear causes us to be at war with people as well, because from it spring selfishness and individualism, and these two attitudes can never be peaceful. Let us not forget that we do not pray “My Father,” but “Our Father.”
Finally, another obstacle to peace is the lack of respect for human life. Saint Paul VI said that, “if you want peace, defend life” from the moment of its conception in the mother’s womb until its last breath on this earth, until its natural end. Saint Teresa of Calcutta made this sad observation: “If a mother can kill her own child, what could stop us from killing one another?” The death of Jesus was the price paid for human life; his resurrection is the supreme proof that every life is precious in God’s eyes and, therefore, deserves to be respected, loved, cared for, saved, and protected from any negative sentiment that might harm it and steal its peace.

Beloved brothers and sisters in the Risen Lord,
Jesus’ death was not the final word in history. And just as it is not right to blame others for this tragedy—the greatest in history—but rather we should blame ourselves first and foremost, so too we must not seek the source of the lack of peace in others, but in our own hearts, in our relationships with God and with our neighbors. And so that the words of Saint John Paul II may be fulfilled—that “peace will be the last word of history”—let us strive to fulfill what he urges us to do: “Do not be afraid to take risks for peace, to spread peace, to live peace,” knowing full well that peace is the path that leads us too to the resurrection.
I sincerely wish you much peace and harmony with God and with people, and may the celebration of Easter bring you joy and light, so that you may be “peacemakers” in the world.

Christ is risen!
Peace be with you!

With love and in communion,
† Anton Coșa
Bishop of Chișinău