At Mass,Pope Francis calls for service to poorest and weakest

On a raised and canopied throne on a purple platform looking out from St. Peters Basilica to the huge piazza in front of it,the pope enjoined those in temporal power to protect the world and not allow omens of destruction and death to accompany the advance of this world.

Today,too,amid so much darkness,we need to see the light of hope and to be men and women who bring hope to others, he added to frequent applause from some among the tens of thousands people cramming the square and the broad avenue leading to it from the River Tiber. The Vatican estimated the number at 150,000 to 200,000.

Clearly defining his vision of his own role,he quoted from scriptural texts to say as Bishop of Rome,he was endowed with a certain power.

But he went on: Let us never forget that authentic power is service and that the pope too,when exercising power,must enter ever more fully into that service which has its radiant culmination on the Cross.

He must be inspired by lowly,concrete and faithful service which marked St. Joseph and,like him,he must open his arms to protect all of Gods people and embrace with tender affection the whole of humanity,especially the poorest,the weakest,the least important,those whom Matthew lists in the final judgment on love: the hungry,the thirsty,the stranger,the naked,the sick and those in prison.

His words,referring to St. Joseph,on whose day the inauguration fell,found an echo. This is why we are all here,his warmth, said Andreina Baldi,58,a housewife from Rome.

He just said we should all open our arms to welcome Gods people,anybody,the poor,the youngest,those in jail. And he is already doing so. He wouldnt stop kissing a baby in his tour on the pope mobile earlier,right here,in front of me, she said.