Where did the inspiration come from? There was no particular or defining moment. Things come to me by themselves, they are the ways of the Lord, and they are preserved in prayer. I am inclined never to trust my first reaction to an idea or to a proposal that is made to me. I never trust myself in part because my first reaction is usually wrong. I have learned to wait, to trust in the Lord, to ask for his help, so I can discern better and receive guidance. I can say that the centrality of mercy, which for me is Jesus’ most important message, has slowly evolved over the years in my work as a priest, as a consequence of my experience as a confessor, and thanks to the many positive and beautiful stories that I have known. AS early as July 2013, only a few months after being named Pope, when you were returning from Rio de Janeiro, where the World Day of Youth had been celebrated, you said that ours is a time of mercy. Yes, I believe that this is a time for mercy.
