Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican Media
Jakarta (Agenzia Fides) - The first stage of Pope Francis' long Apostolic Journey to Asia and Oceania ended with a Mass at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta. At 4:00 p.m. local time (11:00 a.m. Rome time), the Pope left the Apostolic Nunciature and went to the sports complex in the heart of the Indonesian capital.
Amidst thunderous applause, he drove around the Popemobile and blessed babies and children. Pope Francis presided over the Eucharist dedicated to the memory of Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta. Before the final blessing, the Pope addressed a final greeting and a few words of thanks to the faithful and pilgrims present. He then returned by car to the Apostolic Nunciature. Tomorrow he will leave Indonesia for Port Moresby, the capital of Papua New Guinea. Here are the main passages of his homily:
The encounter with Jesus calls us to live two fundamental attitudes: listening to the Word and living the Word. First, listening, because everything comes from listening, from opening ourselves to him, from accepting the precious gift of his friendship. But then it is important to live the Word received. The Word that is given to us and that we hear demands to become life, to transform life, to become concrete in our lives.
The human heart is always searching for a truth that can nourish and satisfy its desire for happiness. Surrounded by numbing and fleeting human words, brothers and sisters, we need the Word of God. The Word of God, the only one that is a compass for our journey, the only one that can lead us back to the true meaning of life in the midst of so many wounds and confusion.
The first task of the disciple is not to put on the garment of outwardly perfect religiosity, to do extraordinary things or to perform great exploits. No, the first task, the first step, is rather to listen, to listen to the only word that saves.
We too are asked, with the same humility and faith of Peter, not to remain prisoners of our failures - because that is something very bad when we allow ourselves to be taken over by failures and become their prisoners. So please, let us not remain prisoners of our failures. This, brothers and sisters, is what I would like to say to you too, to this nation, to this wonderful and diverse archipelago: do not tire of dreaming and building a civilization of peace! Always dare to dream the dream of fraternity. (F.B.) (Agenzia Fides, 5/9/2024)
