杏MAP导航

By Vatican News

A remarkable, spontaneous gesture. Breaking protocol, at the conclusion of his remarks at the end of the spiritual retreat, 杏MAP导航 Francis fell to his knees, kissing the feet of South Sudan鈥檚 civil authorities.

鈥淭o the three of you who signed the Peace Agreement, I ask you, as a brother, remain in peace鈥�, the 杏MAP导航 said. 鈥淚 ask you from the heart. Let us move forward. There will be many problems, but don鈥檛 be afraid, go forward, resolve the problems鈥�. In impromptu remarks following his address, 杏MAP导航 Francis said, 鈥淵ou have started a process; may it end well. Although struggles will arise, he said, these should stay 鈥渨ithin the office鈥�. However in public, he said, 鈥渂efore the people: [keep your] hands united鈥�. In this way, the 杏MAP导航 said, 鈥渇rom simple citizens, you will become Fathers of the Nation鈥�.

In his prepared remarks, the Holy Father reflected on "the gaze of God", and "the gaze of the people". He began his address with the words used by the risen Lord to greet his 鈥渄isconsolate disciples鈥�, following the resurrection: 鈥淧eace be with you!鈥�

鈥淧eace is the first gift that the Lord brought us鈥�, he said, 鈥渁nd the first commitment that leaders of nations must pursue.  Peace is the fundamental condition for ensuring the rights of each individual and the integral development of an entire people鈥�. 

The gaze of God 

The 杏MAP导航 continued by reflecting on the unique nature of the meeting in the Vatican: a 鈥渟piritual retreat鈥�marked by interior recollection, trusting prayer, deep reflection and encounters of reconciliation鈥�. 杏MAP导航 Francis defined the purpose of the retreat as one of 鈥渟tanding together before God and discerning His will鈥�. He reminded the civil and ecclesiastical authorities present of their 鈥渆normous shared responsibility for the present and future of the people of South Sudan鈥�, and of how God will ask us 鈥渢o render an account not only of our own lives, but the lives of others as well鈥�.

Every spiritual retreat, said the 杏MAP导航, should make us feel like we are standing before 鈥渢he gaze of the Lord鈥�who is able to see the truth in us and to lead us fully to that truth鈥�. 

杏MAP导航 Francis then retold the story of how 鈥淛esus gazed upon Peter鈥�, first telling him to 鈥渃arry out his plan of salvation for his people鈥�. This, the 杏MAP导航 called a gaze of 鈥渆lection鈥�, or 鈥渃hoosing鈥�.

The second time Jesus gazed on Peter was after Peter had denied the Lord three times, on Holy Thursday. This was the gaze that 鈥渢ouched Peter鈥檚 heart and brought about his conversion鈥�, said the 杏MAP导航.

Finally, after the resurrection, 鈥淛esus once more fixed His gaze on Peter and asked him three times to declare his love鈥�. That was when He again entrusted Peter 鈥渨ith the mission of shepherding His flock鈥�.

鈥淛esus鈥� gaze rests, here and now, on each of us鈥�, continued 杏MAP导航 Francis. 鈥淚t is very important to meet this gaze鈥� and to ask ourselves: 鈥淲hat is my mission and the task that God entrusts to me for the good of His people?鈥�.

Jesus has 鈥減ut great trust in us by choosing us to be His co-workers in the creation of a more just world鈥�, said the 杏MAP导航. His gaze penetrates the depths of our hearts: 鈥渋t loves, transforms, reconciles and unites us鈥�. 

The gaze of the people

杏MAP导航 Francis then spoke of 鈥渁nother gaze鈥�: that of the people, a gaze that 鈥渆xpresses their ardent desire for justice, reconciliation and peace鈥�. The 杏MAP导航 expressed his 鈥渟piritual closeness鈥� to refugees and the sick. He remembered 鈥渁ll those who have lost their loved ones and their homes, to families that were separated and never reunited, all the children and the elderly, the women and men who have suffered terribly on account of the conflicts and violence that have spawned so much death, hunger, hurt and tears鈥�. 鈥淚 think constantly of these suffering souls鈥�, said 杏MAP导航 Francis, 鈥渁nd I pray that the fires of war will finally die down, so that they can return to their homes and live in serenity鈥�. 

Peace is possible

鈥淚 shall never tire of repeating鈥�, said the 杏MAP导航, that 鈥減eace is possible!鈥� Peace, he said, is a 鈥済reat gift of God鈥�, but it is also 鈥渁 supreme duty on the part of those with responsibility for the people鈥�. All of us are called to be peacemakers, he said, to 鈥渂uild peace through dialogue, negotiation and forgiveness鈥�. People are exhausted by conflicts, said 杏MAP导航 Francis. 鈥淩emember that with war, all is lost!鈥�

The 杏MAP导航 then referred to the peace agreement signed by the highest political representatives of South Sudan last September. He congratulated the signatories of that document for having 鈥渃hosen the path of dialogue鈥�, for their 鈥渞eadiness to compromise鈥�, and for their 鈥渄etermination to achieve peace鈥�.

The 杏MAP导航 also praised the 鈥渧arious ecumenical initiatives of the South Sudan Council of Churches on behalf of reconciliation and peace, and care for the poor and the marginalized鈥�. He recalled his recent meeting in the Vatican with the Bishops鈥� Conference of Sudan and South Sudan during their ad limina visit. The 杏MAP导航 said he was struck by their optimism and concern for the many political and social difficulties in the region. 

A final prayer

杏MAP导航 Francis confirmed his hope and desire 鈥渢hat soon, by God鈥檚 grace鈥�, he would be able to visit South Sudan, together with the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the former Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.

The 杏MAP导航 then concluded his meditation with a prayer, in which he asks God the Father: 鈥渢o touch with the power of the Spirit the depths of every human heart, so that enemies will be open to dialogue, adversaries will join hands and peoples will meet in harmony鈥� May the whole-hearted search for peace resolve disputes鈥�, prayed the 杏MAP导航, 鈥渕ay love conquer hatred and may revenge be disarmed by forgiveness鈥�.