杏MAP导航

By Christopher Wells

Sharing a moment of with migrants during his final event in Cyprus, 杏MAP导航 Francis said that through their testimonies, 鈥淕od is revealing His Kingdom, His Kingdom of love, justice, and peace to the little ones.鈥�

No longer strangers

Four migrants from different parts of the world shared their stories, bearing witness to their own identity, to the wounds of hate they have suffered, to their journeys, and to their dreams. Listening to them, 杏MAP导航 Francis said, 鈥渨e better understand the prophetic power of the word of God, who tells us鈥� 鈥榊ou are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God鈥�.鈥�

Participant at the Ecumenical Prayer with Migrants at the Parish Church of Holy Cross in Nicosia

A mirror for Christians

The 杏MAP导航 said the migrants鈥� stories 鈥渁re like a 鈥榤irror鈥� held up to us, to our Christian communities, reminding us that we too are asked about our identity. They remind us 鈥渢hat hate has also poisoned relations between us Christians鈥� that we are journeying from conflict to communion鈥� that God speaks to us through our dreams.鈥�

Ecumenical Prayer with Migrants at the Parish Church of Holy Cross in Nicosia

God 鈥渁sks us not to be content with a divided world, divided Christian communities,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 said, 鈥渂ut to journey through history drawn by His own dream: the dream of a humanity freed of walls of division, freed of hostility, where there are no longer strangers, but only fellow citizens.鈥�

Becoming a workshop of fraternity

杏MAP导航 Francis expressed his hope that Cyprus, an island 鈥渕arked by a painful division,鈥� might become 鈥渂y God鈥檚 grace, a workshop of fraternity.鈥� For this to happen, he said, two things are necessary: 鈥渁n effective recognition of the dignity of every person,鈥� and a trusting openness to God the Father of all.鈥�

Ecumenical Prayer with Migrants at the Parish Church of Holy Cross in Nicosia

The Holy Father said, 鈥淚f these two things can happen, the dream can translate into daily journey, made up of concrete steps from conflict to communion, from hate to love.鈥� It is, he said, 鈥淎 patient journey, which day by day leads us to the land God has prepared for us: The land where, if people ask, 鈥榃ho are you?鈥� you can readily respond, 鈥業 am your brother鈥�, 鈥業 am your sister鈥�.鈥�

鈥淲e cannot remain silent!鈥�

杏MAP导航 Francis concluded his address with an impassioned plea to overcome the modern indifference to the suffering experienced by migrants. He deplored the fact that we have gotten used to reading about the tragedies that occur every day.

Ecumenical Prayer with Migrants at the Parish Church of Holy Cross in Nicosia

鈥淚鈥檓 sorry, but I want to say what is in my heart!鈥� the 杏MAP导航 said. He lamented that people seeking food, help, freedom, and brotherhood encounter only barbed wire. 鈥淢ay the Lord awaken the conscience of all us in the face of such things, 杏MAP导航 Francis said. 鈥淧lease forgive me for telling things as they are, but we cannot remain silent and look the other way in this culture of indifference!鈥�

Read the full text of the 杏MAP导航's remarks .