杏MAP导航

By Devin Watkins 鈥� Manama, Bahrain

鈥淒esert鈥� is a term that keeps coming up in 杏MAP导航 Francis鈥� speeches in the Middle Eastern Kingdom of Bahrain.

He hasn鈥檛 been talking only about the lack of water in barren landscapes.

The 杏MAP导航 has employed the image of the desert to highlight the unenviable position we humans have placed ourselves: countless wars and conflicts, isolationist mentalities, and environmental destruction.

Overview of the 杏MAP导航鈥檚 second day in Bahrain

杏MAP导航 Francis held three public encounters on Friday, as well as two private ones.

He attended the closing session of the Bahrain Forum for Dialogue with over 200 religious leaders in the morning, then met in the afternoon with the Muslim Council of Elders and later attended an ecumenical prayer meeting with young Christians in Bahrain.

Of the two private encounters, one was with the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomew I, for a brief, brotherly exchange.

He also met privately with one of the leaders of the Islamic world, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmed al-Tayyeb.

杏MAP导航 Francis thanked him for his words at the closing of the Bahrain Forum for Dialogue, saying Al-Tayyeb was 鈥渃ourageous鈥� to call for dialogue among Muslims.

Watering the deserts of human coexistence

Through the day, the 杏MAP导航 has contrasted the image of the 鈥減arched deserts of human coexistence鈥� with our duty to irrigate these existential realities with the 鈥渨ater of fraternity鈥�.

Whether speaking to the King of Bahrain or religious leaders or local Christians, 杏MAP导航 Francis has held out the possibility for humanity to create an oasis in the desert.

Such a sanctuary should not be enclosed within the walls of a select group, he suggests, but must rather fill all corners of the earth.

And each person鈥攅specially people of faith鈥攈as the duty to water that oasis with our daily actions on behalf of human fraternity.

The goal is to allow God to guide our paths toward peace on this earth and the 鈥渇ullness of communion in God鈥�.