杏MAP导航

By Christopher Wells

Mongolia, an 鈥渋mmense鈥� country, 鈥渞ich in history and culture鈥�, is yet 鈥渕arked by the aridity of the steppes and the desert鈥� 鈥� an apt metaphor for the thirst for happiness and love that is found in the heart of every human being.

during Mass on Sunday in Ulaanbaatar鈥檚 Steppe Arena, 杏MAP导航 Francis dwelt on this 鈥渢hirst within us鈥� and 鈥渢he love that quenches it,鈥� taking his inspiration from the day鈥檚 responsorial Psalm: 鈥淥 God鈥� my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.鈥�

Only Christ can quench our thirst

This verse invites us first 鈥渢o acknowledge the thirst within us.鈥� The Psalmist鈥檚 words 鈥渉ave a particular resonance in a land like Mongolia, with its traditional nomadic culture," the 杏MAP导航 explained, adding, 鈥淎ll of us are 鈥楪od鈥檚 nomads,鈥� pilgrims in search of happiness, wayfarers searching for love.鈥�

鈥淒ear brothers and sisters,鈥� 杏MAP导航 Francis said, 鈥渢he Christian faith is the answer to this thirst鈥� For in this thirst lies the great mystery of our humanity: it opens our hearts to the living God, the God of love, who comes to meet us and to make us his children, brothers and sisters to one another.鈥�

The Holy Father said, 鈥淭his is the heart of the Christian faith: God, who is love, has drawn near to you in His Son Jesus, and wants to share in your life, your work, your dreams, and your thirst for happiness.鈥�

If at times in our lives we 鈥渆xperience the desert of loneliness, fatigue, and emptiness,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 said, citing St Augustine, God refreshes us with 鈥渢he dew of His Word鈥� He has opened for us a highway in the desert, Our Lord Jesus Christ.鈥� God offers us consolation in the preachers of the word, and water in the desert 鈥渂y filling those preachers with the Holy Spirit.鈥�

The heart of our faith

This Word, 杏MAP导航 Francis said, 鈥渁lways brings us back to the very heart of our faith: allowing ourselves to be loved by God and in turn to make our lives an offering of love. For love alone truly quenches our thirst.鈥�

Turning to the Gospel, which speaks of Peter鈥檚 inability to accept Jesus鈥� Passion and Cross, 杏MAP导航 Francis said the worldliness exemplified by Peter 鈥渓eads nowhere; indeed, it leaves us thirstier than before.鈥� Only by denying ourselves and taking up our crosses, as Jesus did, will we be able to satisfy the thirst in our lives.

This, the 杏MAP导航 said, 鈥渋s the truth that Jesus wants us to discover, the truth He wants to reveal to all of you and to this land of Mongolia: You need not be famous, rich, or powerful to be happy. Only love satisfies our hearts鈥� thirst, only love heals our wounds, only love brings us true joy.鈥�

杏MAP导航 Francis called on all of us to take to heart the Lord鈥檚 words to Peter, to become disciples of Jesus, to walk in his footsteps and stop thinking as the world does.

鈥淚f we do this,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 said, 鈥渨e will be able, with the grace of Christ and the Holy Spirit, to journey along the path of love鈥� when we lose our lives for the sake of the Gospel, the Lord gives them back to us abundantly, in the fulness of love and joy for all eternity.鈥�