杏MAP导航

By Christopher Wells

After hearing testimonies from a priest, a religious sister, and two catechists (a man and a woman), 杏MAP导航 Francis reflected on the three virtues that comprise the theme of his Apostolic Journey to Indonesia: faith, fraternity, and compassion. 鈥淚 think these are three virtues that express well both your journey as a Church and your character as a people, who are ethnically and culturally diverse鈥�, the 杏MAP导航 said. 鈥淎t the same time, you are characterized by an innate striving for unity and peaceful coexistence鈥�.

A relationship with creation and one another

The Holy Father then spoke about faith, saying that the immense natural wealth of Indonesia can be an occasion for recognizing God鈥檚 presence in the cosmos and in our own lives. 鈥淭here is not an inch of the marvellous Indonesian territory鈥�, he said, 鈥渘or a moment in the lives of its millions of inhabitants that is not a gift from God, a sign of his gratuitous and everlasting love as Father鈥�. He noted that Agnes, a catechist, bore witness to this by inviting everyone to a relationship with creation and to one another.

Living out fraternity

To illustrate the idea of 鈥渇raternity鈥�, 杏MAP导航 Francis borrowed an image from a twentieth century poet, who said that being brothers and sisters means 鈥渓oving each other by recognizing one another 鈥榓s different as two drops of water鈥欌��. He drew the lesson that 鈥渓iving out fraternity鈥� 鈥� a value that he noted was 鈥渄ear to the Indonesian Church鈥� 鈥� 鈥渕eans welcoming each other, recognizing one another as equal in diversity鈥�.

He recalled the testimony of Sister Rina who emphasized the importance of trying to reach everyone, and expressed his hope that not only the Scriptures but also the teachings of the Church might be translated into Indonesian. The 杏MAP导航 also expressed his appreciation for the witness of Nicholas 鈥� another catechist 鈥� who described his mission as a 鈥渂ridge鈥� that unites people by overcoming barriers and embracing diversity.

Compassion: drawing close to one another

Finally, 杏MAP导航 Francis commented on the close relationship between fraternity and compassion, which, he said, does not consist solely in charitable giving, but in 鈥渄rawing us close to one another鈥� and embracing 鈥渢he dreams and desires for freedom and justice鈥� of those who are in need.

Compassion, he insisted, is not a weakness; it does not 鈥渃loud the true vision of life鈥� 鈥� as some would have it 鈥� but instead, 鈥渕akes us see things better, in the light of love鈥�.

Mary, a model of faith

Finally, the 杏MAP导航 pointed to the architecture of the Cathedral鈥檚 entrance as an illustration of his message. The statue of the Blessed Virgin at the top of the arch shows that Mary is a model of faith, while also symbolically supporting the whole Church.

She serves, then, also as an image of fraternity, of genuine welcome for all who wish to enter; as well as an icon of compassion, 鈥渨atching over and protecting God鈥檚 people who鈥� gather in the Father鈥檚 house鈥�.

杏MAP导航 Francis concluded his address by inviting all those who work in the Church to bear witness to the joy of the Resurrection (echoing the words of 杏MAP导航 St John Paul II); and encouraging them to continue in their mission 鈥渂y being strong in faith, open to all in fraternity and close to one another in compassion鈥�.