By Christopher Wells

After listening to the testimony of a priest, a nun and two catechists (one man and one woman), Pope Francis spoke about the three virtues that are the theme of his Apostolic Journey to Indonesia: faith, fraternity and compassion. “I think these are three virtues that express well both your journey as a Church and your character as an ethnically and culturally diverse people,” the Pope said. “At the same time, you are characterized by an innate desire for unity and peaceful coexistence.”

A relationship with creation and with each other

The Holy Father then spoke about faith, saying that Indonesia’s immense natural wealth can be an opportunity to recognize the presence of God in the cosmos and in our own lives. “There is not an inch of this wonderful Indonesian territory,” he said, “and not a moment in the life of its millions of inhabitants that is not a gift from God, a sign of his gratuitous and eternal love as a father.” He pointed out that the catechist Agnes testified to this by inviting everyone to a relationship with creation and with each other.

Living brotherhood

To illustrate the idea of ​​”fraternity,” Pope Francis used an image from a 20th-century poet who said that being brothers and sisters means “loving one another by recognizing each other as ‘as different as two drops of water.'” He concluded that “living fraternity” – a value “close to the heart” of the Indonesian Church – “means welcoming one another and recognizing one another as equals in our differences.”

He recalled the testimony of Sister Rina, who stressed the importance of reaching out to everyone, and expressed his hope that not only the Sacred Scriptures but also the teachings of the Church would be translated into Indonesian. The Pope also expressed his appreciation for the testimony of Nicholas – another catechist – who described his mission as a “bridge” that unites people by overcoming barriers and embracing diversity.

Compassion: getting closer to each other

In conclusion, Pope Francis commented on the close relationship between fraternity and compassion. This does not only consist in giving charity, but also in “bringing us closer to one another” and supporting “the dreams and aspirations for freedom and justice” of those in need.

Compassion, he stressed, is not a weakness; it does not “cloud the true vision of life” – as some claim – but “makes us see things better in the light of love”.

Mary, model of faith

Finally, the Pope referred to the architecture of the entrance to the cathedral to clarify his message. The statue of the Virgin Mary at the top of the arch shows that Mary is a model of faith and at the same time symbolically supports the entire Church.

She therefore serves as a symbol of fraternity and of the sincere welcome of all who wish to enter. But she is also an icon of compassion, as she “watches over and protects the people of God who gather … in the house of the Father”.

Pope Francis concluded his address by calling on all those who work in the Church to bear witness to the joy of the Resurrection (echoing the words of Pope John Paul II), encouraging them to continue their mission “being strong in faith, open to all in fraternity, and close to one another in compassion.”