Pope at Mass in Indonesia: Dare to dream of fraternity!

By Christopher Wells

“Listening to the Word and living the Word” are “two fundamental attitudes that enable us to become Jesus’ disciples,” Pope Francis said on Thursday, at the Holy Mass, the final public event of his Apostolic Visit to Indonesia.

Reflecting on the Gospel reading for the feast of St. Teresa of Calcutta, the Holy Father noted that “the human heart is always searching for a truth that can feed its desire for happiness.” That truth, he said, cannot be found in merely human words, but only in the Word of God, “the only true compass for our journey, which alone is capable of leading us back to the true meaning of life amid so much woundedness and confusion.”

Allow yourself to be challenged by the Word

Pope Francis reminded the faithful that our first task as disciples is to listen to the Word of God, as Peter did when Jesus began to preach from his fishing boat. “Our life of faith begins,” the Pope said, “when we humbly welcome Jesus into the boat of our lives, make room for Him, listen to His Word, and allow ourselves to be questioned, challenged, and changed by it.”

At the same time, the Pope continued, we are called not only to listen to Jesus’ Word, but to live it. Peter trusted the Lord when He called him to “put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch,” and we, too, are called to trust in Jesus by “courageously casting the nets of the Gospel into the sea of the world.”

Recognizing that we can always find excuses to refuse the call, Pope Francis invited the faithful to embrace the humility and faith of Peter, who obeyed the Lord’s call even after a night of failure and disappointment. He recalled the words of St Teresa, who used to say, “When we have nothing to give, let us give that nothing. And even if you reap nothing, never tire of sowing.”

Dreaming and building a civilization of peace

“Brothers and sisters,” Pope Francis concluded, “I would also like to say to you, to this nation, to this wonderful and varied archipelago, do not grow weary of setting sail and casting your nets, do not grow weary of dreaming and building again a civilization of peace!”

“Always dare to dream of fraternity!” he continued, encouraging them “to sow seeds of love, confidently tread the path of dialogue, continue to show your goodness and kindness with your characteristic smile.”