Pope Francis celebrated Mass this September 5, in Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta, Indonesia. Tomorrow morning he departs for Papua New Guinea.
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The encounter with Jesus calls us to live out two fundamental attitudes that enable us to become his disciples. The first attitude is listening tothe word, and the second is living the word. First, listening, because everything comes from listening, from opening ourselves to him, welcoming the precious gift of his friendship. Then it is important to live the word we have received, so as not to listen in vain and deceive ourselves (cf. Jas 1:22). Indeed, those who risk listening only with their ears do not allow the seed of the word to descend into their hearts and thus change their way of thinking, feeling and acting, and this is not good. The word given, and received through listening, wishes to become life in us, transform us and become incarnate in our lives.
The Gospel that was just proclaimed helps us to reflect on these two essential attitudes: listening tothe word and living the word.
First of all, listening to the word. The Evangelist relates that many people flocked to Jesus and “the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God” (Lk 5:1). They were looking for him, hungering and thirsting for the word of the Lord and they heard it resound in the words of Jesus. This scene, then, repeated many times in the Gospel, tells us that the human heart is always searching for a truth that can feed and satisfy its desire for happiness. We cannot be satisfied by human words alone, the thinking of this world and earthly judgments. We always need a light from on high to illuminate our steps, living water that can quench the thirst of the deserts of the soul, consolation that does not disappoint because it comes from heaven and not from the fleeting things of this world. In the midst of the confusion and vanity of human words, brothers and sisters, there is need for 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.
Brothers and sisters, let us not forget that the first task of the disciple – and we are all disciples! – is not to clothe ourselves with an outwardly perfect religiosity, do extraordinary things or engage in grandiose undertakings. No, the first task, the first step, instead, is to know how to listen to the only word that saves, the word of Jesus. We can see this in the Gospel scene, when the Master climbs into Peter’s boat to distance himself a little from the shore and thus preach better to the people (cf. Lk 5:3). Our life of faith begins when we humbly welcome Jesus into the boat of our lives, make room for him, listen to his word and let ourselves be questioned, challenged and changed by it.
At the same time, brothers and sisters, the word of the Lord asks to be incarnated concretely in us so we are called to live the word. Merely repeating the word, without living it, makes us like parrots: yes, we speak the word, but do not understand it, do not live it. After Jesus has finished preaching to the crowds from the boat, he turns to Peter and challenges him to take the risk of betting on that word, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch” (v. 4). The word of the Lord cannot remain as a fine abstract idea or stir up only a passing emotion. It asks us to change our gaze and allow our hearts to be transformed into the image of Christ’s heart. The word calls us to cast courageously the nets of the Gospel into the sea of the world, running the risk, yes, running the risk of living the love that he first lived and in turn taught us to live. The Lord, with the burning power of his word, also asks us, brothers and sisters, to put out to sea, break away from the stagnant shores of bad habits, fears and mediocrity and dare to live a new life. The devil likes mediocrity, because it enters within us and destroys us.
Of course, there are always obstacles and excuses for saying no to this call. Let us look again at Peter’s behaviour. He had come to shore after a difficult night of not catching anything. He was angry, tired and disappointed, and yet, instead of remaining paralyzed by that emptiness or impeded by his own failure, he says: “Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet, on your word, I will let down the nets” (v. 5). On your word, I will let down the nets. Then, something unheard of happens, the miracle of a boat filling up with fish until it almost sinks (cf. v. 7).
Brothers and sisters, faced with the many responsibilities of our daily lives, together with the call we all feel to build a more just society and move forward on the path of peace and dialogue – that path which has long been the case in Indonesia – we can sometimes feel inadequate. We sometimes feel the weight of our commitment and dedication that does not always bear fruit, or of our mistakes that seem to impede the journey we are on. We too are asked not to remain prisoners of our failures, which is very bad, because failures take hold of us and we can become prisoners of failure. No, please: let us not remain prisoners of our failures. Instead of keeping our eyes fixed only on our empty nets, then, we are to look to Jesus and trust him. Do not look at your empty nets, look at Jesus! He will make you walk, he will help you, trust in Jesus! Even when we have passed through the night of failure and times of disappointment when we have caught nothing, we can always risk going out to sea and cast our nets again. Now let us take a moment of silence and each of you think about your own failures. And looking at these failures, let us risk, let us move forward with the courage of the word of God.
Saint Teresa of Calcutta, whose memory we celebrate today and who tirelessly cared for the poorest of the poor and became a promoter of peace and dialogue, used to say, “When we have nothing to give, let us give that nothing. And remember, even if you reap nothing, never tire of sowing”. Brother and sister, never tire of sowing, for this is life.
Brothers and sisters, I would also like to say to you, to this nation, to this wonderful and varied archipelago, do not grow weary of setting sail, do not grow weary of casting your nets, do not grow weary of dreaming, do not grow weary of building again a civilization of peace. Always dare to dream of fraternity, which is a real treasure among you. Guided by the word of the Lord, I encourage you to sow seeds of love, confidently tread the path of dialogue, continue to show your goodness and kindness with your characteristic smile. Have you been told that you are a smiling people? Please, do not lose your smile, and keep moving forward! And be builders of peace. Be builders of hope!
The Bishops of the country recently expressed a desire that I too would like to communicate to all the Indonesian people: walk together for the good of society and of the Church! Be builders of hope. Listen carefully: be builders of hope, the hope of the Gospel, which does not disappoint (cf. Rom 5:5), which never disappoints, but instead opens us up to endless joy. Thank you very much.
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Thanksgiving at the Conclusion of Mass
I thank Cardinal Ignatius, as well as the President of the Bishops’ Conference and the other Bishops of the Church in Indonesia, who together with the priests and deacons serve the holy people of God in this great country. I thank, too, the consecrated men and women, all the volunteers and, with great affection, the elderly, sick and suffering who have been praying for us. Thank you!
My visit among you is drawing to an end, and I wish to express my joyful gratitude for the superb welcome that I have received. With renewed thanks to the President of the Republic, who was present here today, to the other Civil Authorities and the security services, I likewise express my appreciation to the entire Indonesian people.
It says in the Acts of the Apostles that on the day of Pentecost there was a great commotion in Jerusalem. And everyone was making a noise in preaching the Gospel. Please, dear brothers and sisters, make a noise! Make a noise!
May the Lord bless you. Thank you!
And today we celebrate...