Homily of the Apostolic Nuncio at The Mass for the Pope, Jakarta Cathedral, 14 November 2018

Dear brothers in sisters in the Lord,

It is a great honour, for me, to celebrate the first time the Holy Mass in this beautiful and great Cathedral in Jakarta. It has welcomed, since 1901, many important events of Catholic Church in Indonesia and today it is the witness of how much Catholic Community and Indonesian Nation love the Pope and his universal mission.

In fact, with one heart, we pray together: “O God,… grant that our beloved Pope Francis, may be for your people, a visible source and foundation of unity, in faith, love and communion”.

For this reason, I greet and thank, for their presence here, the venerable Cardinal Julius, our beloved Metropolitan Archbishop Ignatius, recently confirmed as President of the National Bishops’ Conference, together with all the Archbishops and Bishops of Indonesia, the Civil Authorities, the Ambassadors the priests, the religious men and women, the missionaries, the committed laity. I thank in a special way, Christian families, young people and all people of good will. May the Lord bless you and reward you all!

*

The Catholic Church in Indonesia – we all know it – was born from the missionary zeal of holy Bishops, priests, catechists and lay people. In different periods of history, they have faced long journeys and overcome great difficulties for the love of Christ! They have announced, endlessly, the Gospel of love! They have made it possible that even in our midst, in this immense, noble and beautiful Nation, a wonderful miracle should be accomplished, a miracle that  touches the hearts of all. And the miracle is this: “… that, by the Grace of God and the bath of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit (the Baptism), we might be saved, justified and become heirs, in hope, of eternal life”.

This is what the Apostle Saint Paul announced to us, in the passage from the Letter to Titus we have listened! Here is what God has given to Indonesia through the presence of the Catholic Church, which is always humble, dialoguing and discreet, and which performs her mission always with generousity and zeal.

With the solemn celebration of this evening, therefore, we want to thank the Divine Providence for this great gift and, in a special way, for the supreme service of the Holy Father Francis. Indeed, he is the visible leader of the Church of Christ. He has exercised it for 5 years and continues to exercise it generously and untiringly for the good of each of his children. He, then, looks daily, with paternal affection and caring solicitude, his sons and daughters of Indonesia. He understands them and loves them. He knows the joys and sorrows, the labors and the hopes of everyone. Accompanying with fraternal affection the service of Bishops, priests and consecrated persons. As a good universal Shepherd, he is respectfully solicitous also towards our nation and our people. Furthermore, he does not fail to encourage us, to teach us, to promote our dignity and progress. Finally, he prays and works for peace, harmony, unity among all of us, citizens of this great and beautiful Indonesian nation. And all this is accomplished in the name of the Lord!

For this important service that the Holy Father exercises in the name of God and in favor of the civilization of love, we thank again with the words of Psalm 23, which we have just repeated: “The Lord is my shepherd, … in verdant pastures he gives me repose, … he leads me to restful waters, … he guides me into the right paths, … he gives me courage, … he makes me dwell in the house of the lord for ever and ever “.

Finally, the passage of the Gospel tells us about the miraculous healing of the ten lepers. It also illustrates to us what grateful attitude we should have, in the face of the grace that the Lord has accomplished through the service of the Holy Father towards the Catholic Church in Indonesia, for the good of our people, through the contribution she generously offers by keeping interreligious dialogue and harmony and peace among all the citizens of this immense Country.

Dear brothers and sisters, let us imitate the one person who, healed by Jesus, comes back, to thank him for the good he had done to him. In fact, the habit of giving thanks is characteristic of the spirit of the people that is open themselves to other, communicating with other and building bridge of peace and harmony with others. And so, it must also be the basic characteristic of our living in the Church as brothers and sisters.

May our celebration of “Feast of the Pope Francis”, therefore, helps us to ask the Lord to create always in us a courteous and grateful heart, for the good of all our brothers, of our Nation, of our Church and of all humanity.