The message at the closing mass in the African country with the largest number of displaced persons and refugees due to the civil war: “Lay down the weapons of hatred and revenge.” “Hope has a woman’s face, like Saint Josephine Bakhita”. The promise to continue accompanying the peace process in South Sudan together with the Anglican primate Welby and the moderator of the Church of Scotland Greenshields.
Juba () – “Lay down the weapons of hatred and revenge”. May each one become “salt and light” to bring hope and peace to South Sudan. This is the call that Pope Francis repeated this morning from Juba in the homily at the closing mass of his apostolic trip to Africa. The Eucharistic celebration took place before 100,000 faithful in the mausoleum of John Garang, hero of the independence of this young country, ravaged by a civil war that made it the African country with the largest number of displaced persons and refugees.
It was precisely with this wounded humanity that the Pope had the most moving encounter of this visit to South Sudan yesterday afternoon: together with the Anglican Primate Justin Welby and the Moderator of the Church of Scotland, Pastor Ian Greenshields, who accompanied him on this ecumenical pilgrimage, he invoked the peace of God, which “is not just a truce between conflicts, but a fraternal communion, which is born from uniting, not absorbing; from forgiving, not from subjugating; from reconciling, not from imposing “.
And today, in the homily of the mass, he recalled the task of each one in the construction of this peace, dwelling on the images of the salt that gives flavor and the light that must not be hidden under a pot proposed by the liturgy of today. “In the face of so many wounds -Francisco commented-, in the face of the violence that feeds the poison of hatred, in the face of the iniquity that causes misery and poverty, it may seem to you that you are small and impotent. But, when the temptation of feeling inadequate assails you, try looking at the salt and its tiny grains: it is a small ingredient and, once placed on the plate, it disappears, it melts, but that is precisely how it gives flavor to the whole content.Thus, the Christians, despite being fragile and small, even When our strength seems dwarfed by the magnitude of the problems and the blind fury of violence, we can make a decisive contribution to changing history.”
Hence the call, in an African country with a large Christian majority: “In the name of Jesus, of his Beatitudes, let us lay down the weapons of hatred and revenge to take up the weapons of prayer and charity”, exhorted the Pontiff. “Let’s overcome those antipathies and aversions that, over time, have become chronic and run the risk of confronting tribes and ethnic groups; let’s learn to put the salt of forgiveness on the wounds, which burns but heals.” And, although the heart bleeds for the grievances received, let us renounce once and for all to respond to evil with evil, and we will be fine inside; let us accept and love each other with sincerity and generosity, as God does with us”.
Even in a deeply wounded country like South Sudan, everyone can become a light, the Pope explained: “Before worrying about the darkness that surrounds us, before waiting for something around us to light up, we are obliged to shine, to illuminate with our life and our works the cities, towns and places we inhabit, the people we hang out with, the activities we carry out”. Because “if we live as sons and brothers on earth, people will discover that they have a Father in heaven.”
And it is precisely the flame of charity that feeds this light. “We are asked to burn with love – added Francisco -. It must not happen that our light goes out, that the oxygen of charity disappears from our life, that the works of evil take away the pure air from our testimony. This land, beautiful and martyred, she needs the light that each one of you has, or rather, the light that each one of you is”.
At the end of the celebration, before praying the Angelus, the Pontiff expressed his gratitude to the hundreds of thousands of faithful gathered in recent days: “They came here in great numbers from different parts, many spending so many hours, if not days, in the way,” he said. “In addition to the affection you showed me, I thank you for your faith, for your patience, for all the good you do, and for the hard work you offer to God without losing heart, knowing how to move forward.”
“Hope”, he added, “is the word that I would like to leave each one of you, as a gift to share, as a seed that bears fruit. As the figure of Saint Josephine Bakhita (originally from Sudan, n.ed) reminds us .), hope, here especially, is in the sign of women and I want to thank you and bless all the women of the country in a special way”. And to the Mother of all women, he once again entrusted “the cause of peace in South Sudan and in the entire African continent. To Our Lady we also entrust peace in the world, particularly in the many countries that are at war, like the tormented Ukraine”.
Lastly – before leaving for Rome – the promise he made together with the Anglican Primate Welby and the Moderator of the Church of Scotland Greenshields: “We have come here and we will continue to walk in your footsteps, the three of us together, doing everything possible to make them steps of peace, steps towards peace. You are in our hearts, you are in the hearts of Christians around the world. Never lose hope. And don’t miss the opportunity to build peace.”
