Jakarta – Pope Francis officially led a grand mass at the Gelora Bung Karno (GBK) Stadium (5/9), attended by tens of thousands of Catholics from various regions in Indonesia. Pope Francis delivered an inspiring homily during the grand mass at the Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium, Jakarta, in front of around tens of thousands of Catholics.
On this occasion, he emphasized the importance of not giving up easily and always believing that there is an opportunity to rise after experiencing failure.
Pope Francis reminded the people to continue to cast their nets to maintain diversity and harmony in Indonesian society.
“The encounter with Jesus invites us to live two fundamental attitudes: listening to the word and living the word,” he said in his homily.
He explained that listening to the word is the first step, which must be followed by living the word in everyday life.
“The given word needs to become life in order to change lives,” he added.
Here is the full text of Pope Francis’ homily at the GBK Main Stadium, based on the Indonesian translation:
The encounter with Jesus invites us to live two fundamental attitudes that enable us to be His disciples: listening to the word and living the word.
First, hearing the word, because all things come from listening, from opening ourselves to Him, from welcoming the precious gift of friendship with Him.
Then, it is important to live the word we have received, not to be mere hearers who deceive ourselves (Jas 1:22); not to risk merely hearing with our ears without letting the word enter our hearts and change the way we think, feel, and act.
The Word that is given, and that we hear, needs to become life in order to change lives, to be incarnated in our lives. It is these two basic attitudes: hearing the word and living the word that we can reflect on in the Gospel that has just been proclaimed.
First, listening to the word. The evangelist tells us that many people gathered around Jesus and “wanted to hear the word of God” (Luke 5:1).
They sought Him, they hungered and thirsted for the word of God and they heard it echoed in the words of Jesus. Now, this scene, repeated many times in the Gospels, tells us that the human heart is always searching for the truth that can fulfill and satisfy its desire for happiness; which cannot satisfy us only by human words, by the criteria of this world and by worldly judgments.
We are always in need of a light from above to illuminate our steps; of living water that quenches the thirst of the desert of the soul, of a consolation that does not disappoint because it comes from heaven and not from the perishable things of this world.
Amid the chaos and transience of human words, there is a need for the word of God, the only compass for our journey, which, amid so many wounds and losses, is capable of guiding us towards the true meaning of life.
Brothers and sisters, let us not forget this: the first task of a disciple is not to wear a perfect spiritual robe outwardly, or to do extraordinary things or undertake great undertakings.
