By Charles Igwe
Pope Francis urged Catholics in Papua New Guinea to remain hopeful and close to God in the face of their daily struggles, speaking at Port Moresby’s Sir John Guise Stadium on Sunday. He encouraged them not to close themselves off from Christ or others when life becomes difficult.
Addressing the crowd on September 8, Pope Francis reminded them that Jesus is always present, offering hope and salvation even amid hardships. “He is the Messiah sent by the Father so that the downhearted might find courage, sinners be forgiven, the blind see, and the deaf hear,” the pope said.
Focusing his homily on the Gospel reading from Matthew, where Jesus heals a deaf and mute man, the pope highlighted how the man was distant both physically and spiritually, as he came from a pagan region and was isolated by his condition. Pope Francis connected this story to modern life, explaining that people today can also become distant from God and others, not due to physical impairments, but because of selfishness, indifference, and fear.
“There is a kind of inner deafness and muteness of heart that occurs whenever we close in on ourselves, shut ourselves off from God and others,” the pope said. These barriers, he continued, rob people of joy and keep them isolated, but Jesus is always near, offering compassion and healing.
Pope Francis emphasized that Jesus consistently reached out to those on the peripheries, bringing them closer to God. He urged the faithful not to close themselves off from God or their neighbors, saying that Jesus helps overcome fears and “conquers our hardness of heart.” In doing so, people rediscover themselves as beloved children of God and as brothers and sisters to one another.
Living on an island in the Pacific may sometimes make people feel distant from the world, the pope noted, but regardless of the cause, Jesus always seeks to draw near. “He wants to heal your deafness and muteness,” Pope Francis said, assuring the faithful that they are central to Christ’s heart.
The pope concluded his homily by encouraging everyone to open themselves up to God and others, saying, “May none of us remain deaf or mute before this invitation.”
After Mass, Pope Francis led the faithful in the Angelus prayer, asking for the intercession of Mary for the people of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. He prayed for the unity of families, for the courage of young people, for comfort for the sick and elderly, and for peace throughout Asia, Oceania, and the Pacific. The pope also called for respect for the environment, rejecting rearmament and exploitation, and promoting harmony between people and creation.
