The pontiff said that South Sudanese Christians have been deeply committed to promoting reconciliation during these conflicts and thanked them for “this radiant testimony of faith.” Despite divisions, “there remains one unchanging fact, namely, that we are Christians; we belong to Christ.” He said that Christianity continues to be a “factor of unity” and praised South Sudan’s ecumenical tradition as “a precious treasure” and an example “for the advancement of Christian unity” for everyone.
“Those who claim to be believers should have nothing more to do with a culture based on the spirit of vengeance,” Pope Francis said. “The Gospel must not be just a beautiful religious philosophy, but a prophecy that becomes reality in history. Let us work for peace by weaving and mending, not by cutting and tearing. Let us follow Jesus, and in following him, let us walk together on the path to peace.”
Pope Francis discussed the importance of working toward peace but also emphasized the importance of prayer as a valuable means to foster peace.
“Prayer gives us the strength to go forward, to overcome our fears, to glimpse, even in the darkness, the salvation that God is even now preparing,” the pope said. “Moreover, prayer brings down God’s salvation upon the people.”
The pontiff cited the Exodus story of the parting of the Red Sea. When the Israelites fled Egypt, he said they “found themselves at a dramatic impasse” upon reaching the shores of the Red Sea with a wall of water in front of them and the enemy forces behind them.
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