Good Friday messages focus on helping others

Good Friday messages focus on helping others

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian Christians were asked yesterday to
work hand in hand with their fellow citizens of all creeds in
facing the economic hardship.

Priests and ministers focused their Good Friday messages on
the need for Christians to follow Jesus Christ's example in
helping others.

In Bandung, Protestant minister Suprianto Jian of Pasundan
Christian Church called on the congregation to realize the
importance of looking within themselves in confronting the
crisis.

"We should all ask ourselves why the crisis has occurred and
think of how to resolve it," Suprianto was quoted as saying by
Antara.

Prosperous Christians should help the needy without
discriminating on religious faith, he said.

Good Friday is the holy day preceding the celebration of
Easter Sunday, which marks Christ's resurrection.

Christians account for about 10 percent of Indonesia's 202
million people and form vibrant communities across the
predominantly Moslem country.

"We (Christians) should never think of our group only.
Remember Jesus Christ came not only for a group, but for everyone
in the world," he said.

Bandung Archbishop Alexander Djajasiswaja said Christians
should make Jesus Christ their role model in loving and helping
their fellow human beings.

He said Jesus had sacrificed himself to help deliver humankind
from sin.

The bishop urged Catholics to assist the government in
handling the devastating economic crisis that has triggered mass
dismissals, layoffs and sent prices of basic commodities soaring.

In Jakarta, Archbishop Julius Cardinal Darmaatmadja said
Catholics, along with all citizens, must persevere to overcome
the crisis for a better future.

Vatican Ambassador Pietro Sambi, interviewed on the state-run
TVRI TV station, expressed hope that this Easter would inspire
Christians to be bonded with love, unselfishness, generosity and
dedication toward the poor and those in suffering.

In predominantly Catholic East Timor, Dili Bishop Carlos
Filipe Ximenes Belo instructed the faithful to refrain from
worldly pleasures so they could concentrate on spiritual matters.

In East Nusa Tenggara, thousands of Catholics from many parts
of the world gathered in the town of Larantuka to take part in
the traditional Good Friday procession on the slope of Mount Ile
Mandiri.

East Flores Regent Henky Mukin said all inns and motels in
Larantuka were fully booked until Sunday.

The procession reenacts the path of Jesus to his crucifixion.

"On Good Friday, Larantuka is comparable to Galilee, which was
crammed by people from all quarters when Jesus was born," he told
Antara. (pan/swe)