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)