At Ecumenical Prayer in Juba's John Garang Mausoleum, South Sudan, on Saturday, Pope Francis highlighted the words 'memory and commitment' to encourage all to persevere in their journey.
The Pope insisted that memory means making sure that "the steps that you take to follow in the footsteps of those who have gone before you, and commitment means journeying towards unity when love is concrete.
Pope Francis noted that he and the Archbishop of Canterbury and Moderator of the Church of Scotland, visited South Sudan as "pilgrims, to be with you."
"Let us love each other constantly, from the heart," the Pope invited.
"In the diversity of our confessions, let us feel united among ourselves, as one family, responsible to pray for everyone," the Pope said.
During the Ecumenical Prayer, Pope Francis requested the participants to reflect on three verbs: to pray, work, and journey.
He highlighted that 'prayer' gives us the power to overcome our fears and to see the salvation God is preparing even in the darkness.
Reflecting on the verb 'to work,' Pope Francis urged them to work tirelessly for the peace that the Spirit of Jesus and the Father want them to build and a peace that integrates diversity and promotes unity in plurality.
"Those who choose Christ choose peace, always; those who unleash war and violence betray the Lord and deny his Gospel," he insisted.
Pope Francis continued to reflect on the third verb, 'to journey,' and said that in this country, "Christian communities have been deeply committed to promoting processes of reconciliation."
The Pope thanked this country's "radiant witness of faith born of the realization, expressed not only in words but also in deeds that prior to any historical divisions, there remains one unchanging fact, namely, that we are Christians" for encouraging reconciliation.
The Pope noted ecumenism in South Sudan as "a precious treasure," and invited all to love everyone because everyone is a child of our common Father in heaven.
"May the witness of unity among believers overflow to the people as a whole," the Pope prayed. - With inputs from Vatican News
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