2019 Christmas Mass, Restoring Religious Tolerance

Christmas Mass at the Jakarta Cathedral Church (Mery Handayani / VOI)

JAKARTA - Togetherness, tolerance, mutual cooperation, and tolerance are a form of social solidarity in the Indonesian nation. But unfortunately, this ethos has begun to fade when issues of intolerance have flared up until now.

At the moment of Christmas mass, Pastor Bernadus Christian Triyudo Parstowo Sj touched on this to his congregation a little. He wants to reconcile the sense of self-defense that exists in Indonesian society with this year's Christmas theme, which is 'live as a friend to everyone'.

"Dear brothers and sisters, celebrate Christmas in the war of a divine presence that is compassionate. In the human situation and offering friendship to humans is a call for us all to get out of the barriers of ethnicity, culture, religion or other premordial expressions," he said, in his lecture. Mass on Christmas Eve, at the Cathedral Church, Gambir, Central Jakarta, Tuesday, December 24.

Christmas Mass at the Jakarta Cathedral Church (Irvan Meidianto / VOI)

According to Pastor Yudo, compassion is very important in balancing this world order. Moreover, in our context as the Indonesian nation, which consists of various ethnic and cultural religions.

Furthermore, he explained that the value and spirit of solidarity was born from a feeling of acceptance as a result of the physical revolution to seize independence for all people in the archipelago.

"The long journey of this nation's history in cultivating the lofty ideals of independence, of course needs to be done by living as brothers and sisters, or friends for all people," he explained.

Yudo assessed that if together with others, Indonesia has hopes of building a culture of compassionate encounter as echoed by Pope Francis. The first way to build is tolerance.

"Merry Christmas, all of us will build this nation with a brotherhood. More faith, inclusive compassion," he said.

Celebration of the Christmas Mass takes place solemnly (Mery Handayani / VOI)

Previously, Vice President Ma'ruf Amin admitted that the current intolerance was getting stronger. According to him, if intolerance is not immediately resolved, it can tear the integrity of the nation.

"The attitude of intolerance is getting stronger day by day. Intolerance if left unchecked can become the seed for the growth of radicalism. In fact, in its extreme form it can become the seed of terrorism," said Vice President KH Ma'ruf Amin, as quoted by Medcom.id

Ma'ruf stated that the value of social solidarity can be used to eradicate intolerance by developing mutual respect for differences, be it differences in religion, ethnicity, differences in opinion, or differences in political attitudes.

"With the spirit of tolerance, it can strengthen and maintain the character of Indonesia's pluralistic society," he said.