On Sunday, Nov. 24, Pope Francis of the Roman Catholic Church held a “Gathering for Peace” at Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, and on Monday, Nov. 25, officiated at the “Papal Mass” at Tokyo Dome. Those of us from Protestant churches and representatives from other Japanese religions were invited to these gatherings and given the opportunity to hear the Pope’s message and to participate in the corporate prayer. At the meeting in Hiroshima, Kyodan Moderator Ishibashi Hideo also sat on the platform and received greetings from Pope Francis and shook hands with him. In Tokyo, in the mass that included the corporate prayers of believers from various Asian countries, liturgical scripture readings, and ceremonial greetings, there were many Kyodan-related persons who were invited and attended.

The message of Pope Francis at Hiroshima, on the one hand, was that “the victims who experienced the atomic bomb can appeal to all the world together against the threat and inhumanity of atomic weapons beyond all human difference and religion.” I heard that he also pointed out the irrationality and criminal nature of those who acquiesce in the preparation for the use of atomic weapons while mouthing peace, urging Japan to awaken from seeking a peaceful life under the nuclear umbrella of the United States. I was impressed by the stance of Pope Francis, who greeted the A-bomb victims at the beginning of the meeting, taking their hands while listening to the each one’s remarks.

The field and stands at Tokyo Dome were filled to capacity as Pope Francis appeared, riding in a car and circling the hall amidst the ovation of a crowd of 50,000 people. He had the car stop along the way when he saw children, took them up in his arms, and blessed them. Then he went up to the platform, where he presided over the worship service. In his sermon, he took scripture from the beginning of Genesis and the Lord Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, first of all pointing out the importance of climbing the mountain with the Lord Jesus and from there looking back upon oneself and the world; then with thankfulness and joy accepting the world and the life that God has made, as it is, and accepting not only one’s own life but also accepting all the life that fills others and the world; then realizing that we are called to live together, being led by the prayer: “Oh Lord, in order to protect all life, in order to open the way for the best possible future, take hold of us by your power and light.” Pope Francis well understands the disregarded, devalued person’s pain and loneliness, which is spreading particularly among the youth of Japan, and speaks to their hearts, “Don't worry. Seek God’s kingdom and righteousness”—words that make us feel his desire to deliver the light of the words of the Lord Jesus. His final appeal to Christians that the work of the church in today’s society is to become a “field hospital” to receive wounded persons made a strong impact on me. I rejoice that through the visit of Pope Francis to Japan, the Word has been spoken, has been heard, and has become an opportunity to bring life to the closed-hearted insensitivity to grace from above that is evident within present-day Japanese society and among Roman Catholics as well as Protestants. (Tr. RT)

                           —Akiyama Toru, general secretary

教皇フランシスコ日本訪問

　　　　　　　　　　　　　秋　山　　徹

　ローマ教皇フランシスコが11月24日（日）に、広島平和記念公園で「平和のための集い」を行い、翌25日（月）は東京ドームで「教皇ミサ」を行った。これらの集会にわれわれプロテスタントの教会や日本の諸宗教の代表者も招かれ、教皇からのメッセージと共同の祈りに参加する機会が与えられた。広島の集会では石橋秀雄教団議長も壇上で教皇からのあいさつを受け、握手を交わした。東京ではアジア各国の信者の共同祈願や、み言葉の典礼、感謝の典礼を含むミサに教団関係者も多く招かれ参加した。

　広島での教皇メッセージは、「原爆を経験した被爆者は、人種や宗教、あらゆる区別を超えて、共に核兵器の脅威と非道さを世界に訴えることができる」とする一方で、平和を口にしながら核の力を武器として備え用いることを容認する者の非倫理性・犯罪性を鋭く指摘し、米国の核の傘のもとに安住しようとする日本に覚醒を促すものだった。集会の初め、被爆者一人一人の言葉を聞きながら手を取って挨拶する姿が印象的だった。

　東京ドームでのミサは、フィールドとスタンドを埋め尽くす5万人の大会衆の歓呼の中を車に乗って登場し、場内を一巡、途中で幼い子供たちを見ると車を止めさせて子どもを抱き上げ祝福したのち登壇、教皇フランススコ主司式による礼拝が始まった。説教では、創世記の初めと主イエスの山上の説教のみ言葉から、まず主イエスとともに山に登り、そこから自分と世界を顧みることの大切さが指摘された。そして、神が造られた世界と命をそのままに感謝と喜びをもって受け入れなければならないこと、自分の命のことだけでなく他者と世界に満ちるすべての命を受け入れて共に生きることに招かれていることに気づかせ、「おお、主よ、すべてのいのちを守るため、よりよい未来をひらくため、あなたの力と光でわたしたちをとらえてください」との祈りに導かれるものだった。教皇が日本の、特に若者の間に広がる、無視され無価値にされている人々の痛みや孤独をよく知って、彼らの心に「思い煩うな。神の国と神の義とを求めよ」との主イエスの言葉の光を届けたいと、願っていることを感じさせる言葉だった。最後に、今日の社会における教会の働きとして、傷ついた人々を受け入れる「野戦病院」となれ、とキリスト者に訴えられたのは衝撃だった。この教皇訪日により、上からの福音に心を閉ざし冷え込んでいる今日の日本の社会に対して、カトリック、プロテスタントを含めて、み言葉が語られ、聞かれ、生かされる機会となったことを喜びたい。