Reverend Joseph E. Kurtz, D.D. Bishop | Archdiocese of Louisville

TASITOLU, Timor-Leste — While it is tempting to want more money and power, God works great things through those who know how to make themselves small, Pope Francis told a massive crowd in one of the world’s poorest countries.

In a nation of 1.3 million people — 96% of whom are Catholic — local authorities estimated 600,000 people gathered for Mass with the pope on September 10 at a park in Tasitolu, about five miles outside Timor-Leste’s capital, Dili. They came from all over Timor-Leste and also from Indonesia.

People sitting near the metal barriers closest to the altar said they arrived at the site at 4 a.m. for the Mass at 4:30 p.m. They huddled under yellow-and-white umbrellas to avoid the worst effects of the intense sun on a cloudless day.

Even Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão and members of his government arrived more than an hour early; while they had seats on a brick-paved platform near the altar, they also had special papal-visit umbrellas, although they put them down when the Mass began.

Before the Mass, Gusmão introduced Pope Francis to a long line of people who are sick or have disabilities. The pope blessed each one as the prime minister helped them up and/or hurried them along.

The prayers and readings were from the votive Mass for the queenship of Mary, “the mother of a king, Jesus, who chose to be born small and to make himself our brother, entrusting his powerful action to the ‘yes’ of a poor and innocent young mother,” Pope Francis said.

He asked the crowd to think about how the birth of a child is a moment of joy and how “an infant’s vulnerability carries with it a message so strong that it touches even the most hardened souls.”

Praising the people of Timor-Leste for continuing to have a relatively high birth rate, Pope Francis said it was “a great gift that so many children and young people are present, constantly renewing the freshness, energy, joy and enthusiasm of your people.”

With about 65% of the population being under age 30, Timor-Leste is “a young country and we can see every corner of your land teeming with life,” he said.

If every baby brings joy, Pope Francis said, how much more should people marvel at Christ's incarnation where God himself became human “to draw close to us and save us.”

The response to that gift should be opening oneself to God “so that he may heal our wounds, reconcile our differences and reorder our lives to create a new foundation for every aspect of our personal and communal life.”

“Let us not be afraid to make ourselves small before God and before each other," Pope Francis told them. "To lose our lives, give up our time, revise our schedules—giving up something—to help a brother or sister become better and happier."

With dozens of Indigenous people present wearing traditional dress, Pope Francis noted that two traditional East Timorese symbols speak also of “strength and tenderness.”

The "Kaibauk," representing water buffalo horns worn as headdresses signifies strength while "Belak," representing moon necklaces symbolizes peace. These symbols embody both paternal strength and maternal tenderness according to Pope Francis.

Pope Francis asked attendees at liturgy prayerfully reflect God's love: "we may reflect in this world strong tender light."