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It is a religious (non Christian) context. The fellow country people are believer people. They live also in an accelerating historical period. The decisive question must be: Do they remain faithful to the Lord of history and truly concerned about their fellow country people? Catholics are called to examine their attitude as Christians in Brunei and Asia. It is a time to be conscious of our call and role in society - a time of thorough examination of conscience. Are we really playing our role? Are we satisfied to live on the periphery of our Asian society? Are we conscious that we are to be leaven and light in the midst of the prevailing confusion and darkness? Let us learn from our predecessors in faith. Israel had to learn that in the inter-section of her history with the history of other nations, God was working out his plan. The world of international politics was the stage of divine action. We have to take up the challenge of the present situation as a God-given opportunity to witness before our country-people to the saving power of God. Many of our country-people today would like to meet Jesus the Saviour. Like the Greeks who came to Jerusalem, they are asking us to show them Jesus (Jn 12: 20-26). Israel had to pay the price of guilt and unfaithfulness through forced exile and deprivation. But in the school of suffering and trials, Israel learned its life giving fruit. They found new life and new strength, thanks to the foresight and vision of the prophets. Do we believe that in the trials and confusion of today God is preparing us and our children for a better future? Israel had constantly to face a hostile world, both with regard to her religious beliefs and her political life: Assyria, Babylon, Edom, Sidon etc. Perhaps because of her common cultural roots and also the ever-present influence of the surroundings peoples, there was a constants danger to her faith. In Exile, Israel had painfully to come to a clearer notion of her own relationship with God. "and so you will learn that I am YHWH" (Ezek 36: 11). They had to undertake journeys through the desert. They realised that they were a people on the way, where the journeying itself is an act of worship (Num 9: 22-23). The situation prevailing in the country must remind the people of Brunei and Asia that we are also a people on the way. The lesson of the journey is always valid - also for us today. God himself remains faithful and through him the unity of human history and revelation is guaranteed. He has spoken through the prophets and continues to send them. In Jesus Christ God has revealed the true countenance of his love. Whoever knows this Christ in loving faith knows unmistakably, that men should not degrade women, children and poor people. It is very important especially in Brunei, since they have a relatively rich country; but still there are relatively poor fellow countrymen. Bringing about the Kingdom of God in this context means mainly two things: first, to accept God as our Father and second, to accept other countrymen as our sisters and brothers. Therefore, the Kingdom of God cannot be limited to an exclusively internal disposition without any social implications. As a minority it is not easy for Catholics in Brunei. If accepting our neighbour as our sister and brother means anything, it means that we take part in forming a society based on equality and solidarity. A social acceptance of Christian values has also very consoling social rewards. When a group of people begin to respect each other, a new sense of security develops. Each other begins to be accepted by his fellow countrymen. Given this social acceptance, personal self-acceptance becomes possible. And if there is self-acceptance, self-identity develops naturally. This self-identity leads to a group identity made possible by the perception of former values as unjust and alien to the group. This new group identity makes unity within the group possible. This unity very often leads to a very high decree of creativity. It is amazing to see what ingenious and effective means the group can develop to fight for its own rights. Another very consoling result of this approach is that people are no longer interested in punishing others but in asserting their rights. They may even develop a sense of mission. Theirs will be that of bringing to their country the Kingdom of God which means a total conversion and a change of values. For the rich this entails giving up privilege; and experience shows how difficult that is. The underprivileged, on the other hand, having no privilege to give up, are in a unique position to accept fully the Kingdom of God. This is "their privilege" and they should take pride in it. Also in Brunei and nearly in all Asian countries, the Catholics are called to create a new model of man who has faith in himself and faith in his sisters and brothers, who brings about solidarity, opposed to division, who creates a community of brotherhood and sisterhood and not a hierarchical society based on privilege. Every Catholic is called to imitate Jesus Christ, who learned everything to be human from inside - he was born a Jew (viz. Phil 2: 6-11). Our learning is more difficult because it means entering into empathy into the cultural universe of other people. This is the work of the whole man and the whole society. It requires the full cooperation of heart and intelligence and the use of whatever instruments man has developed in his effort to understand other human beings better. Listening to them is the best way to learn, and who will doubt that one must learn before one can teach? The Catholic community in Brunei and Asian Countries are numerically small. The political situation gives the Catholics feelings of apprehension and hopelessness. Yet as believers we must proclaim that the Church has a future. We must hold out a message of hope and reassurance. Biographical note: Cardinal Julius Riyadi Darmaatmadja SJ, was born in Muntilan, archdiocese of Semarang, 20 December 1934. He was ordained a priest on 18 December 1969. Appointed Bishop of Semarang on 19 February 1983, he was ordained a bishop on 29 June 1983 and later in 1994 on 26 November Pope John Paul II created him a Cardinal. Cardinal Darmaatmadja has been archbishop of Jakarta since 11 January 1996. (Fides Service 10/2/2003 EM lines 75 Words: 1,188)

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