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Like most everyone else our family is in a Pope Francis frenzy these days. Reading, talking, listening, praying. How can we not? The whole country is paying attention, or at least those of us on social media
As always, I am fascinated with all the different responses to the Pope. I like watching how the Holy Spirit moves, and is He moving!!
Some people are frustrated because he didn’t do this, didn’t say that. Predictable: we just can’t seem to be satisfied with much these days. Since we take the job of evangelization seriously, we always feel let down when we interpret the Pope’s actions or words as lacking, and we can’t help but whine and gripe a bit. “Dad, tell him off! Why didn’t you?” That’s okay, I do it too.
His speeches so far seem to be smaller editions of Laudato Si’ — all encompassing, and compared to his fiery speeches in the Philippines, rather mild and gentle in tone. A friend pointed out that it may be the editing; in the Philippines his speeches were edited by Bishop Gabby Reyes. I have no idea who’s editing his speeches here in the US, but there is quite a difference that’s noticeable for those of us who are comparing. [Related reading: Does the Pope write his own speeches?]
Despite that, I can’t seem to find much cause to worry. As with many things, I really enjoy (and recommend) sitting back a bit and surveying the big picture of what’s going on. This cartoon from Tim Hartman is one good summation.
And you know how actions speak louder than words? No matter what we think may be missing from Pope Francis’ speeches, we cannot ignore the fact that he visited the dined with the homeless instead of Boehner et al. Those two actions in themselves send messages far more effective than anything he’s said, and we do have a couple more days with him, so we’ll just have to wait and see.
Right now, there are no words to explain what’s going on, except “Holy Spirit”. I must have read 25 different accounts yesterday of non-Catholics or minimal Catholics having been MOVED by this Pope in some way, whether into action or a reconsideration of what Christianity is about. (Join Sherry Weddell’s Forming Intentional Disciples Forum to see some of those stories and more. Better yet, read the book too.) This Pope feels like Jesus to so many. There’s no other world leader right now that can make the same claim.
In case we haven’t figured it out yet, Papa Francis is all about the encounter. Only through encounter, can we see beyond ideologies, beyond the memes. Do we see each other as people? Or are we stuck in “label” thinking? “The liberals”, “the conservatives”, “the rad trads”, “the migrants”, “the progressives”, “the right-wingers”. Meanwhile the Holy Spirit has His own agenda, one that we may not anticipate or agree with all the time.
From Day 1 of his papacy, Pope Francis has been all about forcing the conversation to happen. Whether it’s same sex marriage, divorce and annulment, family, homosexuality, climate change, capitalism, abortion, contraception, immigration, poverty… the approach has been consistent. It’s his mission to get people talking TO each other, getting that LIGHT shone into all the hidden corners, getting the Truth OUT.
Papa Francis’ focus, from my point of view, is not to take us to the finish line, but to move us closer to it. He constantly draws us, out of our comfort zones and our complacencies, and pushes us forward, bit by bit, into CONVERSATION… into CONVERSION… into COMMUNION.
Come, Holy Spirit!
I Saw the Pope in Paris When I Was an Atheist; It Changed Me |”I Believed in That Man”: The Power of Peter, Even Now
I’ve been enthralled with the Pope’s visit, and amazed, in awe….
The Pope speaking at the US Congress is indeed history being made but more than that it also shows how unifying, assimilating and inclusive his image and his message is….
Fox News’ Shep Smith on Pope Francis’ words
Matthew Kelly: Pope Francis changing church’s conversation
Not Catholic But
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