Pray For The Pope – September 9th, 2014 9:41 pm

A Facebook exchange tonight reminded me of a Facebook post I submitted way back on January 21st.  For the life of me, I can’t remember why I didn’t blog it.  It must have been because I just started tapping away on the keyboard, emotionally invested in the video I had just played.  

Watch the video.  Then read what I wrote.  You might understand, to some extent, the anguish I was experiencing in those moments my soul was pining for Pope Francis.

I do not like Pope Francis.  But I do love Pope Francis.  Deeply.

 

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“Sharing our experience in carrying that cross, to expel the illness within our hearts, which embitters our life: it is important that you do this in your meetings. Those that are Christian, with the Bible, and those that are Muslim, with the Quran. The faith that your parents instilled in you will always help you move on.”

– Pope Francis, to Christian and Muslim refugees at Rome’s Sacred Heart parish.

If there was ever a moment… IF THERE WAS EVER A MOMENT TO EVANGELIZE!, it was in that moment when the Holy Father was speaking to HIS DISTRAUGHT CHILDREN.

Did you get that? Catholic… Protestant… Muslim… Hindi… Wiccan… Atheist… ALL CHILDREN ON THIS EARTH are in the care of the Vicar of Christ.

I don’t think you heard me. The pope is commissioned to care for every, single, solitary person on this earth. Commissioned.

Commissioned. Commissioned. Commissioned. Commissioned… by Jesus Christ.

If there was ever a moment to speak the truth of the faith to unbelievers, it was in that moment at the podium at a Catholic church in Termini. Off the cuff, our Holy Father could have simply stated “I am blessed to be with you all here. Even in your suffering, God feels your pain. You are not alone. God’s Son Jesus Christ felt this pain… even more than what you are experiencing now!… and He loves you with a love that is unfathomable. Do not cry my children… you are loved! By God, you are loved so much. I love you. And just upstairs in the tabernacle is the Person of Jesus Christ. He is waiting for you. Talk to him. Ask him to heal you… Go to him…”

…or some such thing.

If there was a moment to speak as a loving father who wants his child back home, it was then. The father did not give his prodigal son the message “here son… here is some more money… it really sucked being out there in the wilderness, leading a life away from me and your brother… I love you, but here… sell this coat and calf we were going to slaughter… hock this ring… you can fetch some good coin for that… and here’s a fifty. now go back out there and live it up.”

But what does Pope Francis say to the Muslim refugees? “Those that are Christian, with the Bible, and those that are Muslim, with the Quran. The faith that your parents instilled in you will always help you move on.”

No, Holy Father. The Muslim ‘faith’ cannot help anyone ‘move on’. Unless it is moving along a road that leads further away from Christ.

THAT IS NOT THE COMMISSION!!!!

My heart is aching in my chest. Tears are welling up in my eyes. And I am going upstairs right now to recite and dedicate 10 Sorrowful Mysteries for the pope.

Pray for Pope Francis. Pray very hard for Pope Francis. Love him until it hurts. And ponder Damian, you rotten, rotten scoundrel, just how much Christ loves you even as you continually pound nails into his hands. Every. Single. Day.

Pray for the pope.