When I was young, although I was Protestant, I felt warm
emanations from Rome in the presence of Pope John the 23rd. It seemed to me
that Jesus had a true friend in the Holy See.
After his death, I once asked
my dissertation advisor, Michael O. Sawyer, what the Catholic Church was all
about. He'd grown up in Baldwinsville, New York with Father Ted Hesburgh, the
President of Notre Dame, and was knowledgeable about many things. He said the
Catholic Church was all about money.
Today, when I read about Pope Francis and his many comments
I get a hope for all of Christianity. As much as I thought at times that I had
drifted from my beliefs. I've ended up in the same place I was when I was helping my mother count the
collection plates in Erwin Methodist Church. I can't not believe that Jesus
died so we could be better people.
In his Evangeli Gaudium, Pope Francis talks about a world
where the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. He says, despite all I see
on Wall Street, we are not headed to an
economy of exclusion. We all have a responsibility to care about those who have
less than we have
This is a man who refuses to condemn the usual suspects and
believes in a religion of love for all mankind. He inspires someone like me to
hold on to my hopes and dreams for a better world. As we head towards the
birthday of God's Son he restoreth my soul.
No comments:
Post a Comment