“Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” Matthew 25:40 (NIV)
I was ten years old in 1978 when I heard news on the car radio that Pope Paul VI had died. Our family was on vacation. Not really knowing anything about the pope, my parents explained to me that a pope is the leader of the Roman Catholic Church. They also stated the presence of a pope goes back to Saint Peter as the Bishop of Rome. They further mentioned that as Protestants and United Methodists, we do not take direction from the pope, but we can be inspired by a pope’s teachings and actions. Over the years I have definitely had a strong interest in the comings and goings of life in Vatican City.
I reflect on these early realizations of leadership within the Roman Catholic Church as we remember the life of another pope who has died, Pope Francis. Pope Francis oversaw the Catholic Church from March 2013 until his recent death this year on April 21(the day after Easter). Francis took his papal name from Saint Francis of Assisi, the Thirteenth Century founder of the Franciscan Order. Both men were modest and humble, with a heart for the environment, the animal world, and the “least of these.” Both leaders had a detachment from the material world and chose the simplicity of life.
Quite simply, Pope Francis was a man of action who radiated “joy.” He believed that actions speak louder than words. He wanted priests to be icons of Christ and serve as shepherds who smell of sheep. It was often said that “people came to Rome to see John Paul II, to listen to Benedict XVI, but they came to Rome to touch Francis.”
At the World Youth Day in Lisbon in 2023, Pope Francis shouted, “Todos, todos, todos!” to the millions of young people who came together. He was saying that all people are welcome. For many, it was as if he was offering a glimpse into his soul. He was the world’s parish priest. As one follower recently told me, “On earth, we lost a friend. In heaven, an angel was added.”
Now, the Roman Catholic Church will need to elect a new pope. The conclave will commence on May 7. The conclave will take place in the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel. Like many of you, I will be anxious to see what comes next. Let us pray for the Roman Catholic Church as they choose their next leader. We are a global body of Christ!
Peace and blessings, Pastor Scott