A Different Pope for Different Folks

Earlier today, I mentioned that Pope Francis has a mission of healing. It appears, from information cited in an article on Yahoo News, that this is nothing new for him. The article was coauthored by Paulo Prada and Helen Popper.

Read: Behind the charm, a political pope

As a youth, he wanted to study chemistry, with the goal of becoming a doctor. His mother set up a laboratory for him only to discover that her son had filled the space with books on theology and Catholicism. Why had he done this? What was it? Confronted by his mother, the future Pope responded: "It's medicine for the soul."

There are other fascinating hints about what made Pope Francis such a different kind of Pope than the ones we are used to. For example:

• Despite being genuinely humble, the Pope knows how to read people intuitively.
• When convinced of something, he can be annoying about it to the point of meddling, a trait that got him removed from one of the schools where he was teaching.
• He did not want to leave his homeland.
• He refuses to wear ornate vestments.
• He has got one lung, because the other was removed with three infected cysts in it.
• He admits to having been enamored of a woman while he was studying at a seminary.
• He can be a micromanager who is concerned with petty details.
• While at a Jesuit residence, he shared a gift of pastries with the maids and cooks in the kitchen, which miffed some of the other Jesuits present.
• He was quite relieved during the last conclave when he wasn't elected Pope.

So what do we have here?

We have a man who is very human with faults and foibles. While he is very likeable, he annoys people. The people he irks are those who want to keep everything in order, who don't like changes, and who, most of all, do not like having their power challenged. He can zero in on details and drive other people to distraction when he does that. Yet, he's not a cold fish—he admits to crying, missing his homeland, and having had an attraction to a woman. 

When was the last time a Pope admitted these kinds of things?

Yet, he is cheerful and likes to serve people. Here again, we see his strong desire to be as nonhierarchical as possible. We sense his dedication to seeing a task through to the end. We understand his desire to serve rather than to rule. We observe his compassion and kindness, which endears him to powerless people. And we know that the best servant of the people is the one who is reluctant to be raised up to attain more power.

Another article on Yahoo News, written by Philip Pulella, provides an update on how the feet-washing ceremony went and describes today's papal homily:

http://news.yahoo.com/pope-urges-catholic-priests-help-poor-shun-careerism-112315330.html

There were a number of remarkable things about what happened at the foot washing besides the location and shift from priests to prisoners. Pope Francis washed the feet of two female inmates and two Muslim inmates. As the article reports, Pope Francis said: "It is the example of the Lord. He was the most important, but he washed the feet of others. The most important must be at the service of others."

We also learn about what Pope Francis had to say in today's Mass ceremony: 

We need to go out, then, in order to experience our own anointing (as priests). . .to the outskirts where there is suffering, bloodshed, blindness that longs for sight, and prisoners in thrall to many evil masters.

Here is that theme again: He speaks truth to power, saying we must understand what it is like to be powerless.   And we suspect that there are going to be a number of annoyed people at the Vatican when Pope Francis starts to micromanage the Curia. They are used to their own power.

Once again, this difference is at work. He cannot—will not—do things the way they were done just because that is the tradition. He'll stick with the doctrines, because he considers them sacred, but all the other things are up for grabs. Why not? Why not upset the apple cart and fill it with oranges? The apples are old and stale so it's time to dump them and put in some new nourishments.

These are the acts of a person who knows full well the symbolism of such things. He uses his position as a pontiff to underscore the importance of living up to one's vows and advancing one's own spirituality.

It's no accident that, unchurched as I am, I find myself praying more. I find myself watching more TV shows with religious content. And, I also find myself counseling other people to look more deeply into issues rather than just taking a "side." I also find myself asking if I can do more, do better. 

I sense divisions within me healing. The symbolic actions of Pope Francis are teaching me accept the fact that I am strong (even if I am a pest). I am learning more about what I think might be my own mission in life. It's not a grand one, but it's a good one, and I am happy with it. I shall reserve that for another post. I keep meaning to put it up on this blog. I'm saving it for a day when there is NO news on Pope Francis.

This different Pope is making a difference already in my unchurched life. He's bringing me closer to G-d and to humanity. What more can I ask? A lot, my progressive side shouts. Yes and no.

I can want, wish, shout, ask, and demand that my progressive agenda be implemented. Indeed, I have to be a meddler and annoy people sometimes with those things. That's all part of what I have to do.

But I also have to try to be a little bit "pontiff-like" and try to help build bridges between people. I can appreciate and welcome what others have to offer. The difference is the peace I feel. That is the grace that Pope Francis has given me, even though he doesn't know it.

So on this Maundy Thursday, let me pay it forward: Peace to you all. May we begin to heal our divisions and seek service instead of power.