Who Would Have Thought I'd Be Blogging About the Pope?

Today, in the Huffington Post, commentator Charles J. Reid, Jr., discusses the controversies swirling around Pope Francis' unusual actions since his election.

See: Pope Francis and Museum-Piece Catholicism

It is well-known that entropy leads to destruction. That which does not change dies. Traditionalists who want everything to be exactly the same as yesterday, yesteryear, and yester-century, are, in essence, condemning the Catholic Church to certain death. Instead of being a living, dynamic religion, Catholicism, would end up being a relic of days gone by.

Did not Jesus Christ initiate change in the religion of his time? Christians are told, time and again, to try to be as Christlike as possible in their lives. Wouldn't that mean initiating changes when they become necessary?

What terrible things has Pope Francis done except to defy a few old and crusted-over traditions that have become virtually meaningless to most Catholics? For example, I never even heard about the feet-washing ceremony until the Pope did something different with it. Can two women's feet defile and destroy an entire religion? Can they undo the basic teachings of Jesus? This is absurd!

Reid provides an overview of how the Bible developed, showing that what is considered "canonical" today was not always the case throughout the centuries as Catholicism evolved. This, that, and the other books of the New Testament were debated and edited and decided upon—this one goes in and that one goes on the trash pile, etc.

Let me add something that Reid did not each touch upon: Reincarnation was written out of the Bible in the Council of Trent. It was believed at the time that Catholics would sin more, because they would expect to be able to come back in new lifetimes to redress their mistakes. That was a simplistic error, because the Law of Karma is very precise, and most people would not want to suffer the consequences of their actions if they were aware that this would happen. Guess what? I still believe in reincarnation, and I am very careful about my karma. This does not—in any way, shape, or form—make me any less of a decent human being, and it does not conflict with my belief in Jesus. If anything, this so-called New Age belief enhances my understanding of His life and teachings.

New books from Biblical times are continually being discovered. Any watcher of the History or Discovery channels can find out about these alternative Biblical records. It is patently clear that much of what was said and done was affected by the times in which these accounts were written. Reid says: 

Tradition was not handed down in a single moment of radiant light on Calvary, but was developed by Christian communities trying to learn the authentic Word of God for themselves and to shape their lives accordingly. Tradition is not static, but dynamic.

So should Catholicism remain dynamic. Our Pope sees the dwindling numbers of Catholics in the world. He realizes that some things have gone very wrong. Like his namesake Saint, Pope Francis feels a mission to fix a Church enfeebled by corruption, scandals, and outmoded traditions.

Even moral teachings can change. Reid says that usury was considered totally wrong at one point and then evolved to an acceptable status. Reid explains that Pope Francis is aware of this history and that he:

understands that tradition is a continually unfolding process and that individuals are not passive observers but must play a role in the constant renewal and re-creation of what it means to be [the] Church. Nothing can ever be handed on exactly, because historical context is constantly shifting, altering our vantage point and making all things fresh. It is this deep self-awareness that makes him so very appealing to such a large audience of Catholics and non-Catholics alike.

Indeed, having been an unchurched, ex-Catholic for some 50 years, I now find myself fascinated with Pope Francis. I like him, because he is different. He is touching a very deep part of my soul. It's not making me go back to the Church, because I still cherish my progressive beliefs regarding a number of critical moral issues. However, this Pope is making me want to hear what he has to say. He is making me want to pray more. He is making me look at my spiritual life more deeply. And he is giving me a sense of peace that I have never known before.

My husband jokes that people should buy me a cassock, because I sound like a Jesuit priest in these blog posts. I look at him in total amazement and ask: "Who would have thought that I would be blogging about the Pope while you would be writing a horror novel." It really was supposed happen in reverse.

That's what I get for praying to St. Jude to tell me what to write about. I get Pope Francis. Well, I'm not unhappy. St. Jude never disappoints even when he provides unexpected answers to prayers.