Ballpark Day of Faith founder Bob Simi reflects on a momentous few weeks in the Catholic Church, the world and in our own community.
I want to share a few thoughts on this week’s "change of command" (as we say in the military) at the Vatican.
I was deeply struck by the unprecedented media coverage in general, and constant buzz over the death of Pope Francis, and the election of our new Pontiff. For a world that is supposedly lukewarm and even sometimes hostile to our faith, I can’t think of any news story in the last decade that’s remotely come close to the intensity of coverage that Rome has gotten in the last three weeks.
Even in my own family and friend group, some of whom are unchurched or have little or no resemblance of adherence to any religion, they were very, very curious with the entire papal death and election process. My clear sense is that it was much more than just curiosity with a contemporary worldwide event. I mean, what’s the big deal, right, if the Church is not relevant to today’s time and culture, then who cares about its leadership?
But clearly, Catholic or non-Catholic, religious or just "spiritual," literally the world was watching when the white smoke came from the Sistine Chapel. The lesson for me at least is that this is a world hungry, almost starving for Christ, even though many times we/they don’t realize it themselves.
This underscores the importance of the Holy Pontiff’s first homily in that this is an opportune time for us to simply be holy and simply be a friend.
Liberal or conservative, traditional orthodox or progressive, none of that really matters in our lives as lay people or for our priest or even the Bishop of Rome. All that matters is that every minute of every day we decrease and He increases and we incrementally become Little Christs.
The best thing that we can do for our family and the world is to become as holy as possible. And to be friends to those who don’t know Christ or nominally know Christ and walk with them on our joint journey to get to know Him, love Him and serve Him in this world in the next.
Those aren’t my words –– those are the sentiments of the new Vicar of Christ.
And in the end, I think the election of Pope Leo isn’t any more complicated than that. The Holy Spirit, through the wisdom of the College of Cardinals, has put him in place as an example for all of us to be holy and to be a friend, with a preferential treatment to the poor. Whether that poverty be defined in a material manner or defined as a poverty of not knowing Christ.
Here is Pope Leo’s first Words to the College of Cardinals from his homily in his first Mass with them.
God Bless and we hope to see you at this year’s Ballpark Day of Faith for some friendship and holiness.
Warmly,
Bob