Speaking about Pope Francis, Colbert, in character as the slightly cynical conservative Catholic, admitted:
“I don’t care for the guy.”
“He loves you, Stephen.”
“Well, it’s unrequited at the moment. I’ll tell you why: here’s the thing: he’s too soft. He’s too soft on sin, for me, this pope. You heard what he said about atheists? He said even atheists are redeemed by Christ … If even atheists are redeemed by Christ, why have I been going to Mass every Sunday? I could have gotten another nine holes in! What do you think that means?"
“Look, you don’t got to Mass to win heaven. You go to ask God for help to get you there. You go to Mass to thank him for being such a great God that he wants you to spend eternity with him. That’s why you go to Mass. You don’t go to win heaven because you can’t earn it – it’s a gift. He wants to give it to all of us."
“I don’t always know why I’m going to Mass. But I’m usually glad that I did."
Well, the Cardinal may not have been the most nuanced in his explanation, but his contention that we go to Mass to seek for help for holiness in life to make us worthy of Heaven and to thank and praise God is not far from the truth. Sound byte Catholicism? Maybe. But the truth is in there.
Colbert's response is probably that of a typical Catholic in the pews. They don't always know why they go to Mass, but they are usually glad they did.
In his homily for Palm Sunday today, Pope Francis reminded us:
"Do not be men and women of sadness. A Christian can never be sad! Never give way to discouragement! Ours is not a joy that comes from having many possessions, but from having encountered a Person: Jesus."
This is a message much needed in a world where, for many people, happiness is measured by how many possessions they have - or do not have. That message, promoted constantly by the media, has become so much a part of the culture that some people who do not have much struggle to fill their lives with "stuff" instead of what they really need. It is a symptom of the pervasive consumerism that has taken over our culture, telling us that happiness is rooted in how much we have. Pope Francis, who has captured the world with his obvious joy and commitment to the way of the Gospel, while spurning the trappings and material perks of the papacy, is certainly a man who understands that true happiness comes from something deeper - walking with Jesus Christ and imitating his example by being counter-cultural.
His message certainly hits home for many of us - and today, as we accompany Jesus to the Cross, we might do well to reflect on the connection between submitting to God's will and our own priorities, especially if those priorities include the accumulation of inanimate objects.
A dear friend of mine used to remind me when I said that I loved something that you should "like" things, not "love" them. Love, he insisted, should be a feeling reserved for other people - and God - but never things. Pope Francis would say that in that lies happiness - in understanding that when we encounter Christ, we are in relationship with the one who suffered and laid down his life at the will of the Father to show us that evil can be overcome. The great evil of the Cross was transformed, at the Resurrection, into the joy of everlasting life.
That is what Pope Francis means when he says "A Christian can never be sad." Today, as you reflect on what Jesus did for us on the Cross, consider trading your sorrows - for the joy of the Lord.
On his way to the Inaugural Mass, Pope Francis was directed by his entourage to the edge of the crowd, where a disabled man was being held up by his friends in hopes of receiving a papal blessing.
Just like the friends in Mark 2:1-12, who lowered the disabled man through the roof of the house in which Jesus was speaking, these people carried their friend through the crowd of thousands, in hopes of this very encounter. In the midst of the papal pomp, a beautiful encounter of faith and love.
May Pope Francis continue to find opportunities for the love, responsibility and service he preached today in his homily: "We must not be afraid of goodness, of tenderness!" This encounter, above all, was one of great tenderness.
In this touching video, Pope Francis explains to journalists the reasons he chose the name "Francis" for his papacy. It is clear to me this was a Spirit-led moment in which he responded to what he felt were several of the most-pressing needs in our modern world. Expressing his longing that the Church become poor and for the poor, he described the charism of Francis: "the man of peace, the man of the poor, the man who loves and guards creation."
What happened in those few minutes he describes as the final conclave votes were counted was that the Pope's heart was moved by the suggestion of a friend to choose a name that represents exactly what the world needs most right now: peace, solidarity with the poor, and care for the environment.
This is not some retro-hippie flower-child leftist vision, but, in the end, is the agenda of Catholic social teaching. It represents not only the spirituality of Saint Francis, but the very teachings of God himself.
The vision of the reign of God from Old Testament times forward has included peace. Isaiah prophesies: "They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore." (Isaiah 2:4) Jesus reinforced this when he came not as a mighty warrior to defeat the Romans, but instead called for peace, not a sword - and reminded us in the Beatitudes that "the peacemakers" are blessed. Pope Francis mentions that his thought-process included thinking about war (as something very present in the world, no doubt.) For more on Catholic social teaching about peace and non-violence, see this excellent summary from the Archdiocese of Chicagoor the Catechism of the Catholic Church 2302-2317 on "Safeguarding Peace"
From the Old Testament on, Scripture calls for attention to the poor, with numerous references in the Law as to how they are to be treated (Exodus 22-23, Leviticus and Deuteronomy) and Jesus preferred to associate himself with them rather than with men of wealth. Catholic social teaching has always emphasized standing with the poor. (See theUSCCB document on solidarity with the poor and the Catechism of the Catholic Church 2443-2449on "Love for the Poor" for more background.) This becomes even more important in a consumer society where some are left out, as our new Pope has already demonstrated by his own actions and frequent mention of the poor.
And, of course, in the beginning, God created the earth and said it was "good", then gave humankind the earth as a gift - with responsibilities attached. The "land" is frequently referred to in scripture as our "inheritance" - a gift we hold in stewardship for future generations. The Catechism of the Catholic Church connects this imperative to the very theology of creation:
Each creature possesses its own particular goodness and perfection. For each one of the works of the "six days" it is said: "And God saw that it was good." By the very nature of creation, material being is endowed with its own stability, truth and excellence, its own order and laws. Each of the various creatures, willed in its own being, reflects in its own way a ray of God's infinite wisdom and goodness. Man must therefore respect the particular goodness of every creature, to avoid any disordered use of things which would be in contempt of the Creator and would bring disastrous consequences for human beings and their environment. (339)
and even more pointedly, this:
The seventh commandment enjoins respect for the integrity of creation. Animals, like plants and inanimate beings, are by nature destined for the common good of past, present, and future humanity. (2415)
Pope Francis will not be the first to preach the message of peace and respect for creation. Pope John Paul II's 1990 World Day of Peace statement, "Peace with God the Creator, Peace with All of Creation"noted that the ecological crisis is a moral crisis.
These then, are the apparent priorities of the man who has just stepped into the papal office at the call of the Holy Spirit to serve the Church in this time. He has discerned the world and heard its pain. He dedicates himself with a father's love to help people of faith work together to do what they can to transform that pain into promise. Long may he serve!
