Tuesday of the Octave of Easter, April 22, 2025
(click here to listen to or read today’s scriptures)
Pope Francis
Jesus said to Mary Magdalene, “Why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?”
I woke up this morning and saw news that the Pope Francis died a few hours before. He spoke to the US vice president for 17 minutes only the day before. He appeared on his balcony to wave and wish well. The throngs in Vatican Square called out their gratitude and love. He even rode through the crowd on his white Pope Mobile, waving.
And then the pope returned to the Vatican and soon after midnight of Easter Monday, passed away. I don’t think he would have wanted it any other way. Pope Francis loved the regular folks, the common people. He never had much interest in catering to the In Crowd, whoever they might be at the time. And of course, he must have loved, from a distance of two thousand years, Mary Magdalene so very much. As did Jesus.
The New York Times obituary describes how every political side found him frustrating.
Conservative Catholics accused him of diluting church teachings and never stopped rallying against him. Simmering dissent periodically exploded into view in almost medieval fashion, with talk of schisms and heresy.
But Francis also disappointed many liberals, who hoped that he might introduce progressive policies. His openness to frank discussion gave oxygen to debates about long-taboo subjects, including priestly celibacy, communion for divorced and remarried people, and greater roles for women in the church. While he opened doors to talking about such issues, he tended to balk at making major decisions.
“We are often chained like Peter in the prison of habit,” he said of the church in 2022 in a speech in St. Peter’s Basilica. “Scared by change and tied to the chain of our customs.”
In his remarks to the crowd in St. Peter’s Square on Easter, the pope appealed to the “In Crowd:”
I appeal to all those in positions of political responsibility in our world not to yield to the logic of fear which only leads to isolation from others, but rather to use the resources available to help the needy, to fight hunger and to encourage initiatives that promote development. These are the “weapons” of peace: weapons that build the future, instead of sowing seeds of death!
He asked us to pray with him for victims in Palestine, Israel, Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Ukraine, Armenia, Azerbaijan, the Balkans, Congo, Sudan and South Sudan, Sahel, the Horn of Africa, and Myanmar.
Jesus said to Mary, “Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”
Francis did not deliver his final Easter Mass homily, but he did write it. He mentioned Magdalena four times, beginning with her testimony to Peter and John. The pope made sure we understood that this three-some, not only the two disciples Peter and John, were called, like we are to “look for Christ elsewhere,” because he is no longer in the tomb. “Run to look for him again, certain that he will allow himself to be found.”
Henri Nouwen tells me that “the resurrection of Jesus simplifies everything. In front of the rolled-away stone, that simple center, all is very simple.” For his entire life, the last 12 years as pope, this smiling Jesuit from Argentina sought the simplicity. He chose “Francis” as his papal name, this man with often complex thoughts, partly I think to remind himself that in the end, all of this living for Jesus is very simple.
Run toward Jesus, every day, and do what he tells you to do. Whatever happens next will be a blessing.
(Acts 2, Psalm 33, Psalm 118, John 20)
(posted at www.davesandel.net)
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