Pope Francis

We have a Pope! I have only just begun to read the news accounts this morning, so all I have are ally impressions, but here goes....  I think this is in some ways a radical departure from what has gone before. JPII was almost certainly a saint. BXVI was in many ways a continuation of JPII. A brilliant theologian following a philosopher. Both nonItalian Europeans who, together, constituted a definitive break from the centuries-long grip the Italians had on the Papacy. And now the cardinals have gone to the other side of the world for the next Pope. A man of seeming great humility. Not a well-published scholar. Even in his initial appearance on the balcony he opted not to follow certain traditions. He did not wear all of the pieces of clothing typical for the occasion. He asked the people to pray for him before he blessed them. He prayed together with the people for BXVI, using the simplest, most common prayers available so that every Catholic listening could actively participate. And that name! God called St. Francis of Assisi to "rebuild my Church which is in ruins." It cannot be a coincidence that this Pope chose that name at a time when certain aspects of the Church need rebuilding--maybe even need fumigation. May God guide him. As the product of a Jesuit education, I am also tickled that Francis is a Jesuit. That he is a member of that incredible order, and yet took the name of the founder of a different and equally renowned order is significant, I think, in terms of desire for unity across the Church. May the Holy Spirit be with him.

Joshua 1-4

According to the introduction in my New Catholic translation, the Book of Joshua is "a prophecy of the spiritual conquest of the world through the Church under the leadership of Jesus, the Messiah." This reinforces my own tendency so far to understand the Old Testament through the prism of Jesus and the New Testament. Early in this book, the Lord repeats multiple times these words of encouragement: Be firm and steadfast. The Catholic Church is at a crucial juncture. The Throne of St. Peter is empty. And this has not happened in the usual way. Rather, BXVI has left the office by resignation, not death. During Lent. And while we trust in the Holy Spirit, there are many of us who are nonetheless unsettled by it all. We need to be reminded to be firm and steadfast. And why should we be? The Lord explains to Joshua why:

I command you: be firm and steadfast! Do not fear nor be dismayed, for the Lord, your God, is with you wherever you go.

I am unsettled in certain aspects of my own life. I am afraid and dismayed. These words come to me at a propitious time. I need to be firm and steadfast, because God is with me wherever I go. 

This section of Joshua has the story of the "harlot" Rahab, who protects the spies sent by Joshua. To repay her, those spies promise that she and her family will come to no harm when the Israelites cross the Jordan to make war on its inhabitants. At their direction, she hangs a scarlet cord in her window, so the invaders will know which family to spare. The red cord echoes the blood painted over the doors of the Israelites in Egypt to signal to the angel of death to pass over their house during the final, awful plague brought on by Pharaoh's intransigence. Led by Joshua, the Israelites follow the ark to the Jordan, where the river is parted for them--echoing the crossing of the Red Sea out of slavery. 

The Israelites pass through the water in safety to escape slavery, and again to reach the promised land. I am reminded of how we are saved from the slavery of sin and death through the waters of baptism. 

Numbers 26-28

The Lord instructs Moses to take a second census as the Israelites near their entry into Canaan. The second census reveals that the Israelite community has grown. It also reveals that, as God had promised, not a single man is still alive who had been counted in the first census at the base of Sinai, except for Joshua and Caleb (and Moses himself, of course)--the rest had perished as the Lord had promised for their lack of faithfulness. The Lord instructs Moses as to how the Promised Land should be divided among the twelve tribes, and reminds Moses that he himself will see, but not enter, the promised land. Moses accepts his fate gracefully, but does ask the Lord to appoint a successor to guide the people:

Set over the community a man who shall act as their leader in all things, to guide them in all their actions; that the Lord's community may not be like sheep without a shepherd.

God directs Moses to appoint Joshua as his successor. Moses lays his hands on Joshua in a ceremony before the whole community, and in this way the community itself also consecrates Joshua. This is a very interesting, and yes comforting, passage to be reading as we prepare for the election of a new Pope. It is an unsettling time for Catholics, with the historic resignation of BXVI, and we pray for God to guide the cardinals in the task ahead.

This passage ends with more detailed descriptions of the sacrifices that God expects the Israelites to offer on various occasions, all of which have that social dimension to them: a shared assembly of the people.

BXVI Resigns

I had not intended to make this a current events or "issues of the day" blog, but I do feel compelled to comment on yesterday's stunning news that BXVI is resigning as of the end of February. Most news outlets are reporting that his is the first Papal resignation since 1415, but that is a bit misleading. In 1415, there was in effect a civil war on, with competing claimants to the Papacy. That Pope's resignation was not exactly voluntary, as he was on the losing side. One must go back several more centuries to Celestine V for the last truly voluntary resignation. Celestine V was essentially a hermit who had been (to his surprise) elected to be Pope. He lasted only five months. During that time, he was responsible for only a few acts, one being the issuance of a decree that establishes the Pope's right to resign from office, a right he then exercised so that he could return to a life of solitude and prayer. 

What to make of yesterday's news? Too soon to tell, I guess. I believe that the Holy Spirit works always through the Church, and so I trust and hope that God is working through these events for the betterment of the faith and of all of us. The Vatican assured us that the Pope's decision came after much prayer and examination of conscience. I do hope so. Interesting that our time without a Pope will coincide with Lent, a time of doing without and journeying toward the Resurrection. Let us see what the journey brings us.