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 13-18

We continue with what I must confess is for me the least inspiring sections of the Old Testament to date. Joshua affirms the division of the land just outside Canaan to two and one-half of the twelve tribes, and then begins the process of dividing the promised land among the remaining tribes. This is done in accordance with the instructions of Moses before he died. 

Tomorrow begins the conclave to elect a new Pope. The media is very focused on the "horse race" aspect of it, which I suppose is human nature. But I hope and trust that the Holy Spirit is at work this week through the assembled cardinals, flawed humans as they are. And that they are inspired by the Holy Spirit to select the man we need for the job at a critical time in Church history. I will certainly be praying for that.

One message that has been coming to me very strongly this last week or two has been "do not be afraid." As I alluded to in a prior post, I am in a period right now of being afraid. And yet it seems everywhere I turn--this past Sunday's readings, songs on the radio, comments of support from loved ones--I can hear God's voice encouraging me to put aside my fear and trust Him. It is very, very difficult for me. But I will keep trying and praying for courage and trust. 

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. 

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.

Exodus 21:22-25:9

God continues to provide Moses with instructions and commands for how the Israelites should live. Criminal law, tort law, property law, personal injury law, and rules of social behavior. We find here the "eye for eye, tooth for tooth" language that is ingrained in our cultural lexicon, in the context of the punishment for fighting with a pregnant woman and causing her to be injured and to miscarry. But if she miscarried and is not otherwise injured, the punishment is only a fine in an amount to be determined by the injured woman's husband. Curious. Also in this passage we find the special admonition to treat widows and orphans well--another reference that is or at least was commonplace in our Anglo-American culture at one point. The Lord tells the Israelites that he will surely hear the cry of the widows and orphans. Going on, He instructs them to "keep away from anything dishonest." Surely outstanding advice, and I know I try in my life to keep a distance from people I feel or fear are not honest. As the passage ends, the Lord has called Moses to ascend Mt. Sinai where He is to give him the tablets containing the Ten Commandments and to instruct him to build the Ark. More on that in the next passage. But just before that, the Lord describes the rewards to come for the Israelites if they are faithful to Him. He says, "I am sending an angel before you, to guard you on the way and bring you to the place I have prepared." These words call to my mind the words Jesus speaks just before his Ascension, as He explains to His disciples that he is going ahead of them to prepare room for them in His Father's house. It also reminds me of Jesus' words in promising to send the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit, to help His disciples in the future.