Pope Francis—with his pastoral style, his extraordinary gestures, and his fidelity to the Holy Spirit’s wisdom in guiding the continuing reform of the Church—has indeed become another of the “Great Popes” of our time. He stands with Benedict XVI, Saint John Paul II, Blessed John Paul I, Saint Paul VI, and Saint John XXIII as vivid witnesses to the Gospel, each in his own distinctive way. Certainly, each of them can be “criticized” for “this and that,” for particular moments in which they fell short (although rare is the true and faithful “critic,” who has the requisite scope of knowledge, humility, and wisdom to set forth constructive and collaborative insights in this regard, with the appropriate discretion, for the good of the Church and the world). In contrast to their unsurprising human inadequacies, look at the miracle of their diverse-but-unified shining witness to the truth and love of Jesus Christ! The Popes of my lifetime have been a common beacon of light in this world of darkness, anxiety, suspicion, confusion, and falsehood—this world of unprecedented human power that seems to make us dizzy, reckless, and violent when it should be directed to serve the dignity of the image of God in every human person.
They have been prophets of Christ’s saving love in a world that now approaches unprecedented chaos. Pope Francis continues this prophetic mission in the deepening darkness of our present time, reminding us to adhere to Jesus whose love has “overcome the world” and who is therefore—in every moment—the hope of the world, and especially of those who have been cast aside, those who are lost or overwhelmed by the darkness, those who have been oppressed, dehumanized, forgotten, treated like garbage. Jesus “finds” us, heals us, renews us, leads us on our journey to our ultimate fulfillment in the Triune God, and impels us to reflect His glory even in this world, in works of mercy that seek to build up a culture of life, a civilization of love, a revolution of tenderness.
