Pope Francis Is Only Out For One Thing…

When I was six-years-old, I ran away from home. I had a long list of reasons why I ran away that day. Part of it was because our family had just moved from the East Coast to California and I was lonely. I felt like a fish out of water. My father was traveling for work, my mother was immersed in the details of setting up our new home, and my older brother kept teasing me, saying he could see my epidermis. I was mortified, even though I had no clue what that meant.

So, at the tender age of six, I hit the road. I didn’t bother to pack a sweater or take a snack. As I started down the sidewalk I felt so disappointed, so lost. Suddenly, I heard something behind me… Footsteps. I whirled around and saw my mother running toward me. “What are you doing?” She was crying.

“I’m running away,” I answered sheepishly. “Why?” She cried. “Don’t you know we love you? You’re part of our family!” I hadn’t expected this to happen. My mother and I cried and hugged and she picked me up and carried me home.

In a big way, this memory is closely connected to how I view Pope Francis’ upcoming visit to the US next week because I believe the man is only out for one thing… to welcome us home to the merciful arms of our Mother.

Why We Run

Let’s face it, there is no perfect Christian. We are all faced with temptation and sin, and we all fall. We have all run away from our Mother in that sense. But many people are estranged from the Church because of the choices they’ve made, or because they disagree with one or more of her teachings. And while the Church upholds the teachings of Christ – teachings that cannot change – helping people to understand why these teachings are in place is key. Unfortunately, many dissenting Catholics are often met by other faithful Catholics with a cold and rigid response; If you don’t agree, you’re a bad Catholic!

But Pope Francis is out to change this accusatory attitude many “good” Catholics have, and this was in his message in his September 15th mass at the Santa Marta residence:

The Church is our mother and welcomes all of us as a mother: Mary our Mother, our Mother Church, and this motherhood are expressed through an attitude of welcome, understanding, goodness, forgiveness and tenderness.  – Vatican Radio, September 15, 2015

The Holy Father may be a controversial figure, but his message can’t be any clearer… he’s trying to wake up the faithful to the fact that we shouldn’t be sitting on our self-erected thrones of religious fidelity, we should be tending to each other out of concern for each others’ souls. To be Christian means to be merciful toward others.

The Holy Father’s visit to the United States also seems to be a nice segway to the extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy beginning on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, Dec. 8th. This focus on the need for all of us to extend mercy to others is so relevant in our society today. Can you imagine what our world would be like if we all reacted with a forgiving and merciful attitude toward those who offend us? It would be bordering on Utopia.

But, the Pope’s visit is more than just sending a message to us, it is him personally giving us the example of how to live it. His recent changes to the annulment process may have some reeling, but it’s obvious he is trying to clear the obstacles that often intimidate estranged Catholics and prevent them from coming home.

Pope Francis also loves being in contact with everyday people. He rides the bus instead of being driven by a chauffeur. He lives in a modest “hotel” room at Santa Marta where the visiting clergy stay, instead of the Papal apartment at the Vatican. He refuses the bullet-proof shield on the Pope mobile when he is among the crowds because he wants to be close to them. Millions are re-considering their perspective on the Catholic Church because of the welcoming nature of this very personal pope, and it is my hope they will take advantage of this opportunity to be welcomed back into the arms of their Mother.