Checking Into The Weekend, New Pope in Tow

It’s been quite a week, hasn’t it?

My Fridays are a bit unfocused under the most ordinary of circumstances, and the roiling emotions of the past few weeks have been anything but ordinary. (Think we’ve had it crazy? Try imagining what life’s been like for Monsignor Guido Marini over the past month or so. Monday’s “Extra Omnes” moment was certainly memorable, but then I rewatched Benedict XVI’s resignation announcement and realized that Monsignor Marini was sitting right beside him. And remember that spine-tingling moment when Pope Francis first appeared on the balcony? Yep. That’s the good monsignor on his left. Watching history? Nonsense. Monsignor Marini doesn’t watch history. He walks slightly behind and to the left of it.)

My head’s spinning right now — both from the emotional high of having a new Papa after a brief (but personally unsettling ) absence, and from the incredible (and equally unsettling) speed with which the world has moved from “Habemus Papam!” to “We MUST figure out EXACTLY who this new pontiff is, what he stands for, and what his pontificate will mean for me personally.”  Those questions should (and will) be answered in due time, but right now? Sorry, I just can’t “go there;” I’m still too excited about having a new pope. I’m celebratin’!

I look forward to learning more about Pope Francis in the coming days, as do we all. (My instinct? He’s going to be a genuine label-confounder.) But today, on the first Friday of his pontificate, I’m going to spend my time being tickled by his obvious warmth and charm.

I leave you with this — easily my favorite of the (seemingly) millions of +F-themed memes that have sprung up in the wake of his election. Have a great weekend!

Attribution(s): Photos courtesy of Getty Images, which allows the use of certain images “as long as the photo is not used for commercial purposes (meaning in an advertisement or in any way intended to sell a product, raise money, or promote or endorse something).”