I was listening to Pope Francis address a joint session of Congress when the woman on the treadmill near me said, “He’s too political, talking about stuff that’s none of his business.”
My wife looked at me as if to say don’t say anything, but I did anyway. “The gospel is political,” I said, “and anyone who doesn’t believe that doesn’t know it.”
That ended the discussion, if you could call it that. I knew when I spoke that I wasn’t going to change her mind. But when you say something like what she did in public, you should expect a reaction.
Contrary to the views of this woman, I find Pope Francis inspiring.
Living a simpler life than the Vatican affords popes, he has clearly rejected the pomp and circumstance that has become customary for major religious leaders to enjoy these days, whether Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox.
Instead Pope Francis is a living reminder that materialism has no place in the realm of God, that there is no place for a rich church in a poor world, and that justice and compassion, not wealth and power, are the marks of genuine Christianity.
The notion that the pope should not talk about issues like poverty and wealth, freedom and justice, the sanctity of life, family life, caring for the planet, immigration, refugees and others says a lot about the failure of churches to teach the gospel.
If Christianity has nothing to say about these issues, it has nothing to say worth hearing about anything.
These days I find the pope about the only breath of fresh air there is in Christianity.
Most of his fellow bishops are too busy jockeying for position and power and maintaining tradition.
Most Protestant leaders are too busy doing institutional maintenance.
Seminaries have to many faculty members more concerned about their standing in the guild than in preparing real leaders for the church.
Then there is the staleness of congregational life and the obscenity of religious marketing.
No, there’s not much to give any thoughtful Christian a reason to be encouraged about the future…except Francis.
Yes, I know he is just a man who is flawed like the rest of us. But I see a holiness about him that reminds me of God, that reminds me that life is in fact noble and gentle and generous.
He reminds me that I can be more than I am.
And that encourages me, and these days I can use some of that.
So like all good Catholics I can say without hesitation that I love Pope Francis.
And I’m not even Catholic.
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