The Pope, who lived as a disciple of Jesus for 12 years, showed many people the life of a true disciple. The path Jesus walked during his 3-year public ministry and the people he met were very similar to those of the Pope, who lived as a servant of servants for 12 years.
The sick who no one cared for and who had given up on themselves, the foreigners who were not treated as human beings, the abandoned people who had lost their homes and jobs and had nowhere to go, the people who were treated as dirty and lowly… These are the people Jesus met. They were people who had been robbed of the world by those who moved it, so they had to be cared for to survive. The hand Jesus extended to them was support and solidarity for them to live as the protagonists of the world and as beloved children of God.
The Pope visited those who had crossed the Mediterranean Sea on small boats as soon as he became Pope. Those who had not been able to endure, to bury their comrades, and children who had died, and those who had no future. It was a message that put God’s order of creation first, saying, “Human life and the well-being of creatures are more important than anything else.” A rebuke of the cowardly behavior of the great powers who used the logic of power, saying, “The one who wins is on my side.”
In this way, Pope Francis was an unpalatable figure to some people. How many politicians and businessmen were shocked by his criticism that “the media, which ignores the homeless dying on the streets, is so sensitive to the fluctuations in stock prices,” his criticism of an exclusionary society, his statement that “labor exists for the sake of humanity,” and his declaration that “the great powers that invaded them are responsible for poor countries.”
How many religious people were perplexed by the words, “The church should become a field hospital and go out into the streets.” And the obvious statement, “You should not proselytize but respect others' beliefs?”
Amid constant division, Jesus's stern teaching that “there is no neutrality in the face of suffering” was a signpost for those who could not find their way on the road. So, it was bound to be an unpleasant sight for those who could not read the signs of the times. It was no different from how Jesus was unwelcome to the ruling class of his time, such as the Pharisees and the scribes.
However, to some, those unpleasant words and actions were a rich taste like milk and sweetness like honey. To others, especially those whose lives were filled with suffering, they could endure the painful days and straighten their tired legs with comfort. They were a navigation system for pilgrims who could not see even an inch ahead, a hope for young people, and a place of refuge for immigrants.
The Pope is described in many ways, ‘the saint of the times’ and ‘the saint of the poor’. They are all true. However, the columnist does not want to glorify or heroize him. He wants to leave him as the kind-hearted uncle who lives next door. I am worried that we will think of him as a different kind of being and build a wall between us, which will be why we cannot live like him. This is even more true if we remember his words: “Become the saint next door.”
Now, I would like to greet the person who returned to the house of God in the language of each generation. Hello, Grandpa Jorge! Peace, Uncle Francisco! Go well! Spring is coming soon! Jorge Mario Bergoglio! Our friend!
No comments:
Post a Comment