He's Kind of Different

OK, I have to let you in on a secret.  I feel really guilty loving Pope Francis as much as I love Pope Francis.  I never felt this much interest in Pope Benedict.  I think I feel even more guilty because Emeritus Benedict XVI is still here and praying for us all.  


One of my friends on Catholic Answer Forum said that she felt that we had all fallen for Pope Francis because the Holy Spirit inspiring us to learn to love and follow our new Father.


Take for instance, today's "Rock Star Walk" Sunday morning at the Vatican.  Pope Francis walks out from the side gate and kisses babies and shakes peoples hands. Some people were even so comfortable that they clapping Pope Francis on the shoulder.  He is so comfortable, down to earth, and humorous.  As another blogger said, I feel like he's this awesome uncle that I've never met, and the conclave has left me with a new person in my family. 

Yet Pope Francis is humble but powerful.  In his first homily as Pope, he offered the faithful many ideas packed into 537 words.  Some of these thoughts included:

   -  Continue growing in your faith.  You are in trouble when you are not growing in your faith constantly.  His words were, "Walking: our life is a journey, and when we stop, there is something wrong."

-  Never pass up the opportunity to build the Church up.  Every interaction that you have with anyone is a chance for you to show God's love for them.  His words: "With every movement in our lives, let us build!"

-  If we don't rely on Christ for His help, we can easily rely on the devil.  We must then be able to confidently go to God and not only ask His help, but be confident that He will do the best for us.  Pope Francis's words: "When one does not profess Jesus Christ, one professes the worldliness of the devil."

-  Your works and deeds and good works are nothing if you do not carry your cross.  You cannot be fully who you were called to be - the best version of yourself - without accepting the sacrifices that you have to deal with.  God doesn't give us something we can't handle without His help.  Pope Francis said, "When we walk without the Cross, when we build without the Cross, and when we profess Christ without the Cross, we are not disciples of the Lord.

To sum it all up: "My hope for all of us is that the Holy Spirit, that the prayer of Our Lady, our Mother, might grant us this grace: to walk, to build, to profess Jesus Christ Crucified. So be it."

God bless you all,

Chloe M.