The 266th Successor of Peter the Apostle, Supreme Pontiff, and Bishop of Rome, Francis ?, has died. The Pope passed away on Easter Monday. This date not only reflects a great divine honor – to depart from this life as we celebrate the Resurrection – but calls the faithful and the entire world to recognize the stamp of God on the teachings of His servant, Francis.
Francis’ Papacy was defined by a focus on the “periphery” – those outside of society’s privileged groups: refugees, the poor, migrants, the gay community, the environment, the sick, the mentally unwell, and the downtrodden. Regardless of one’s view on these issues, the Holy Father sought to act as Jesus would have: with mercy and compassion. He emphasized the need for human dignity and recognized that people often suffer due to circumstances beyond their full control. If even we, who are privileged, sometimes need support, how much more do those on the periphery deserve and require our compassion, love, and care? Francis lived by virtue of the beatitudes:
“ _Blessed are the poor in Spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven… Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy_ ” (Matthew 5:3,7)
Humble to the end, Francis reminds us in his encyclical Laudato si’ that care for the earth and environment is a moral and spiritual responsibility because the earth is our common home and a sacred gift from God. Just as our climate actions, inactions, and consumerism bind us together, so must our care and support for each other. The Holy Father reminds us to, “Take care of the earth and each other… and to pray for him.”
Likewise, Francis called us to recognize the personhood of all, not just those living in privileged areas of the world, nor exclusively that of our fellow Christians. The Vicar of Christ emphasized the universality of humanity and personhood.
He called for dialogue, love, and collaboration among all religions. He called for peace, not war. He called for restraint, not division rooted in religion or race. He called for justice, not condemnation. He called for second chances.
Let us remember Francis not simply as humble, but as the Pope who called us to be human. To remember human dignity and compassion, according to Francis, is to embody the humility and love exemplified by Christ Jesus.
Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine. Et lux perpetua luceat eis._
