“Church Geek” that I am, I was pretty sure the cardinals had screwed up when they selected a new pope on March 13, 2013. I heard the name “Jorge Bergolio” … and dismissively thought, “Oh great: Another Italian.”
An Italian, it turned out, who spoke Spanish as his native language. An Argentinian in fact … a man who’d come “from the ends of the earth” to instruct all the world in a new language: a language of mercy, encounter and solidarity.
Very early on in his papacy, I learned not to be dismissive of this holy man,
Pope Francis. This humble man, head of the Roman Catholic Church, who publicly proclaimed himself to be a sinner.I saw soon enough that he’d be a pope like no other I’d experienced in my lifetime. Not a prince. Not a bureaucrat. Not a power player. Not an intellect. Not primarily any of those things I’d come to expect in a pope – but a pastor. A shepherd who reveled in smelling like his sheep.
It is no coincidence, I believe, that the world paused to mark the passing of Francis on the eve of Divine Mercy Sunday. It is no coincidence. Rather, it is grace, a blessing worth pondering, to remember the man … and to remember how he ministered to us.
Francis had eyes that could truly see. He had a heart that turned inexorably toward the weak and powerless in our midst. He truly perceived their woundedness (our woundedness) … and did not hesitate to touch the wounds.
It was as if he were calling us, calling out to the church throughout his papacy: “Put your finger here and see my hands and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving but believe.”
Which is to say Pope Francis – the self-acknowledged sinner – somehow came to embody the Risen Lord in our midst.
The example of Francis teaches us, then, not to be doubtful, not to be dismissive of this gift. If there’s hope for him … and for Thomas called ‘Didymus’ – then there’s hope for us, too – a chance to break free from our bonds … as we allow Jesus to breathe into each of us his Holy Spirit on this Sunday of Divine Mercy.
Let us pause now…to recall that we are in the presence of the Holy & Merciful One.
IHS
With Us Still 
What a beautiful observation; just a humble, loving servant, thank you John
thanks, john -‘francis came to embody the risen lord in our midst’ =amen and may we do the same filled w the power of god the holy spirit -john reiker