We are protectors of others
March 19, 2013
Many strong and beautiful themes for on-going reflection poured forth from the homily of Pope Francis for the Inauguration of his Petrine Ministry as Bishop of Rome. His clear focus was on underscoring the witness of the scriptural message of protecting and tender hope found in the example of St. Joseph whose feast day it was. One line, in particular, from the homily appeared quickly on social media – “Authentic power is service.” What kind of service? It is a service through which we “protect Christ in our lives.” We are called to serve as protectors of God’s creation, of others, especially “the poorest, the weakest, the least important,” and even of ourselves, living lives of goodness, compassion, and tenderness. As Pope Francis clearly notes, “only those who serve with love are able to protect.”
Pope Francis challenges us to put aside our fear of living Christ-like protecting tenderness by pointing to the example of St. Joseph, “In the Gospels, Saint Joseph appears as a strong and courageous man, a working man, yet in his heart we see great tenderness, which is not the virtue of the weak but rather a sign of strength of spirit and a capacity for concern, for compassion, for genuine openness to others, for love. We must not be afraid of goodness, of tenderness!”
May we take up this challenge of Pope Francis and “protect with love all that God has given us!”
Many strong and beautiful themes for on-going reflection poured forth from the homily of Pope Francis for the Inauguration of his Petrine Ministry as Bishop of Rome. His clear focus was on underscoring the witness of the scriptural message of protecting and tender hope found in the example of St. Joseph whose feast day it was. One line, in particular, from the homily appeared quickly on social media – “Authentic power is service.” What kind of service? It is a service through which we “protect Christ in our lives.” We are called to serve as protectors of God’s creation, of others, especially “the poorest, the weakest, the least important,” and even of ourselves, living lives of goodness, compassion, and tenderness. As Pope Francis clearly notes, “only those who serve with love are able to protect.”
Pope Francis challenges us to put aside our fear of living Christ-like protecting tenderness by pointing to the example of St. Joseph, “In the Gospels, Saint Joseph appears as a strong and courageous man, a working man, yet in his heart we see great tenderness, which is not the virtue of the weak but rather a sign of strength of spirit and a capacity for concern, for compassion, for genuine openness to others, for love. We must not be afraid of goodness, of tenderness!”
May we take up this challenge of Pope Francis and “protect with love all that God has given us!”