Over the last several weeks, as we have walked our Lenten journey, we have watched from near and far the diminished health of Pope Francis.  It has not been lost to us that his decline and brief recovery has coincided with the Church’s sojourn of the desert of lent, but also into the celebration of our Paschal Triduum and celebration of Easter Sunday, the feast of all feasts.  Determined to be with the people in those days, images have flooded our social media of the Pope being in wheelchair in St. Peter’s Basilica and St. Mary Major, just to name a few.  With courage, trust, and the desire to be among the people, he wished to celebrate these days with us. It reminds us of the early days of his pontificate, riding the bus to the Vatican, breaking the bonds of expectation to reach out, to touch, and to be present.

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At every opportunity, Pope Francis reminded the Redemptorists to continue to walk with and for the people at every moment and experience of life, whether it was in the moments of woundedness, isolation and rejection, and to proclaim and live the good news through healing, welcoming, restoration of the one who has gone astray.  The heart of our beloved Pope Francis has modelled for us the heart of Jesus, the one who walked with us in our darkest moments, the one who broke the bonds of expectation and revealed God’s surprises, the one who welcomed without restraint.  This is the Holy Spirit at work in our Church.  This is the Holy Spirit at work in our world.

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We give thanks to God for the life and legacy of Pope Francis as he is called home to God.  Being welcomed by the one who inspired him to welcome all people, regardless of any obstacle we can imagine.  Pope Francis has taught us to welcome.  It all must begin with welcome, allowing God’s grace to move more freely among us to address the needs of our wounded world.

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We pray for our Pope as he is welcomed home, and we give thanks to God for the gift of his Papacy as we continue in our celebration of the Resurrection in this Easter time.​