pope francis

​It may seem odd for a Lutheran Pastor to say much about the death of a pope. Luther himself had little good to say about popes. Popes had little good to say about Luther. Pope Leo X excommunicated Luther in 1521. That was, however, a very long time ago. Lutherans have changed and so have popes.

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The death of Pope Francis (Jose Mario Bergoglio) is, I think, a time to mourn. Francis brought change to the office to which he was elevated in 2013. His commitment to the poor, the immigrant, and all “the least of these” while not unique among popes, was a breath a fresh air after a long period of inward focus, doctrinal diligence, and controversy. His concern about creation and environmental faithfulness was perhaps unique in this age. Francis, a Jesuit, brought a keen mind, intellectual rigor, AND a heart tuned to mercy and grace. His mark will be deep and abiding, even if a new pope is selected who tries to undo his efforts to change.

In many ways, I have to say that Pope Francis gave me hope and a sense of unity that the church could be a positive force in the world more than any pope since John XXIII. He refused to be a culture warrior (which has plagued the American Roman Catholic Church and promoted odd bedfellows). Hope, mercy, and love would win the day. Judgmentalism was not part of his vocabulary. His humility was honest.

In his encyclical Laudato Si: On the Care of Our Common Home, he introduced a cogent, critical, approach to faithful regard and care of creation. It is relevant to our age and full of passion, hope, and honest call to act. In his book The Name of God is Mercy he offers a compelling invitation to finding and sharing a God who loves us. He demonstrated that he was a spiritual leader of humanity and not just a defender of the church.
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That said, the change that Pope Francis brought was incremental. He said very encouraging things about unity and fellowship with non-Roman Catholics. Yet, there is still no room at the communion table for anyone outside Rome’s concern. Francis called people to refrain from judgment of those whose sexuality was at odds with traditional teaching. Yet, there is still no place in the Roman church to affirm LBGTQ+ people officially. Francis honored the service of women in the church. Yet, women still cannot serve as priests.

While I must say that I hoped Francis would change the Church (not just Roman but all of us) in leaps and bounds. In truth, his leadership was gentle and moved in inches, fits and starts, not wholesale change. Perhaps that is the wisdom he brought to the Holy See. He opened doors, eyes, ears, and cast a vision for what could be. He changed what he could and prayed for what he could not. Maybe, for all of us who live in fear of all the chaos around us and feel hopeless we cannot fix it all, that is a lesson. Do what you can, what is before you, and do so with mercy.

The College of Cardinals who, with the help of the Holy Spirit, will select his successor is very different from the conclave that selected him. It is drawn from the four corners of the world, not mostly European. More than 100 of the 140 or so Cardinals who will vote have been made cardinals by Francis.

It matters who the pope is in this age. The leader of 1.4 billion of the 2.7 billion Christians in the world cannot help but influence the rest of us. It matters that a pope be devoted to mercy, grace, peace, justice and the things of Jesus. Regardless of your own thoughts or feelings, Pope Francis mattered in a positive way. May the next Bishop of Rome matter in the ways of mercy, unity, and love as much as Francis.
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Pax Christi, Tim Olson – Lead Pastor
 
 
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