A New Hope?

"Jesus teaches us another way: Go out. Go out and share your testimony, go out and interact with your brothers, go out and share, go out and ask. Become the Word in body as well as spirit." ~ Pope Francis

Wow! I have been so discouraged about what might happen with the election of a new pope that I could not even follow any news about the candidates. You can imagine my surprise when I received an email at work after a meeting from a friend with the words: A Jesuit! in the message line and nothing else. I was stunned and scrolled down to his previous message: Habemus Papam. I cannot remember my exact and hastily typed words but they were something like: WHAT!!?? Are you kidding me? Now my friend does have a great sense of humour but still I could not believe he would play with my mind like that. I had been in meetings and had not heard. In fact, I had just had a quick 40-minute lunch with four other Ignatian-type folks, two of them full-fledged Jesuits. Two hours later, the world had a Jesuit pope.

I do not normally text and type on city streets, but my friend kept sending updates and I could not wait to get to a computer. I almost rear-ended someone. My angels were taking care of me big time on the drive. (I know, I hang my head in shame because I really was breaking the law and could have hurt someone badly). I was fascinated with this turn of events. I do not really know what it means for me and my church but I found myself jolted with hope when I read the email message. A Jesuit? A South American? A man whose heart embraces some aspects of social justice even if he is conservative on some fronts.

One of my favourite principals to work with was a woman who I found cleaning the staff room fridge one day. I remember walking into the staff room and stopping dead in my tracks at the sight of it. When I mentioned to her that I had never seen a principal do that and thanked her for her efforts, she replied: A good leader doesn't ask someone to do something unless she would do it herself. As cardinal, this pope seems to have had that attitude. He may usher in on the 50th anniversary of Vatican II, a new way.

Tonight at the Lenten mission of my Ignatian parish, the Jesuit retreat leader planted another seed of hope within me. He had been teaching on the Examen, a tool I have grown to love and appreciate beyond measure. The Examen is more important to Jesuits than the liturgy of the hours because it downloads all the grace that we have missed during the day, he revealed. The pope is now doing this at least once a day, he said. I marveled at this revelation because I know the power of the Examen in my own life and its call to be truthful and an agent of change. Now when I do my nightly prayer, I can be assured that the Holy Father is also paying attention to what he is doing every day and wanting to see God in all things, as the Jesuits say. In praying like this, Pope Francis may bring healing to the Church. What a gift Ignatian spirituality may be.

Peace,

Suzanne