Papacy

It is almost that day. That day when the papal seat would be vacated. It has been centuries till a resignation from a Pope has ever taken place. Yet, it happened. We were dumbfounded.

As with us when we declare a decision, many people questioned the decision of the pope. As with us, speculations get the better of people putting their noses into the matter.  As with us, all decisions are as good as the person judging us for them.

As it is when we make a decision. I say this because the pope is just a man who everyone tries to measure by the standards they are familiar with. 

However, the Pope ceased to be a person of his own when he accepted the Papacy. He became a man for the faith, for the faithful and for God.  Many people see the power, the glamour, the parade. What people do not see is the prayer it requires, not to mention the sacrifies it entail. 

Days before he announced his resignation, in prayer I was praying for him. I was pissed with someone, and I thought, I am sure the Pope needs to be more patient with the ones under him, the priests. He knows how much more important it is for them to be GOOD and SAINTLY but when they go astray, it must have hurt him very much moreso because they hurt the Lord. 

When he did announce his resignation, I felt his hurt. I felt his many nights in prayer struggling to know with certainty what to do. I saw him in his knees wanting to be stronger, to OBEY. 

But resigning may have been the inspired decision. It may even be his obedience that led to that. I do not know. 

What I know is that whatever our priests do, good or bad, they need our prayers. I also liken the pope to a mother ( St. Monica on top of mind) who is being judged for the outcome of their children as if they have not spent hours and hours in tearful prayer for their conversion. As if they have led them to be astray. As if they do not love. Such is the pope, I'd like to believe. In caring for the Church, he knew he needed help. 

Pope Benedict XVI, thank you for your many prayers, sacrifices and love. Thank you for pouring out your intelligence and wisdom in all you wrote, spoke about and mediated in. Thank you for accepting the papacy even when you knew from the beginning that it would be difficult for you. Thank you for being obedient. Continue to pray for us as we pray for you. 

A scholar, old but wise. A man of prayer. A man.

To the people who said "Aha! I told you so!" you may be right. 

However, berating the Church because of its members does not help. If the Church were to be measured by us, Christians, it will not amount to much, would it?  If it were measured by the things you do, would it have been better perceived? 

God built the church. God is perfect. The Church is therefore perfect.  If its individual members may be ailing, it does not mean that it is any less. The whole is bigger than the sum of its parts.

At the very least, knowing how some priests are should lead us to our knees even more. There are no excuses for the scandals some of them have gotten themselves into. But there is also no recompense for abandoning the church because of some bad apple. 

When Jesus was asked to throw a stone at an adulterer, he threw a question instead. 

We all need a prayer.