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Hello St. John’s Family,
Habemus Papam! We have a Pope!
Well, we don’t have a Pope, but our Catholic sisters and brothers do. It was last Thursday that our cell phones and newsfeeds were exploding with the news, as the world learned that Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost had been elected by 133 Cardinals as the 267th Pope of the Catholic Church. We soon learned Leo XIV (his selected name) was born in the United States… and graduated from Villanova! Excitement and intrigue abound, as the realization that an everyday person who grew up and studied right around the corner from us is now the spiritual leader of the largest Christian denomination in the world. Yes, key differences and distinctions exist between our Protestant, Methodist denomination and the Catholic Church – yet we are all catholic (small “c”, meaning universal). We’re all part of the universal Body of Christ, and we understandably share excitement at this sacred moment.
Which, of course, leads to all kinds of questions. For many, the first and foremost question has been “what kind of Pope will Pope Leo be?” Will he be liberal or conservative? Will he take a special interest in the poor and vulnerable like Francis did, or will he be more institutionally focused? How will he approach survivors of abuse? Will increased engagement with laity and women continue? What about LGBTQIA persons, what about opposition to the Latin Mass? So many questions… questions often framed from the perspective of a binary choice. In other words, will he do this, or that… choose my “side” or your “side.”
I am by no means an expert on Catholic theology, or a close observer of the Pope. Yet some of the articles I’ve seen have noted how Leo – like Francis and many Popes – often do not conform to binaries. On some questions, he may appear “liberal”; others, “conservative.” Which, if we pause to reflect, is how it should be. Faithfully following Christ will never align neatly with the agendas and ideologies of our fallen world. The way of Jesus is a wholly unique way.
Many of us learned the story of Joshua and the battle of Jericho when we were small. It’s a powerful account; one where God dramatically provides victory. Immediately before Jericho’s walls came down, though, we hear of an encounter Joshua had with a “man” holding a drawn sword. Joshua, startled, asked him: are you for us, or for our enemies? The man’s reply: “Neither… but as a commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.” (Joshua 5:13-14). As Joshua prepared to lead the fledgling Israelite nation into the promised land, he needed to understand that if they focused their choices on a binary, “us versus them” mentality, they would fail. They needed to faithfully follow the unique and narrow way of the Lord; only then would they experience success.
I sense that’s a much-needed reminder for all of us. During a time marked by so much divisiveness and division, snap judgements are often made based on how something aligns with a cause, or issue, or ideology, or party. Yet as Christians, that can never be our approach. We are called to follow Christ first; all causes, ideologies, etc. are secondary, and must conform to Christ’s way. Will we always agree? No; yet we are to seek, to the best of our ability, through prayer (personal and communal) and dialogue to resolve differences. My prayer is that Pope Leo XIV will effectively shepherd the Catholic Church in discerning the Lord’s way; I hope you’ll pray for him – and leaders and pastors of all churches (including me!) – to do the same.
This Sunday, we’ll hear a brief yet powerful teaching from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus shows us how God longs to provide for our needs when we ask of Him. We’ll be blessed to celebrate a Baptism at our 10:30 service – it will be a wonderful time of worship! I hope you’ll read Matthew 7:7-12, then join me in worship-
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Brad
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