The Trip
Around 3:30 pm on Saturday, September 26th, as everyone else was headed to a silencing victory over UMass, about 500 students turned away from the legendary stadium to the more humble Stepan Center. These students would get to know each other and themselves very well over the next 11 hours as they traveled to the city of brotherly love and sisterly affection: Philadelphia. Those 500 students would be an infinitesimal part of the growing crowd gathering to gain a glimpse of a man from Argentina: Pope Francis.
Pope Francis
In the homily he gave during the send-off Mass, Father Pete asked a stirring question as he almost always does: who do we say that Pope Francis is? Why are about 3 million people descending on Philadelphia to catch a glimpse, a blessing, or even just to hear the words of this man from Argentina?
For many, Pope Francis is an advocate. A fighter for basic human dignity, he spoke this week for families, for immigrants, and for a more sustainable and stewardly approach to the Earth. He spoke, has spoken, and will speak with some of the most important, influential people in our world today. Indeed it is already becoming obvious that the Pope’s words will have very little effect on the United States government’s day-to-day affairs. His words alone will not bring about sweeping reforms; they may not even lead to a single reform. Instead, what makes Pope Francis a force to be reckoned with is his presence of hope.
Hope
Pope Francis has an aura of hope that rippled through the crowd that was present. This hope comes from not from large gestures or words, but from the very simplicity in which he chooses to live his everyday life. Vibrant gestures of kindness such as going to see the imprisoned after meeting with Congress is what makes the news, but it is often the more subtle gestures that make the difference.
A man we met was deeply touched when the Pope gave his homily in Spanish. The man who self-admittedly could not read or write very well even in Spanish was moved almost to tears because he understood every word of Pope Francis’ homily. These are the moments for which pilgrims live, moments in which a word or an action transcends all of the millions of people around you and rests in your heart alone. These are the moments for which Pope Francis will be and is remembered for. These are the moments that are worth being pushed and shoved by millions of people, long periods of waiting and traveling all through the night.
Our Lives
At Notre Dame, we are often encouraged to do the most extraordinary things. Every day we are reminded that sitting next to us in our classes are the future movers and shakers of the world. In our classrooms there are future senators, congressmen, congresswomen and maybe even the future president. Sitting across from us at the dining hall are future discoverers of the cure for cancer, or the architect of a sustainable home that runs completely on affordable solar power. Behind us in line at Reckers may be the future MVP of a major NFL, NBA or WNBA team, or even a future olympian.
Each day we know that we are surrounded by greatness, but when we look in the mirror it can be hard to look past the eschewed glasses, the pimple, the deep bags from late hours spent studying. It seems almost impossible that we will ever do anything to change the world, let alone our outfit for the day. Too often we exclaim “this is as good as it’s going to get” of ourselves, of the way that the world operates, at the homework that we are turning in.
Pope Francis indeed would say that it is. Many of us will never have an earth-shattering achievement that will land us in the local or national papers, or even international papers. And that is more than okay. All it takes to change the world is a small, ordinary everyday action. Even if our small action has made only one person’s hour a little more enjoyable we have added a little more joy to the world.
To quote Pope Francis, “These little gestures are those we learn at home, in the family; they get lost amid all the other things we do, yet they do make each day different. They are the quiet things done by mothers and grandmothers, by fathers and grandfathers, by children. They are little signs of tenderness, affection and compassion. Like the warm supper we look forward to at night, the early breakfast awaiting someone who gets up early to go to work. Homely gestures. Like a blessing before we go to bed, or a hug after we return from a hard day’s work. Love is shown by little things, by attention to small daily signs which make us feel at home. Faith grows when it is lived and shaped by love.”
So keep that chin up and hold on to some of that hope inspired by the Pope mania, because it is this hope that can make our own lives and those of others a little bit better.
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Image 1, 2, 3 provided by author
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