Faith and Works

Say to those whose hearts are frightened: Be strong, fear not!” (Isaiah35:4)

Many of us do not know intimately someone who is homeless, someone whose body is disfigured, someone who is undocumented, or one who had to grow up too soon and support his brothers and sisters, but we all know one who may have been bullied, or may have secret sorrows, or is forced into an adult role. These are the ones Jesus and Pope Francis chose to see in the crowds of people anxious for their attention. Pope Francis meeting with these groups via television chose the forgotten, the lost, often ignored, mostly “unseen” people of America. Jesus too sought out these groups in his homeland.

Neither Francis nor Jesus spoke of worldly earthly, reasoned solutions to alleviate suffering; they offered no earthly solutions which governments could emulate. Instead both Francis and Jesus showed by their actions what all men could do. We can be “another Christ” too: You can seek out the disenfranchised in your community; you can listen attentively to one who is suffering; you can shed your fear of the unknown because Christ is always with you; you can have joy in your heart and share that with another.

Both Jesus and Francis reached to the inner core of each person, looked beneath the surface façade and listened attentively to them. Each recognized each individual’s uniqueness, each one’s special gifts, each one’s true heart and asked them to share their gifts with him.

They each sought to encourage their listeners to enter into full communion with Jesus, to share their fears and trials with Him, to have trust in His goodness and mercy, to know each is loved for themselves and to share that love by encouraging others. To give another a hug, an embrace, a gesture of love and hope is their message to America and to the world.