Pope Francis, just like Jesus, was very much misunderstood

"Well done, good and faithful servant." Matthew 25:23

We woke up this morning to the news that Pope Francis had died. My thoughts went immediately to the night he was elected. I was in the hospital with my mother-in-law, who would pass away the following morning. We were watching the news when they announced "Habemus Papam!" ("We have a pope!"). When the name was released, I told my mother-in-law that we had an Argentinian pope. Her reply was “Ay Dios!” (“Oh Lord!”).

I loved this Pope from the beginning. The first words out of his mouth after being elected were “Brothers and sisters, good evening.” This showed he considered himself one of us, not above us. It also showed he didn’t care about tradition, and he proved it once again when at the end of his speech he asked the people gathered at St. Peter’s Square to pray for him instead of blessing them first.

He continued breaking with tradition when he chose a name that symbolizes poverty and humility in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, when he decided to live in an apartment rather than the archbishop’s palace, when he refused a limousine with a chauffeur, and took the bus instead, and when he cooked his own meals. These acts of simplicity made the world fall in love with him.

But not everyone loved him. He clashed with many because he called an ace an ace, and a spade a spade. He criticized global capitalism, he supported migrants, he tried to change the church’s views about divorce, he re-examined the church’s teachings about sex, and he had a socialist viewpoint on many issues, thus causing many to label him as a communist. He was definitely misunderstood when he practiced and preached what he believed.

But I ask myself, if Jesus were to come today, how would we label him? Jesus was all about compassion, forgiveness, and love, but He was also a revolutionary. He came to change the way the Jewish elders were upholding the laws. Jesus spoke to the Pharisees directly, calling them out on their pride and pomposity. This caused Him to be misunderstood and even ridiculed. Jesus surrounded Himself with people that were viewed as sinners. If Jesus were to come today, He would probably call out our own Catholic Church on many of its sins.

In the end, a lot will be said about Pope Francis, but the truth remains that just like the saint whose name he chose, he was the voice of the poor. The Vatican, when they broke the news this morning about his death, said this about him: “His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of His Church. He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with fidelity, courage, and universal love, especially in favor of the poorest and most marginalized. With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite merciful love of the One and Triune God."

He ended his Papacy just like he started it, serving the poor and the marginalized, and praying for all of those in war-torn countries, for prisoners, for victims of violence, and for those who are starving for food and for peace. May you rest in peace, Pope Francis. I’m sure when Jesus welcomes you into paradise, He will say: “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:23).

Copyright © 2025 Christy Romero. All rights reserved.