THE POPE

I have to honestly say that the gospel was proclaimed last
week by Pope Francis much more clearly than it usually is
in most U.S. churches, including his own Catholic church,
the evangelical church I grew up in, and in most of the
congregations Americans attend each week. The gospel we
heard last week was clearly one that could and should
transform a culture, rather than the services and sermons
we hear week after week that are so conformed to the culture.

Pope Francis proclaimed the gospel to me again and again,
all in ways that were confronting, humbling, and renewing.
Hearing the gospel preached every day with such eloquence
and power — while seeing it lived with such authenticity and


integrity — showed me how far I fall short of the things I most
dearly and deeply believe.

It often drew me to the prayer: "Lord, have mercy on me, a
sinner." The greatest blessing of the week was how mercy
was at the core of Pope Francis’ message to America. Mercy
and the grace of God was the homily last week, more than the
political soundbites too many of the media pundits were looking
for. Millions of us walked forward, in person or in spirit, to receive
the bread and the wine from Pope Francis and said,
"Thanks be to God."
(from Jim Wallis of Sojourners)