The Pope of Mercy
The pontificate of Pope Francis has been met with enthusiasm by progressives and skepticism by conservatives in the Church. The media oftentimes pounce on his statements, sometimes skewing them from the truth. To truly understand Pope Francis is to look at his pastoral viewpoint. He is first and foremost a pastor rather than theologian, a healer rather than a judge.
This is what I liked about his pontificate and what challenges me in this ministry with youth. Three things stand out in my reflection when it comes to mercy in the ministry:
- That all Church ministry must be infused with mercy – the Church must be the face of mercy
- That it is through Mercy that we are saved
- That Mercy is what attracts young people
It is said that Jesus is the face of the Father’s Mercy. This is the Christological truth of the Incarnation. If the Church is the Mystical Body of Christ today, then she too is the face of the Father’s mercy after her Head. The Church must be for believers and non-believers alike an institution of mercy. This is best shown in how hospitable our parishes, schools, and organizations are. Catholic inclusivity is the acceptance of people by their dignity as sons and daughters of God, with all their virtues and sins, and to guide them towards Truth and Beauty.
The Church has already made it clear that it is not solely through faith nor good works that we are saved. It is only through the mercy of God that we are justified. No amount of good works will send us to heaven, nor “amens” and “alleluias” and professions of faith. It is God who stoops down for each one of us, embraces us, and lifts us up that we are saved. Our participation and openness to this saving action is what allows God to save us. God can only save us with our permission and openness to “love as we have been loved”.
Young people are thirsty for the divine. They look for signs of love and mercy everywhere. What turns them off is an institution that flaunts rules more than forgiveness, that preaches more than listens, and that idealizes more than actualizes. Bosconians who become loyal to Don Bosco were made so because they have experienced the mercy of God through the Salesian ministry.
These are the themes that I find in Pope Francis. There is no other way of doing the ministry of Christ other than become the merciful Christ.
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