We will soon be witnessing Pope Francis coming down in person—not from the mountaintop like Moses when he delivered the Ten Commandments to the unruly Israelites; not from the Almighty Father in heaven as Jesus Christ did when He assumed human flesh and became a humble Nazarene; but from the pedestal of his palatial Vatican office and pulpit—to the pews to be closer to his flock, the ordinary laity he fondly calls his sheep, to “smell like a sheep.”
Indeed, Pope Francis thinks, believes and acts like a simple shepherd closely following the example of the Divine Shepherd, Jesus Christ.
Moses in the Old Testament introduced and revealed God to the Israelites and to the heathens as the Creator and Ruler of the universe, thereby presenting to them the Ten Commandments as a guide and reference for judgment, reward and punishment.
Jesus Christ presented Himself as the Son of the Living God, the Father, who sent Him to save and convert mankind not by invasion through an army of angels but through a divine mission of love, forgiveness and sacrifice.
Before the coming of Christ, the Old Law allowed us to love our friends and hate our enemies. An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth! But Christ, under the New Testament, commands us to love even our enemies and pray for those who persecute us; and if anyone slaps us on the right cheek, to let him slap the left cheek as well.
Indeed, how easy it is to hate our enemies! How easy it is for a suicide bomber to kill the infidels without any qualm of conscience, believing he would be getting a reward for the brutal act! And yes, how busy, indeed, would be the ophthalmologists and the dentists!
No wonder Jesus Christ Himself forewarns His disciples and believers that the road to heaven is narrow. And Pope Francis is constantly aware of this challenge.
By his pronouncements and actions as the head of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis consults with senior theologians and philosophers. He also has a strong and sincere faith in the guidance and inspiration of the Holy Spirit. He confidently comes down to listen to the voices and murmurs of the laity, the faithful, who spend most of their time inside the church obediently kneeling, standing and sitting at the pews, patiently listening (if not yet asleep or conversing with a seatmate) to oft-repeated sermons.
Pope Francis approaches the faithful and even those belonging to other religious denominations, including unbelievers of goodwill, not with a set of commandments and condemnation, but with mercy and compassion, in keeping with his apostolic mission of inclusion.
God bless our beloved Pope Francis and we look forward to his most awaited visit to the Philippines on Jan. 15-19 next year.
Let us keep the welcome ceremonies sincere and simple, please!
—AMAY P. ONG VA—O,
epov111@yahoo.com