Taste and See the Goodness of the Lord

I have been walking around with a ridiculous smile on my heart about Papa Francesco.  I was having a conversation with my sister in law yesterday, a devout Catholic who really holds Rome in high esteem, and I was telling her (she who knows me so well!) that I am so very pleased with the way the Holy Spirit has been engaging us!  Or as (Wonderful) Sr. Simone says, “making mischief!”  The day he was elected all I could think was “The Lord Hears the Cry of the Poor”  (clearly I was not alone, because friend of the blog Fran posted in on FB). I have been getting such a kick out of these “coincidences” with many of my friends.  Various bits of scripture have been going through many people’s minds…and they all connect to a God who is very much involved with us.  I think too often we rely on our own knowledge or even on the knowledge of our saints and we complicate things to a level completely unnecessary and thus not useful.  What Papa F represents to me is a return to basics.  One of my biggest beefs about the Vatican is that they are always telling the rest of us about how we are suppose to live…but what I am sensing now is that someone will be showing us how we are suppose to live.  A teach by example approach after his namesake, St. Francis,  “Preach the Gospel at all times, and when necessary, use words.”This morning, this Pope who, I understand, didn’t typically do interviews, had a press conference with the media. (I think he needs to admit, the no interview days are gone…:))  There is this account from Commonweal magazine blog:http://www.commonwealmagazine.org/blog/?p=24715In it, Grant Gallicho states,  “But Francis also had a serious message for the world’s media. He spoke of “the trinity of communication: truth, goodness and beauty.” “We are not called to communicate ourselves…. The church exists to communicate truth, goodness and beauty.”
I want to yell, FINALLY!!  Finally someone in that position who is back to basics.  It doesn’t matter what any of us say, it matters that we are called to “communicate truth, goodness and beauty” because that is what God IS!  All the intellectualizing in the world, all the showing what deep, brilliant thinkers we are is for naught if we don’t communicate that to people! (see 1Cor 13:1)Papa F seems to understand that. Before his silent blessing acknowledging (in Spanish) that, “not everyone present is a member of the Catholic faith, and others do not believe.” He continued, “I respect the conscience of all of you, knowing that each one of you is a child of God. May God bless you.” (commonwealmagazine.org/blog/) 

All I could think was of those people in the audience who had never considered themselves children of God.  That is our role, to remind everyone we meet that whatever they believe it doesn’t change that they are children of God.  Imagine the people who would respond to that message, which is by the way, the TRUTH. But moreover, it states a trust in our own conscience.  A very Vatican II thing to say indeed! (she grins)So, all day, as I have read and read all of the information I could, while trying to also go about my day as a mother of three with a messy house in need of tending, the same song has played in my head; Taste and See the goodness of the Lord.  This is a moment to bask in the love of our God, to know that God is communicating with us always, but right now we can “Taste and See the Goodness of the Lord.” This is a time to believe that God gives with both hands (as my nephew Nick once said) and to remain open to the gifts that will be presented.

 God Bless Papa F!