The Big Effort

I wonder at times how, if God gives me the grace of doing it, I will be informed of the death of that scoundrel, Francis.

One way I would like would be that I arrive at the office and, my Catholic leanings being well known there, I am immediately confronted with the usual “have you heard the news”. As I refuse to listen to news in the early morning, I would arrive at work unaware of the happy event. That would be, if you ask me, my favourite way.

Yes, dead as a doornail. Yes, it’s sure. Yes, the radio said it. Yes, dropped dead yesterday night after eleven. Yes, you can go on the internet now and find it everywhere.

The other one is the more slow-motion event. “Doctors worry for the health of the Holy Father”. “Next bulletin awaited at 4 pm”. “Conditions seem serious”, that kind of stuff. “Please pray for the Holy Father”.

In that case, I would certainly pray that he dies. But I am sure that I would also pray that he may die at peace with the Lord. And I would do that with all my heart, knowing that no matter how big his failings, his soul has infinite value and was made by God to be happy with Him forever in heaven.

In this, I see the way the Lord works. He allows a scoundrel like that to become pope, but he also uses said scoundrel so that Christians can train themselves to pray for their enemies, and to do it with all their hearts. And when I get this I realise that, in the end, it is not really about who is Pope, or how good or extremely bad the pope is. Rather, it is about the way we react to the situation that it is given to us, the way we use the challenges that Providence puts in our way to safely – with God’s grace – proceed towards the salvation of our soul.

When I reflect on this, I understand – with great relief I must say – that Francis could remain pope for the next twenty years, but would not have any possibility to push me away from Christ. On the contrary, every such attempt would be, for me, just an occasion to deepen my Catholic faith, pray more, and do more penance.

Mind, I still hope the guy dies today, in the same way as I prefer a sunny day to a rainy one, and to have things gentle and easy rather than maddening and difficult. But in the end, this is the gym the Lord has put us in, and the unpleasant weights represented by such a disgrace as Francis must be used to strengthen the muscles of our faith. Which, let us say it once again, stretches to wishing, with all our hearts, that even such a scoundrel as him may die at peace with the Lord, and find that ineffable joy that we all wish for ourselves and the people we love.

And now please let me go prepare dinner.

Tomorrow is another day, and you never know what news it may bring.