“… The resurrection of Jesus is indeed the basis of our hope. For in the light of this event, hope is no longer an illusion. Thanks to Christ — crucified and risen from the dead — hope does not disappoint! Spes non confundit! (cf. Rom 5:5) …”
I had not read the full text of Pope Francis’ last “Urbi et Orbi” message, quoted above, until I heard it referenced by Archbishop Nelson Perez (of Philadelphia) when he was a guest on the “Big City Catholics” podcast, hosted by Bishop Robert Brennan, the Bishop of Brooklyn. As Archbishop Perez reflected on the passing of Pope Francis, as he says, “less than 12 hours after” giving the “Urbi et Orbi” message and blessing, the words quoted above take on an even greater meaning.
Many of us will have our personal recollections, perhaps of seeing Pope Francis in the news coverage of his Easter Sunday “visit” to St. Peter’s Square, greeting his beloved flock from the “Pope Mobile” and most will remember waking up on this past “Easter Monday” morning, hearing the news that Pope Francis had died and “returned to the Father.”
On this past Friday, we gathered as a Diocesan family at our Cathedral of St. John the Baptist to celebrate a Mass, praying for the repose of Pope Francis. I would like to share with you the text of the homily that I offered at that Mass, reflecting on the life, ministry, and vocation of Pope Francis and offering our gratitude especially for the 12 years that he led us, the Church, as our Pope and Holy Father.
Homily at Diocesan Mass for Pope Francis, Friday in the Octave of Easter:
“Don’t Forget the Poor” — those were the first words that Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio heard after he was elected as Pope on March 13, 2013. Those words of friendly and fraternal advice led to the choice of a name. Pope Francis described the moment in his own words:
“Next to me was the Archbishop Emeritus of São Paulo, also Prefect Emeritus of the Congregation for the Clergy, Cardinal Claudio Hummes: a great friend, a great friend! When it got a little dangerous, he comforted me. And when the votes went up to two-thirds, the usual applause came, because the Pope was elected. He hugged me, kissed me, and said: ‘Don’t forget the poor!’ And that word entered here: the poor, the poor. Then, immediately, in relation to the poor, I thought of Francis of Assisi.”
As the Church and the world got to know Pope Francis over these past 12 years, we came to learn that Jorge Bergoglio, from the time he was a young boy, growing up as the son of immigrants in Argentine, had learned the importance of remembering the poor. As seminarian, priest, archbishop and Cardinal, caring and concern for the poor and those on the peripheries was at the heart of his ministry.
When he was named a Bishop, he chose the motto: “miserando atque eligendo”, a phrase taken from a homily by Saint Bede, an English eighth-century Christian writer and doctor of the Church of the Gospel account of the call of Saint Matthew. It roughly translates to “having mercy, he called him.”
On Dec. 8, 2015, he announced for the Church an Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy. Early in that Jubilee Year of 2016, he published a book, entitled, “The Name of God is Mercy”. In the Gospels, we hear Jesus challenging religious leaders, to “Go and learn the meaning of the words, ‘I desire Mercy, not sacrifice’” (Mt. 9:13) and we also hear him inviting all those who are troubled and find life burdensome to, “Come to me … for I am meek and humble of heart.” (Mt. 11:28-29)
Pope Francis invited all Catholics, all Christians and the whole world to an encounter with our Loving and Merciful God and he challenged the Church, especially her leaders and ministers, to offer a loving, non-judgmental welcome, asking us to go out to the peripheries to invite those who have strayed from or been hurt by the Church.
I was blessed to be at World Youth Day in Lisbon in August of 2023, when he electrified the crowd of 500,000 young people saying that the Church should be welcoming to “Todos, Todos, Todos,” (“Everyone, Everyone, Everyone).
This is an historic moment for the Church and for the world and the temptation is to look ahead, “Who will be the next Pope”, but we pause today to look back with gratitude on this humble Christian disciple, who became, “The servant of the servants of God” — that was the only “title” that he liked. From his first Apostolic Exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium, in which he called us to be “Missionary Disciples” throughout his teachings, in his writings and preaching he called us to Love as Jesus Loves. He called us to care for the environment of our common home in Laudato Si, reminded us that we are all brothers and sisters in Fratellii Tutti, and taught us by example that we are all beloved children of God, especially in his outreach to our sisters and brothers in the LGBT community.
As we look back with gratitude, we prayerfully look to the future as well, praying to the Holy Spirit especially for the Cardinals who will be choosing Pope Francis’ successor and we can trust that, no matter who is chosen, we will continue to strive to be that more Synodal, welcoming and listening Church that Pope Francis will continue calling us to be.
As we continue the eucharist, in which we recognize and encounter our Risen Lord in the breaking of the bread, we also reflect on our final image of Pope Francis, smiling and greeting his beloved people on Easter Sunday.
In our Gospel today (Jn. 21:1-14), we see our First Holy Father, St. Peter, jumping out of the boat, overcome with Joy in the presence the Rison Jesus. A little while later, after the breakfast of barbecue fish, Peter would encounter the mercy and forgiveness of Jesus, being given the opportunity to profess his love for Jesus three times, washing away the denials of Thursday night.
Pope Francis’ last public words were “Happy Easter”, later, his last words on earth were words of gratitude. His Last Encyclical Letter, Dilexit Nos, a reflection on the Sacred Heart of Jesus, begins with the words of St. Paul, “He Loved us”.
As we remember Pope Francis, we can remember how He loved us and how he taught us and invited us to know our Loving and Merciful God, how he taught us and called us to Love one another as Jesus loves us.
