Shock and Awe

This morning I had a shocker. Front page headline, I read it second click on my cell phone just before I stepped out the door for my early walk, first click to tell the temperature so I know which jacket to put on, and then New York Times, “Pope Francis is Dead at 88.” Quickly I read a multitude of subheadlines, trying hard to capture some detail, but too soon reminded that I had reached limit of free articles. When I returned an hour later my wife already knew more detail because of “The Current” on CBC radio by our bedside. It became focus for our morning prayers.

It is the day after Easter, still inspired by resurrection worship yesterday in church, the pope's passing is kind of surreal. Our pastor described so clearly Jesus’ appearance to Mary in the tomb (the well-known Easter account) and then an extra “recognition connect” after the supposed gardener (John 20) asks her to turn to him, and as she turns she recognizes, she delights from the depth of her heart, “Rabboni” (Teacher :16). Resurrected Jesus is not a theological preference; it is not “a resurrection story.” Not a story, it is an experience availed to her, availed to us, availed to anyone who will turn to face him, especially as per invitation of that risen One. In yesterday’s worship we were an assembly of Mennonites, Evangelicals, Progressives, and of course some ambivalent. We were of quite a few stripes. This service was so "Resurrection" seemingly for each person there, a telling invitation to face Jesus beyond our preferences and our explanations. To see the risen savior was the connector which sent the familiar Mary Magdalene out of there, quickly to tell the others, “I have seen the Lord” (:18).

This proclamation by our pastor, who has come among us fairly recently, also included his testimony of a once-upon-a-time surprise (Surprise! Personalized sermons also bit of a rarity these days). A preacher and a teacher with a considerable ‘curriculum vitae’, pastoral ministry had not been in the cross hairs of his educational pursuit. Included also was some childhood pain, grad studies in philosophy, and then call to pastoral work both in congregations and university student chaplaincy. Surprises all along the way, good intentioned academia got sidelined into pastoral ministry and seems not yet to be stopping. “The best laid plans of mice and men …?”

Pope Francis at Lac St Anne, AB. July 26, 2022

Now back to Pope Francis, pontiff of an imperfect Church. Catholicism has been the big player in the colonialism and residential school horrors of Canada's history. By now, after many years of foot dragging and due process within ranks of the Holy See, this Pope offered apology in 2022 – albeit inadequate. How does a contemporary atone for the sins of an institution? He showed up! He has been courageously everywhere. An Argentinian, grown up among the people, very concerned about environment, Amazon forests and impact of commercial developments within those 'lungs of the world'.[i] He cared deeply for migrants, the displaced victims of war, recently chiding a member of his church, U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance, for his role in the Trump administration on that very topic.[ii] A man of surprising ways with a faith and a presence with people, his also was not a career path, but an obvious 'Call of God’ as us low-church believers will say, along with high church authority. Awesome things still happening and perhaps about to happen, especially when humble passionate broken persons are able to take a look at the One who is already looking at them.

Another surprise! [And this now another day later - best laid plans of bloggers?] There is so much "thinking material" everywhere - almost as though his death went viral. There are touching tributes on social media (Some positivity for a change), editorials and op-eds in local papers especially of conservative ilk, like Calgary Sun,[iii] labeled by many of us critics as the red neck rag. Hear hear, all you aspiring perfectionist theologians, activists and politicians, each one of us never fully represents the voice of God! God is present right in among the surprises and in between the points of view.

I did not idolize Pope Francis, certainly don’t expect him to rise again, but I know that he knew the One who did rise again! He will be buried in a basilica just outside the walls of Vatican City, and remembered in Christendom way beyond the Roman church, in a world that recognized a pontiff who lived his days face to face with our resurrected Savior.

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[i] Pope Francis, Beloved Amazonia (Holy See: Orbis Books, February 2020).

[ii] Jason Horowitz, “For a Times Reporter Who Covered Him, Francis Was Always a Surprise,” New York Times (NY: April 21, 2025).

[iii] “The People’s Pope”, Calgary Sun, Tuesday, April 22, 2025.