Lk 17:11-19 Pity and Love

Wednesday of the Thirty-Second Week in Ordinary Time

(Click here for readings)

As Jesus continued his journey to Jerusalem, he traveled through Samaria and Galilee.  As he was entering a village, ten lepers met him.  They stood at a distance from him and raised their voice, saying, "Jesus, Master!  Have pity on us!"

What's your plan for holiness?  So what are you doing to become holy?  What's your plan?  I have a very simple one.  I actually put it together a few weeks after Pope Francis was elected.  Do you want to hear it?  It's very simple.  Every day I Google the Pope's name to find out what he is up to.  Whatever he is doing I try to do it too.  That's it.  That's my plan for to achieve holiness. 

Where did I get this idea from?  From the Bible; from St. Paul.  In fact, he wrote:  "Imitate me for I imitate Christ" (1Cor. 11:1).   Get it???  It's okay to imitate holy people, for they imitate Jesus Christ.

It's official! Today I read that Pope Francis is the internet's most popular name.  Can you believe that?  Pope Francis!  A Catholic!  A Pope!!!

Talk about turning the world upside down in just a few months.  How did he do it?

Power in Humility.  Forbes magazine recently named Pope Francis the 4th most powerful man in the world.   How did he become so powerful, and so quickly?  Through humility and authenticity.  And the only reason why he is in 4th place (and not in 1st place) is because he does not seek power.

Catholic Online:  "What makes the ranking so ironic is that Pope Francis never sought such power. Until his election as pontiff, he cooked his own meals, cooked for others, rode public transportation to work, and eschewed finery. Even now, he remains as humble as his office will permit. He shuns unimportant functions whose only purpose is ceremonial or prideful." 
   
Power in Compassion.  Last week's images of the pope kissing and praying with a man severely disfigured reminds me of the lepers who approached Jesus for healing.  Like them, this man's appearance is grossly distorted by disease.  Like them, his pain must be unthinkable.  And to make matters worse, like them, his disease has excluded him from the human race.

The Huffington Post wrote a beautiful article entitled:  "Pope Francis Kisses Man With Rare Disorder Showing the Healing Power of Compassion." 

An atheist, who apparently knows very little about compassion or human nature, responded by writing:  "Nice but why didn't the pope cure him?"  Ah, yes.  Don't you love it when atheists talk religion?  Not only is this individual ignorant of the Holy Father's powers (and what the faithful and unfaithful should expect from him), but he apparently does not know human psychology and the various forms of healing that go beyond the physical.

The Pope showed to the world what a man of God can do, and what most doctors fail to do:  Treat the sick as the most beautiful of God's children, not as case studies or interesting specimen. 

The author got it right:  The Pope demonstrated the healing power of compassion. 

So, when was the last time you embraced someone who was sick or someone who appeared to you to be a "monster" (that is, someone you despise or may have rejected and have become bitter and angry towards)? 

We all know it's not easy, not easy at all.  But the Pope is leading the way towards holiness and we should do our best to imitate him every step in The Way.