Articles

The Messenger is Gone, but not the Message

Opinion | Articles | M L Satyan | 22-Apr-2025

After a very long period, God selected a modern, pro-poor Francis Assisi in the form of a pope to reform the church that was rusting. Definitely, he too had been seriously reflecting on the contrast between the wealthy Vatican and the acute poverty outside. For this reason, he chose to live an exemplary, humble and simple life that he followed as a cardinal in Argentina.

 

Francis has not only preached about simplicity and solidarity with the poor but also practiced it in his personal life. On several occasions the pope demonstrated the values of simplicity, concern, compassion, transparency and courage. He set up new trends by visiting the hospitals, prisons and washing the feet of the prisoners, including women. He became a living demonstration of the proverb “Actions speak louder than words”.

 

Pope Francis understood very well what Jesus said: “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Mt.6:21). He took upon himself the responsibility of reforming the Church in his own style, of course as per God’s will. With his dynamism, humane and pro-poor approach, he tried to bring about radical changes within the Church.

 

Through his trend-setting initiatives he advocated the values of simplicity, responsibility, transparency, compassion, service and concern for environment.

He repeatedly instructed cardinals, bishops and priests to practice all these values. He always urged the bishops and priests to be ‘shepherds with the smell of the sheep’, grounded in the situation of their flock. He did this purposely since vast majority of cardinals, bishops and priests have got used to worldly comforts and luxuries and lead royal life. They are cut off from the mainstream society. For this reason, Francis tried to lead a very simple life and set an example for the clergy.

 

Pope Francis focussed on ‘servant leadership’. He often reminded the clergy that they are called to “serve” and “not to be served”. His frequent visits to the prisons and washing the feet of the prisoners conveyed a message of “service to the marginalised”. On several occasions he said, “You pastors should be people capable of living, of laughing and crying with your people, in a word, of communicating with them. Priesthood, isolated from the people of God, is neither a Catholic priesthood nor a Christian one.”   

 

He also constantly advised the priests on homilies: “The homily must be brief, an image, a thought and a sentiment. The homily must not go on for more than eight minutes, because after that, with time attention is lost and the people fall asleep, and they are right. And I want to say this to priests, who talk a lot, very often, and one does not understand what they are talking about. A brief homily means: a thought, a sentiment and a cue for action, for what to do. The homily must help transfer the Word of God from the book to life.” Did Pope’s advice fell on deaf ears?

 

Today we live in a world of consumerism. We tend to destroy nature and natural resources for our selfish enjoyment. The ecological imbalance is the result of our misplaced priorities. We are also divided in the name of caste, colour, region and religion. Communal violence is on the increase. Unequal distribution of wealth, growing poverty and unemployment have become burning issues in many countries. In this scenario, the Pope’s encyclicals Laudato Si (May, 2015) on care for our common home and Fratelli Tutti (October, 2020) on fraternity and social friendship were very powerful and they have become “guiding lights” for the church. Do we really follow the messages of these encyclicals?

 

To summarise, Pope Francis made drastic changes in the Catholic Church since his election, including efforts to reform the Vatican bureaucracy, appoint women to some important offices in Vatican, promote greater transparency, interfaith dialogue, and encourage more inclusivity and diversity within the church. He also made significant efforts to address issues of clerical sexual abuse within the church. His ‘Penitential Trip’ to a school in Canda will serve as a caution to his successors. He always listened to the youth and wanted them to be enlightened leaders.

 

At the age of 88 the pope battled with many serious health complications. His delicate health was indeed of grave concern for the doctors. The pope never tried to resign but continued to fulfil his responsibilities. With great difficulty he gave his angelus blessings on the Easter Sunday. He lived the words of St. Paul, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (2 Timothy 4:7). During this mourning period, it is worth reflecting on the values that Francis preached and practised. Are we ready to carry on his legacy? 

 

I wish to conclude this Tribute with a meaningful poem titled “Away” written by

James Whitcomb Riley.

“I cannot say, and I will not say

That he is dead; he is just away!

With a cheery smile, and a wave of the hand

He has wandered into an unknown land,

And left us dreaming how very fair;

It needs must be, since he lingers there.

And you, O you, who the wildest yearn

For the old-time step and the glad return,

Think of his faring on, as dear,

In the love of There as the love of Here;

And loyal still, as he gave the blows

Of his warrior-strength to his country’s foes.

Mild and gentle, as he was brave,

When the sweetest love of his life he gave,

To simple things: Where the violets grew

Blue as the eyes they were likened to,

The touches of his hands have strayed

As reverently as his lips have prayed:

When the little brown thrush that harshly chirred

Was dear to him as the mocking-bird;

And he pitied as much as a woman in pain,

A writhing honey-bee wet with rain.

Think of his still as the same, I say:

He is not dead; he is just away!”

 

(The author is a freelance journalist who writes columns on social and religious issues. He can be reached at mlsatyan55@gmail.com. Views expressed are personal)  

---

---

Visitor comments

---

Leave a comment