When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd,
his heart was moved with pity for them,
for they were like sheep without a shepherd;
and he began to teach them many things.
Of all the historic and exalted titles that are given to the Pope, Successor of St. Peter, Vicar of Christ, Supreme Pontiff, Patriarch of the West, Servant of the Servants of God, Bishop of Rome, the title that most beautifully expresses his ministry within our Church from my perspective is that of Universal Pastor.
From St. Peter, the first to be entrusted with the special ministry of unity in the Body of Christ by the Lord himself, 260 individuals have been privileged to be entrusted with this special task of being the universal shepherd of the Church of Christ. While we are keenly aware that among them were incredibly saintly men as well as notoriously wicked ones, yet, even amidst their all too human weaknesses, the power of Christ and His Spirit continued to shine, maintaining the Church in the truth of the Gospel.
We have been particularly blessed in recent times with Popes that providentially were the ‘right men for the times’ they were elected. Pope Pius XII led the Church bravely through the ravages of a World War and the insidious rise of totalitarian regimes. Good St. Pope John XXIII courageously called for the Church’s reform and renewal in the Great Second Vatican Council that led to a new Springtime in our Church. Pope St. Paul VI insightfully led the Church to implement the Conciliar renewal in the Church, often a thankless and onerous challenge. Pope St. John Paul II whose long pontificate saw him visit virtually every continent in our world with his clarion reminder to ‘not be afraid,’ as he ushered in a ‘new evangelization.’ Pope Benedict brought a theologian’s mind to wrestle bravely with the questions of a new century and with great humility, resigned the papacy, setting the precedent for future popes. Pope Francis, the first Pope from the Americas and the first Jesuit, unsettles many by his bold simplicity and his constant refrain of recalling God’s mercy and healing.
While it may be facile for some to level incessant criticism on these Servants of God as they strive to be good and compassionate shepherds of the Church especially in the echo chambers of social media, their ministry is a distinctive element of the Church we call Catholic.
On the night before his passion, the Lord prayed for unity that ‘all may be one.’ That unity is a fragile reality in our fractious world. It is to the successor of St. Peter, our Universal Shepherd that such an important and pivotal ministry is entrusted.
No wonder, then, that in every Eucharist celebrated throughout the world, we pray in our Eucharistic Prayer for “Francis our Pope…”. No wonder, then, that the constant refrain of Pope Francis on meeting people is “Pray for me…”.
As Catholics and all people of good will, let us lift our voices in solidarity as we pray for Francis as he shepherds the Church with unfailing love, mercy and grace.