I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. (Ephesians 4:1-6 ESV)
Yesterday the world was introduced to the newest leader of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis I. As a Christian, and a pastor of a non-Catholic church, I find I'm still very interested, and prayerfully so, for the beginning of this new Pope's leadership role. I've worked with Catholics in a number of settings - most notably in the marriage organization Retrouvaille. I know that some of my colleagues raised their eyebrows about why I would work alongside of Catholics, and as well, some of the folks in the church I was a part of leading. But I found that the commonality of purpose and the shared vision of rescuing marriages was a big factor in forging a unity of the Spirit that Paul calls us to.
The question among many evangelicals this morning then, is "should we care"? And the answer - in my humble opinion - is a resounding YES.
Although there are definite doctrinal differences between Catholics and Evangelicals, there are many things in which they are agreed. In fact, the real issues of culture, ethical values, and issues of life/death are places where we need each other a lot. Catholic scholars and theologians have argued that the Gospel of Jesus and the truth of scripture is a crucial force that is often ignored in secular education and government, and therefore in home and family life - much to the detriment of our society as a whole. The cultural divide created by secular humanism cannot be fought by the Evangelical church alone, and conservative Catholics, like the Pope, offer a clear and loud voice in social and political circles.
Now, the question is, why did this first American's Pope, a first Jesuit also, choose the name Francis I? The Argentinian cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, took the name of Pope Francis, after Francis of Assisi, a 13th century Catholic monastic, and the founder of the Franciscans. The choice of Francis could provide an indication of where the new pope considers a priority.Cardinals choose papal names to acknowledge they’ve accepted a task from God.
According to one Catholic theologian, “In the Bible, when you get a new job from God, you pick a new name or you’re given a new name. They feel they’ve been chosen to do this very weighty job and they need a name that will sort of help them and inspire them. … It’s also a signal to the rest of the church and the world.”
A little background on Francis of Assisi would be helpful.
Francis was born in the late 12th century (1182) and grew up in a well-to-do family. In fact, he was every bit a secular young man who saw his fame in the military and his wealth. Captured in a battle he spent a year in prison, but after he was free, he experienced a conversion to Jesus and began to renounce all of his worldly wealth to serve Christ.
On the feast of St. Matthias, February 24, 1208, he listened to a teaching on the account of the mission of Christ to the Apostles from Matthew (10:7, 9–11): “And as you go, preach the message, ‘The kingdom is at hand!’…Take no gold, nor silver, nor money in your belts, no bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor a staff; for the laborer deserves his food. And whatever town or villa you enter, find out who is worthy in it, and stay with him until you depart.”
This was the decisive moment for Francis, who declared, “This is what I wish; this is what I am seeking. This is what I want to do from the bottom of my heart.” He then removed his shoes, discarded his staff, put on a rough tunic, and began to preach repentance and faith in Christ.
He became a leader of the movement of evangelical poverty in the early 13th century. His evangelical zeal, consecration to poverty, charity, and personal charisma drew thousands of followers. Francis’s devotion to Jesus and his desire to follow Jesus’ example became the basis for the Franciscan's simple brown sack garments. The Poverello (“Poor Little Man”) is one of the most venerated religious figures in Roman Catholic history.
So this Pope Francis I deserves our prayers, our hopes that he will be a clear and loud voice for the Gospel of the Kingdom, and that his own church of 1.2 billion Catholics will awaken from their own secular slumber - especially in American - to become committed followers of Jesus.
Peace
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