Pope Francis – Pope of Mercy

At the heart of Francis' ministry as Bishop of Rome was what should always be the fundamental message of the Church: the Divine Mercy, which knows no boundaries. It was the lens of mercy that sent Francis not to the center of the world, but to the peripheries.

There is something supernatural in the fact that Pope Francis – the Pope of Mercy- not only died on the second day of the Lord's Resurrection but also will be buried on the eve of the Feast of Divine Mercy. It can probably be said that it is difficult to imagine a more fitting time for an earthly farewell for a servant of Mercy than to die and rest in the tomb at this most important time for Christians, when not only does the truth about the passion and resurrection of the Master of Nazareth resound, but also His boundless love that transforms the world without end. For Christ came to the disciples after the Resurrection not with reproaches for having abandoned Him, not with a warning about their behavior, and not with accusations of failure, but only with a merciful look and an invitation for Thomas (and all of us) to see and believe.

While the whole world is commemorating the Pope from Argentina these days, reflecting on the pontificate and speculating about successors, it is important to pay attention to the vocation of Francis's ministry as the Bishop of Rome, as well as to the core message of the Church – Divine Mercy, which knows no boundaries- for both the faithful and the world.

Many have already written that Francis was the Pope of Mercy. He preached it wherever he could. He lived it. He called for it, whether in the confessional, in the pastoral ministry of the Church, in the life of each of us, or in social matters. Mercy embodies faithfulness and love, given to us, and is an extremely difficult ideal to aspire to. Like all faith, adherence to Christ and living in accordance with the commandment of love for God and neighbor requires effort, sometimes seemingly impossible by human standards. If we seek reasons for the misunderstanding, and even occasional rejection of Pope Francis's teachings, they can be attributed to the common difficulty, even among believers, in accepting the message about God, who is rich in mercy, about God who is Mercy. It is easy to believe in and follow a just, all-powerful, victorious God. It is more difficult to find God's justice, omnipotence, and victory in humble love. And yet, this is what Jesus exemplified. This is the Triune God. This is Christianity, or at least it should be. Strong in humility, just in meekness and goodness, full of compassion and conquering through good, always responding with love to even the greatest wickedness imaginable. Yet, we keep forgetting about it; we are still surprised that it is possible to give up on just retribution and rituals without content. We still do not understand that glitter, splendor, success, and even power are of no use if they are devoid of charity, fraternity, community, and humility.

The optics of mercy escape simple schemes. Sometimes it is an option for the poor; at other times, it is for the elderly, lonely, suffering, and rejected, pushed to the margins, whether of the world or the Church.Pope Francis orders us to visit prisoners and believe against all odds that they can change and improve, that everyone, even the greatest criminal, does not cease to be a child of God. At other times, he reminds us not to close the doors of the Church to anyone. He desires communion among all, regardless of their situation, whether they are currently in the position of the prodigal son, who has squandered his father's fortune and has longed to return in poverty, or rather in the situation of the other (is he not more prodigal?), who is unable to accept love and forgiveness.

The optics of mercy sent Francis not to the center of the world, but to the peripheries. In other words, that optics reminded him and all of us that the peripheries, that misery, that suffering, are the proper center of the Church. Without mercy, there is not only no justice, but also no equality, and no absolute respect for the dignity of the human person. Without mercy, man will always, sooner or later, become a god for himself, deciding how he should be. Without mercy, the Church ceases to be the Church in the strict sense, becoming an institution that may be faithful to the law but distances itself from Christ.

At this point, I would like to mention one of the many, yet unique, testimonies of this pontificate, which highlights Francis' ministry to Mercy as if through a lens. I remember when Pope Francis visited the Baltic countries, including Lithuania. The one whose main teaching message was Divine Mercy could not fail to stop in Vilnius, the city of mercy, where the first image of Jesus, I trust in You, by Eugeniusz Kazimirowski, was created. For centuries, a small gate has housed an image of the Madonna of the Gate of Dawn, known as the Mother of Mercy. I mention this because it represents a symbolic event for this pontificate. At that time, Pope Francis also visited the Hospice of Blessed Fr. Michał Sopoćko, where he met with all the sick, employees, and volunteers. and friends.

In silence and recollection, he became a confrere and a volunteer, bringing hope. We did not expect that the Pope would devote so much time to all of us. After all, while traveling the route from the Gate of Dawn to Cathedral Square, he had little of it. In a way, he visited the most beautiful and meaningful sanctuary of Mercy, where he met Christ in every sick person. He showed that the truest sanctuary to which we should make a pilgrimage and where we can meet God is the heart of another man, especially the one whom the world would like to push aside, put aside, whose suffering it would like to neutralize somehow, or rather erase. The meeting with the sick and poor happens in silence, in prayer, in a look. And this is worth more than hundreds, even thousands, of spoken words. Words only teach, and examples attract.

Whenever the Pope looked at people, his gaze was filled with a supernatural reality - a peace that the world cannot give. Such peace of heart does not come from the words and wisdom of this world; it comes through God's grace and an authentic life of Mercy. Therefore, more important than what Francis said is how he lived and who he was. By being a friend of Jesus, he became a friend of every man. As a servant of Mercy, he brought it to everyone. Being a friend of simplicity and modesty, he needed no words, only presence. I always return to this perspective when I doubt whether it is truly worth living by Mercy and whether Mercy is also for me.

Therefore, I believe that today, the most beautiful way to say goodbye to Francis is by once again embracing the mystery of Divine Mercy. We will attempt to transcend our limitations and truly notice another person. Today, the Pope's farewell should be reflected in our actions, not just our words. We must undertake the ministry of volunteering, visiting the elderly and the sick, both near and far, especially those we have not seen for a long time. It should also involve seeking peace, for instance, by saying "I'm sorry" or "thank you, " or by smiling at someone with whom we do not get along in life. Indeed, Mercy is challenging to understand and even harder to embody. But as pilgrims of hope, we must not shy away from what is most demanding. Let us strive to move from death to life every day, not merely on holidays. And when we forget, let us revisit our memories of the events during Francis's pontificate and his life, especially those moments where he witnessed Mercy through his actions. Let us remind ourselves that it is possible. The lens of Mercy is central to our faith.

This coming  Sunday of Divine Mercy, let us remember Pope Francis, the Pope of Mercy.

fr. george