The Lent of Pope Francis
As I write this column, Pope Francis has now been in the hospital for more than a month. His condition is still complex, but stable, and continues to improve. We join with all those around the world in praying for our Holy Father that the Lord will give him the strength, healing and grace that he needs at this time as he continues to shepherd the Church and be our spiritual leader. One of the hallmarks of Pope Francis during his papacy is his constantly asking for people to pray for him. He asks this publicly as well as when someone is with him personally. I vividly remember on the occasion of my meeting with him five years ago for the Ad Limina visit in Rome that his parting words to me were, “Please pray for me.” They were spoken with great sincerity, and it was obvious to me how much that prayer means to him.
Pope Francis has spent the days of Lent this year suffering and recovering from double pneumonia. His limited breathing capacity in one lung, as well as his advanced age of 88 years old, have made this a rather difficult time for him. It seems that Pope Francis did not anticipate such a traumatic turnabout in his health, especially during the Lenten season. It is hard to imagine that he would have chosen this commitment as a Lenten practice. Nevertheless, he is using it as such. In his Lenten message for this year, which was written well before his hospital stay, Pope Francis encourages us to journey during this season in the hope of the Jubilee Year. He is giving us a good example in terms of what really is important in the journey of life in what we encounter.
The first example that Pope Francis gives us is that of prayer. He often speaks of the priority of prayer and reminds us of how it is the most important thing in which we are engaged. Again, he continually asks personally for prayer for himself, as well as for us to pray for each other. He reminds us of the importance of taking time to be alone in the presence of God and to listen to God as he truly speaks to us during this time. As we read about the time of Pope Francis in his hospital stay, one of the things we are told is that he makes prayer the priority of each and every day. Certainly, for someone like Pope Francis, who is so involved in many activities which his ministry brings before him, he continues to pray in a particular manner.
During his prayer, he spends his time in communion with the Lord in His Real Presence of the Blessed Sacrament, which is at the chapel near his hospital room. What the Holy Father is doing is no waste of time while he cannot do other things. He is engaging in the very center of what his ministry is all about. He is also taking the time to pray for all of us and for the needs of the world, which so much needs peace. Time is a great gift, which never comes back once it passes. That is why one of the greatest gifts we can give to another is our time. However, time spent in prayer for others is as valuable as our being with them in person. During these days of Lent, Pope Francis is truly living what he continually speaks about.
Pope Francis is also spending his time attending, by means of video, the retreat which is given for the Curia of the Vatican during the first week of Lent. He is always present at this retreat, and this year makes it in this fashion. He has reminded us, in his Lenten message, that journeying with others is so important in this life. We do not journey by ourselves. The example that he gives, attending the retreat in this fashion, is an example of this.
We are familiar with the account in the Gospel of St. Luke, in which Jesus visits the sisters of Lazarus, Martha and Mary, for dinner. Martha is very upset with her sister because, while she is doing all of the work of preparing the dinner, Mary is sitting and listening to Jesus. When she expresses her dissatisfaction to Jesus, His words are, “Martha, Martha you are concerned and anxious about many things. Only one of these is necessary. Mary has chosen the better part” (Lk 10:41-42). Certainly, Pope Francis did not choose to become ill and go into the hospital for any lengthy period of time. However, by praying in a fervent manner during this time, he truly chooses the better part.
As we continue our journey during the season of Lent, may the practices we have taken up be a source of spiritual insight and deepening of our relationship with the Lord. We certainly continue to pray for our Holy Father during his hospital stay. While he did not choose such a Lenten practice, may his use of his time in prayer continue to be one which blesses the Church and its mission. In his Angelus message written from his hospital room this past Sunday, Pope Francis said, “Our bodies are weak but, even like this, nothing can prevent us from loving, praying, giving ourselves for each other, in faith, shining signs of hope.” As Jesus said to St. Peter, the first pope of the Church, in their final meeting on this earth, “Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted, but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go. … Follow me” (Jn 21:18,19).
We continue to pray for our Holy Father, and we thank him for his prayer and example during this season of Lent.
Most Reverend Gerald M. Barbarito
