This time with Pope Francis is draining me. We have had so much of an emotional ride since Benedict first announced his abdication on February March 11(half sleeping when I posted this) and the many events that followed, right up to the election of Francis and the many events that have and will follow. But, I could not help but notice how the Lord is in the details. Let me explain.

I thought it was very significant that Benedict would abdicate on the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes and like Bernadette, take up a life of prayer for the Church. On the day of the election, a seagull would not leave the chimney on the Sistine Chapel. It was as if nature was saying: “Come out Holy Father Francis!.”

Yesterday, in his simple but eloquent homily, Pope Francis gave the Church from the Cardinals on down a call to conversion. “Walk,” “build up,” and confess.” Along with all of this, God’s timing for it all strikes again.

On the day of Pope Francis’ election, the first reading for the Liturgy began: Thus says the LORD: “In a time of favor I answer you, on the day of salvation I help you; and I have kept you and given you as a covenant to the people,
To restore the land and allot the desolate heritages.” It is as if the Lord heard the many prayers being offered for the Papal Conclave. We have all been concerned with the reports of corruption in the Vatican and the many other issues in the Church. The Lord appears to be announcing the “New Springtime of Faith”.

The first reading for yesterday’s Mass again rang out a loud note: ““Go down at once to your people whom you brought out of the land of Egypt, for they have become depraved.” If this is not the call of a reformer Pope, I don’t know what is.

And finally, the first reading for today’s Liturgy show us the anger caused by those who are opposed to reform. “The wicked said among themselves, thinking not aright: ‘Let us beset the just one, because he is obnoxious to us.” We really need to pray for  Pope Francis. His task is great. His current actions seem to display a decisive plan to put an end to the nonsense. The opening words of tomorrows 1st reading are: “I knew their plot because the Lord informed me.”

God is now speaking in a powerful way! One would have to be spiritually blind not to see it. Let us us unite in prayer and obedience to our Holy Father, Francis as he works to “separate the weeds from the wheat.” It’s going to be a rough ride folks, but we are on the side of Christ and “if God is for us, who can be against.”