eNews

"It’s my duty Your Holiness; I should watch for your safety." Pope Francis looked at him again with kindness, went back to his suite and after a minute he came out carrying a chair: "At least sit down and rest."

The guard rolled his eyes and answered: “Santo Padre, forgive me, but I cannot! The regulations do not allow that."

"The regulations?"

"Orders from my captain, Your Holiness."

The Pope smiled, "Oh, really? Well, I'm the Pope and I order you to sit down."

So, caught between the regulations and the Pope, the Swiss Guard (so much for the halberd) chose the chair.

The Pope returned to his apartment. After a couple of minutes, the Pope came back to the Swiss Guard, still obediently seated on the chair, carrying “panino con marmellata” (Italian bread with jam) which he had prepared.

Before the soldier could say anything, the Holy Father, exhibiting his Argentinean smile, told the Swiss Guard, “With all the hours spent standing on guard you must be a bit hungry.”

The Swiss Guard had no time to object because the Pope right away wished him a good bite: "Bon appetit, brother".

Pope Francis in such wonderful simple acts of kindness is showing us the type of "spirit-filled" living that should characterise us as Catholics.

An even more poignant visual example of the Spirit of kindness at work was the way the Holy Father greeting disabled and sick people when he took recently possession of the Lateran Church... his own church as Bishop of Rome.

The image accompanying this reflection with Francis warmly greeting two down syndrome boys is also shown (but with much more loving detail and emotion) in the following youtube clip (especially at 23 min, 58 sec)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsDC8aiRZfI

It is a joy.  Please watch it. Talk about the Gospel in action!

Continue Reading...

- Br Mark O’Connor fms