BOOK
PRESENTATION & REVIEW
Title:
Francis, The Pope of Mercy (Vol. 1)
Foreward:
Rev. Fr. Dr. David Asonye Ihenacho
Nihil
Obstat: Rev. Fr. Dr. Benjamin Eze (Lecturer
in Pastoral Theology, Bigard Memorial Seminary Enugu and Representative (CSN)
Catholic Bloc of Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN Enugu State)
Author:
Noel Ogadimma Onyeulo (Theology
Student, Bigard Memorial Seminary, Enugu, Nigeria)
Phone-
+2347032786152,
+2348055742905)
REVIEW
If there is a revolution in the pontificate of Pope Francis, it is
a revolution of the heart which seems
to be at the level of pastoral application of doctrines, for he views life
through the lens of mercy. He understands that mercy lives at the very
foundation of the Church’s life and mission and she has an endless desire to
show mercy.
However, so many Popes have preached mercy but that of Pope
Francis remains incomparable in the sense that he has succeeded in
personalizing the “Mercy Enterprise” to his style and vision of leadership such
that it becomes the sole enterprise from which he teaches and shepherds. Even
before becoming Pope, he has decorated his priestly ministry with the fragrant
theme “Mercy”; a theme very dear to his heart that it marks the central topic
of his Episcopal motto: Miserando Atque
Eligendo, which he chose when he was ordained a bishop in 1992. Verily, we
hear Pope Francis say; “The calling of
Matthew is also presented within the context of mercy. Passing by the tax
collector’s booth, Jesus looked intently at Matthew. It was a look full of
mercy that forgave the sins of that man, a sinner and a tax collector, whom
Jesus chose – against the hesitation of the disciples – to become one of the
Twelve. Saint Bede the Venerable, commenting on this Gospel passage, wrote that
Jesus looked upon Matthew with merciful love and chose him: miserando atque
eligendo. This expression impressed me so much that I chose it for my
Episcopal motto”. (Pope Francis, Misericordiae Vultus: Bull of Indiction of the Extraordinary Jubilee of
Mercy, 11 April, 2015, no. 8.)
So, this translation which signifies “with the eyes of mercy”
became the administrative and well-spring of Pope Francis’ papacy. Allowing
this “Mercy Concept” to permeate, endure and remain constant all over his
Apostolic Exhortation, Encyclical, homilies, Apostolic Letters, gestures and
testimonies give rise to the premise of our conviction while the proclamation
of the year 2016 as the Holy year of Mercy stamps the veracity of our inference
and we are left with no other option than to say: “Behold Pope Francis, Apostle
of Mercy!”. Let us recall that in that Gospel episode
of the Call of Matthew, the propaganda fiddled by the Pharisees against Jesus,
is that he (Jesus) a supposed Jewish Rabbi who understands the Jewish tradition
and customs was dinning with tax collectors and sinners. Most importantly,
Jesus replied them saying “…Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, not
sacrifice.’ For I have come not to call the righteous but sinners” (Matt. 9:
9ff). This passage has pastoral
significance for Pope Francis and so he viewed the Church as a house of mercy freely given, where everyone can feel
welcomed, forgiven and encouraged to live a good life of the gospel (Evangelii Gaudium no. 114). Succinctly,
Pope Francis is an artisan of Mercy! He understands that the world has heard enough
judgments and so this is time to witness the Mercy of God in a world ravaged by
indifference, betrayal, uncertainty, confusion and poverty. His papacy seeks to
balance justice with mercy. For him, God’s justice is his mercy and it would
not be out of place…to recall the relationship between justice and mercy. These
are not two contradictory realities he said, but two dimensions of a single
reality that unfolds progressively until it culminates in the fullness of love.
(Misericordiae Vultus no. 20) Thus he
writes: “Mercy is not opposed to justice but rather expresses God’s way of
reaching out to the sinner, offering him a new chance to look at himself,
convert, and believe” (Ibid. 21). In his analysis of the biblical episode of
the Call of Matthew- where Jesus dined with tax collectors and sinners- Pope
Francis believes that Jesus is bent on revealing the gift of mercy that
searches out sinners and offers them pardon and salvation, for Jesus desires
mercy and not sacrifice; He has come not to call the righteous but sinners (cf.
Matt. 9:13) (Ibid). Put it this way, Pope Francis is helping the Church
continue in her authentic witnessing to the Mercy of God in the world.
In his Apostolic Exhortation, Evangelii
Nuntiandi no. 41, Pope Paul VI writes;
“modern man listens more willingly to witnesses than teachers, and if he does
listen to teachers, it is because they are witnesses”. People are listening
to Pope Francis because of his outstanding manner of witnessing. In not less
than three years of his papacy, the Francis papacy can look back to numerous
achievements. The milestone of his historic achievements is his visits to poor
countries and appeal to world leaders to save the earth, our common home. He
remains the first Pope to share an encyclical through the Twitter account. Pope
Francis has a special way of speaking to our conscience: it is his talent. His
words and deeds which in the words of Barack Obama shakes the conscience, has
triggered many resignations especially in top offices like the American House
where the speaker, John Bohener’s considered resignation after listening to the
Pope address the United States congress during the papal visit to U. S in
September 2105. His outstanding manner of witness has shaken the conscience of people
like the former president of Cuba, Fidel Castro (who physically attacked
Catholics that oppose communism in Cuba) and Chimamanda Adichie, an African
Star writer and story teller to publicly consider returning to the Catholic
Church. That Cuba and America today can talk of a healthy diplomatic relation
is a testimony of the Francis papacy. At the just concluded Fourteenth Ordinary
General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops on the Family in Rome, he reviewed for
a more merciful tone of the Church towards finding a suitable pastoral language
on the place of divorced, remarried and homosexual persons in the Church
without altering the doctrine of the Church. Though the synod seems to end in
disagreement, yet the message of the Holy Father remains that the Church, the
spouse of Christ the son of God who is rich in mercy, has as its proper tone,
the ability to show mercy at least to over burdened persons who come in good
conscience. However, the papacy of this Jesuit Pope from the Latin America is
still telling and promising. Even the media wonders how such a simple and
humble Pope could make busy the internet world through the comments from
Christians and non Christians; such that even atheists and those who profess no
religious alliance revere him. “Don’t forget to pray for me” remains his last
statement at the end of each gathering. We
pray in faith for a safe landing into the Church’s hall of saints where we can
seek to emulate a Saint whose deeds and actions are so coherent with the mercy
of God. We thus pray in faith for that day when we shall pray through St. Francis of Argentina as he is
leading the world to learn and ponder from these words of Christ: “I desire mercy and not sacrifice”. As
long as Pope Francis continues to remind us that the Lord’s most powerful
message is mercy as President Obama will say, he remains an Apostle of
Mercy.
