What's Up with Pope Francis?

What’s Up with Pope Francis?

Pope Francis comes to the US, addresses Congress, visits a ton of people, and is all over the media, online - he seems to be everywhere.
How does his visit to the US affect me? Does it affect you?
When I think about the pope visiting the US, and how it is such a big deal to so many people, I really wonder - What’s it all about? What’s he all about? What does he represent? What does he embody? What does he speak to in each of us?
I imagine we each hold our own personal answers to these questions.

As I notice what comes up for me, his visit becomes a time of personal reflection, I might even call it an experience of mindfulness, a meditation, a spiritual journey of sorts. Call it what you will…I am aware that this is one of those opportunities to reflect on what I believe – I mean, what do I really believe?

How do I know what I believe?
I learn a lot about my beliefs from what comes up inside of me- from my experiences and reactions to the Pope’s visit, through my thoughts, my feelings, and even my physical reactions to it all. As I follow the coverage of his visit, I notice my reaction to his name, to his presence- his outfit, his demeanor, his smile, his gender, the men of the Catholic Church who accompany him, his body guards, the Pope-mobile, and even his Fiat 500 he rides in (when he’s not in the Pope-mobile). I notice my reaction to the people he chooses to visit, and even to the way other people react to him. I have so much coming up inside of me, before even hearing him speak a word!
I listen to Pope Francis, to his words, his pauses, even to his silence.
Something comes alive within me as he speaks of love, money, wealth, poverty, life, death penalty, gender, marriage, healing, the homeless, immigrants, the unborn, creation, nature, the environment, global warming, saints, humanity, God, prayer, faith, and blessings!

OK- there’s a lot packed in there, Pope Francis – and there are a lot of people reacting to what’s coming up for them, sharing their opinions and beliefs regarding each of these topics, and to the Pope’s presence overall.

I imagine that the Pope’s visit has been noticed by each of us in one way or another, through experiences of resonance, adverse reaction, transcendence –or not! Perhaps Pope Francis’s visit might serve as a tangible presence rekindling our awareness and connection to ourselves, to what we believe, and to our passion for living our personal truth, whatever that may be.

What’s up with Pope Francis, for you?

Rosanna Ferraro-Jensen, MA, MASG
Spiritual Care Counselor
Founder of Honoring Your Spiritual Journey, Santa Monica, CA
honoringyourspiritualjourney.com