Dear Friends in Christ,

The Roman Catholic Church has a new pope! And he was born and raised in the Chicago area! (A Sox fan, if I got that right!) Why should we Lutherans care? Well, because to a large degree, Pope Leo represents Christ to the world and speaks for Christians around the world. And he is really the only religious leader that has the status or the audience that is able to compete with Presidents and Prime Ministers in making news and messaging the human race.

We sense, that like Pope Francis before him, he has a great heart for the world’s poor and forgotten. Refugees and immigrants are high on his priority list. Not so with most Presidents and Prime Ministers. The poor and hungry get his attention. Not so often the case with other world leaders. Popes, pastors, bishops, and all of us as Christians are to operate by a different “play book”. World leaders operate on the basis of gaining and exercising and clinging to power. Often an idolatry to wealth and fame goes with that. But we as Christians are to operate on the basis of love and servanthood. Jesus teaches us pretty clearly what that means, and how important that is, and how the world might or might not welcome our commitment to love and service.

But that’s who we are called to be in baptism! Not power-brokers, or fame-seekers. But authentic servants, who care about this generation and the next, and the next one beyond them! And who care more for God’s creation than for the stock market. And who are willing to speak up for what is good and right. And who are willing to stand up against what is evil and short-sighted.

I don’t think we’re all called to be Sox fans, or Roman Catholics, like Pope Leo. But it seems like he (like his predecessor) knows how to love God, love people, love creation, and enjoy life. So even though he might not be ‘our’ pope, he still might be a good model and a good inspiration for millions, even billions of people. And we pray that he can influence world affairs right up there with the rich and the powerful, by such a commitment to God and to the whole human race. If he and we can point to Jesus, and imitate Jesus, and learn from Jesus, then our lives will make a difference in this crazy and wonderful world too. Seriously!

- Pastor Paul