May 7, 2025 - Good Morning! It’s Wednesday, May 7.
This morning, Catholic cardinals from around the world will be locked inside the Sistine Chapel, to begin the religious rite called conclave. The first time this happened, a man named Christopher Columbus was sailing toward a new world. Since 1492, church leaders have met in this beautiful room, underneath paintings by Michelangelo, to choose a new pope. And the tradition continues.
It’s been just two weeks since Pope Francis died, the day after Easter Sunday. And during that time a controversy has erupted about his tombstone. And during that time, I’ve learned a new word - “kerning.” That’s the spacing between letters that provides clarity and pleasing design. The pope’s simple stone features only his name (in Latin), “Franciscus.” But the kerning makes it read more like - F R A NCISC US.
Francis would probably have been amused by all this attention. Throughout his papacy, he seemed to pay less attention to outward appearances than previous popes. This was apparent especially during these last days. Traditionally, popes are buried in three caskets - one inside another. Francis lies in a simple wooden coffin. The papal tombs are typically ornate and made of the finest marble. Francis chose a common material called “The People’s Stone” - an appropriate choice for a pontiff often called “The People’s Pope.”
Jorge Mario Bergoglio was just a man. And he was challenged, as we all are, to live out his faith. But some of the choices that Pope Francis made, point us to the truth found in I Samuel 16:7 - “The Lord sees not as man sees; man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”
Meet you back here tomorrow,
David
cindertex50@yahoo.com
