Our Pope resigned yesterday.
I'm sad, and happy, and hopeful all at the same time. I just really trust him. He's my Papa. The first Pope I got to see with my own two eyes. Only my second Pope I've served under willingly as a converted Roman Catholic. He's my Dad.
And I trust him. If he says that he can't serve anymore as Pope because of sickness--and he made that announcement on Our Lady of Lourdes, on the World Day of the Sick-- there is a "rightness about that decision." It bring me rock solid confidence in my own life. We obey Christ. He tells us what to do. Papa Benedict's act of trust and humility--it's inspiring. It's Hope. If he can act with boldness, trust, and humility--I can act that way more often too.
I stayed off the blogs and secular media storm yesterday. So my info is coming all second hand from my husband who listens to 4 hours of Catholic radio during his Daily Commute and one of my blogger friends who I prayed with this morning.
Yet is that true? Some Catholics are describing themselves as "feeling afraid?"
We will have a new Pope. We will all pray he is a good one. The right man for the time. We will pray that the Holy Spirit guides the conclave and that the new Pope feels Wisdom and Guidance, and Hope--when the announcement is made, instead of fear.
For the first time since 1461, we'll have our current Pope --on earth-- praying with all his heart for his new successor to feel always like a Beloved, Cherished Son of God.
That seems like a good combo to me. All the prayers of the Faithful, all the prayers of the Cardinals, plus the prayers of Pope Benedict himself.
How can this fail? It's the Seat of Peter, the head of the Roman Catholic Church!
