From the Peanut Gallery

Ok everybody, take a deep breath.  And another, and another.  Ok, good, here we go.  I imagine today’s news of Pope Benedict’s announcing his resignation must have hit everyone with as much surprise as woke me up this morning.  It has truly been a historic day and I can only imagine that it must have been something like this when Pope John XXIII announced the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council over 50 years ago.  I wasn't there, but I think it must have been a similar sense of (O CRAP!) that I felt this morning.  After that initial reaction of “the sky is falling, the sky is falling!” I have had time to reflect on the day and the momentous announcement that has been heard around the world.  First of all, although he did not mention it at all, today is the World Day of the Sick, and under the patronage of Our Lady of Lourdes, hundreds of thousands will call upon God today for help in their needs.  This announcement seems to fit into the context of coming before God and recognizing one’s limitations.  In his declaration today, Pope Benedict is publicly welcoming us, the Church and the world, to reflect on the reality of humility.  It comes down to being able to recognize that sometimes, I can’t do this or that, and just as Peter during this past Sunday’s Gospel, we are surprised by the Love of God as we entrust ourselves to Him and Him alone.  To a certain degree, the Pope is doing that right now, he is telling us all and perhaps even inviting us to be honest with ourselves, in recognizing that sometimes there are things beyond us that cannot be explained or fully known, sometimes, it is about taking a leap of faith (and how appropriate that is during the Year of Faith).  In confidence of God’s Divine Providence, we walk into tomorrow (or February 28 at 8pm Rome time, 1pm CST) and trust that God is already at work there doing what needs to be done.  We walk into the heart of God trusting that as we do, we will find the grace and strength necessary to continue the journey into a deeper and more profound relationship with God.  And so, the Pope has come before us all and announced that he is to retire, good for him!  In doing so, I am stirred by the beautiful readings that we are given today for Mass.  The first reading comes from the beginning of the Book of Genesis, in it we hear that “in the beginning God created.”  I cannot help but imagine the great love with which He must have looked upon all of creation.  As a parent loves their child, even more God looked at all creation and smiled upon us.  So too now, God is at work in our world and in our Church and as we enter this monumental time in our Church, we enter with a trust that God is indeed at work and still smiling.  Even beyond human decisions, God is at work, and as we walk with Benedict, we walk as the Body of Christ, perhaps into unknown or forgotten territory (its been over 700 years since the last resignation), but ultimately toward God who is Love.  And so more than ever, let us LOVE, for it is there that we will find our life.  All ye holy men and women, pray for us.  As always, know that I love you.  God bless you.  Fr Ricky.