It has been amazing to watch the positive news coverage of Pope Francis’ visit to the United States, with the media frenzy and the large crowds following his every move. There has been no shortage of commentators, religious experts, and political pundits who are weighing in on the topics that he mentions.
Some applaud his concern for the environment, while others rue the fact that he didn’t mention issues like abortion by name (to my knowledge). Many believe not nearly enough has been done with the Catholic sexual abuse scandal that has permanently scarred an untold number of children. Still others are convinced that he is the False Prophet of End Times. I won’t get into any of that here.
The pope has a somewhat impossible tightrope to walk, although the TV coverage would have you believe the man was basically walking on water during his visit. He does seem to be a genuinely happy, sincere, and caring man, but I’m amazed at the hypocrisy of our media, which ridicules religion (Christianity in particular) yet has gone gaga over the pope.
I could express my own troubles regarding some of the idolatrous practices in Catholicism, but I could also do the same with Protestantism in general and my own struggles in particular. Allow me just to focus my papal concern on a single issue, for it is the only issue that ultimately matters, and that is Jesus.
As I watched Pope Francis address the U.S. Congress and as I read his transcript from the interfaith ceremony at Ground Zero, among his other speeches in secular settings, I hoped in vain for him to mention Jesus by name. For it is only by that name that anyone can be saved (Acts 4:12). As believers in Jesus Christ, we should not be ashamed of the Gospel (Romans 1:16). We should share whenever possible.
One could argue that the pope was simply being mindful of his political surroundings, but here is a man who is called the “Vicar of Christ”. This means that Catholics believe he is the authoritative representative of Christ on the planet. Starting with the Apostle Peter, 266 popes have held this position to date. Should it then be an appropriate expectation for this person to invoke Jesus’ Name whenever and wherever possible, to point people to the life-saving message of the cross?
In his position, why shouldn’t Pope Francis use each and every opportunity to share the only real solution to any and every issue he’s mentioned – from the environment to the death penalty to this problem or to that problem? I expect the same from any preacher in any pulpit in this country, and yet what we’re getting instead is mostly a watered-down or social version of the Gospel.
The pope has had captive audience after captive audience for his speeches. What could have been repeatedly used as a catalyst for national repentance and revival was instead an epic failure because Francis didn’t present the path of salvation to audiences that had many non-believers present. And that is a real tragedy.
My bottom line: Lest we only cast stones and ignore the planks in our eyes, we need to look at ourselves too. May Pope Francis – and all of us who believe – do a better job of presenting the life-saving message of Jesus Christ in our everyday lives and during those special moments when the spotlight is on us.
