Prayers for a New Leader

 

I am not a Catholic, and I don’t usually pay much attention to who the Pope is or what he has to say. As a Protestant, I do not believe that the bureaucracy and hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church through the centuries has been entirely Biblical. But as a Christian believer, I have come to understand that I cannot just ignore what happens at the Vatican.

That’s because, whether I like it or not, for billions of people around the world (both followers and onlookers) the Catholic Pope represents all of Christianity and what it stands for. People everywhere look to him to make moral, social, and spiritual decisions for them and to guide their views on politics and world affairs. Even though I don’t adhere to all of the tenets of the Catholic Church, my identification as a Christian is viewed by many through the lens of what the Pope says. So his character, his words, and his actions affect the witness I have in the world to non-believers. We are connected as “Christians” even though we don’t have the exact same beliefs.

The late Pope Francis did a lot to change the Catholic Church in positive ways. By all first impressions, it appears that Pope Leo XIV will continue to bring a softer, more relevant approach to his role as Francis did. Humility goes a long way, and it seems that Leo possesses this trait like his predecessor did. Will he make all the right decisions and get everything Biblically correct now that he is the Pope? Of course not, because he isn’t God; and only Jesus lived a perfect life. But if he daily seeks God’s help, he will be guided by God and lead with both truth and grace like Jesus did.

I hope the Catholic Church continues to see reform and seeks to align itself more closely with the Biblical model of the church body, with Christ alone as the head. What happens at the Vatican affects every Christian worldwide regardless of denomination. And as Protestant Christians, instead of separating ourselves from other denominations and ignoring what they do, we can pray for God’s truth to triumph in our broken world . . . and that He will use each of us, including the Pope, to further His kingdom and bring more and more people in this world to know Him and love Him. Whether justified or not, the Pope carries a huge weight of responsibility and will be held accountable by God. He needs all the prayers he can get.

Grandma's Joy

 

My last post was the day before I left to spend two weeks visiting my son and his family who live several states away. Today, I have recently returned from that trip with a full heart from spending time with my grandchildren. At this point in my life, nothing brings me more joy than being with my grands in person and sharing special moments with them. And this trip was FULL of special moments!

In 14 days, I attended four programs or concerts featuring one or more of my grandchildren; I was privileged to spend a day at their school visiting classrooms, attending chapels, and eating lunch together in celebration of “Grand Day”, an annual event for grandparents of students; we worshipped together at their church for Good Friday and Easter services; we celebrated my younger grandson’s 5^th birthday; and I was blessed to be able to witness in person my two granddaughters’ baptisms as they publicly declared their faith in God and desire to follow Jesus. And it is always a highlight when we’re together to “bake with Grandma” . . . this time special cross-shaped brownies for Easter weekend. It was a busy but wonderful time!

But while I enjoyed attending all of these events and feel blessed to have the opportunity, I think it is the unplanned moments with my grandchildren that mean the most. Like when your 5-year-old grandson burrows into you while watching TV and says, “I love it when you hug me . . . I love to snuggle you.” Or when you hear the words, “Grandma, I’ve missed you so much,” or “I love you so much.” Or when your 5-year-old and 10-year-old grandsons squeeze together into a narrow seat with you on the couch because they both want to “sit with Grandma”. Or the simple beauty of a grandchild spontaneously leaning against you or holding your hand. I could go on, but you get the picture.

The distance between our homes means I don’t see my grandchildren as often as I would like to. But these special moments and memories are what keep me going in between visits. And they remind me that I play an important role in my grands’ lives despite the sparseness of our time together . . . and that God is forming a bond between us as only he can do. Looking forward to our next adventures together down the road!