Pope Francis is currently making a pastoral visit to several countries in South America – Ecuador, Bolivia and Paraguay. Consequently, the internet is abuzz with video clips and articles about his encounter with the people. If you have watched any of them, you will see how animated the Holy Father is. Clearly, he is happy to be back in his native continent.
At the same time, Pope Francis has commented on a number of occasions that he really does not enjoy travel. Unlike Pope John Paul II, Pope Francis is not used to taking vacations. He is what we would sometimes call a “home body.” However, as has been said about many popes before him, the office changes a man. While he was content being the shepherd of a single diocese in Argentina, he now realizes that he is the pastor or shepherd of the entire Church. Accommodating that role means that he has to give up some of his former ways of doing things and must embrace the tasks that are part of his new ministry.
Dealing with chronic illness or disability, especially if it is an illness or disability that comes to us in the middle of our lives, also changes us. In my own situation, I used to be and enjoyed being a high school teacher for many years. I taught five classes a day. Each class had between twenty and thirty students. As an English teacher, I had many a paper to correct. This meant that I had to continue in my “teacher” mode for many hours after my students returned to their homes. That all changed when I started to lose my hearing. Eventually, I had to retire from teaching as I simply could not hear well enough to manage a classroom full of spirit-filled boys. My disability forced me to change my life. I became an itinerant preacher who gave retreats and parish missions all over the United States. I loved to preach; consequently, I didn’t find the transition too difficult. I missed the interaction with the students, but I didn’t miss the papers.
About ten years after I retired from teaching, I was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis and post-polio syndrome. Once again, chronic illness made me change my life. Whereas I had been very mobile, now I serve as administrator of this beloved apostolate, spending a great many hours sitting in front of a computer screen. My days of traveling have been curtailed.
However, as we heard in the second reading for our Mass on Sunday, God tells us “my grace is sufficient for you.” (2 Corinthians 12:9b) Surrendering to God’s will is not ever going to be easy; however, it will become easier if we can embrace this verse of the New Testament. God’s grace has made it possible for Pope Francis to grow into his role as universal shepherd with humility and grace. I hope the same can be said of me. I pray that it will be your experience as well.
Fr. Lawrence Jagdfeld, O.F.M., Administrator