Reacting to The Resignation

Last updated on: January 19, 2015 at 12:44 pm by Joseph Susanka

Reacting to The Resignation 2015-01-19T12:44:54-07:00 Joseph Susanka

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Yes. If a Pope clearly realizes that he is no longer physically, psychologically, and spiritually capable of handling the duties of his office, then he has a right and, under some circumstances, also an obligation to resign. — Benedict XVI

My Latin’s undeniably rusty, so as I listened to Papa Benedetto’s announcement this morning, I had little to go on behind inflection. And he sounded tired to me; incredibly tired, and deeply emotional — a reminder of the great courage he has shown in battling through his own age and frailty for the good of the Church.

Moments later, as I read his words to my assembled family, I suddenly found myself weeping. But it was not the fact of the resignation itself that moved me to tears. Nor was it any sense of anxiety or sorrow over what the future holds for my (and his) Church.

Instead, I found myself weeping at his thanks. And at his plea for pardon — a moment he could have easily (and understandably) forgone on this momentous occasion, but one that highlights just why we have come to love him so dearly:

I thank you most sincerely for all the love and work with which you have supported me in my ministry and I ask pardon for all my defects. And now, let us entrust the Holy Church to the care of Our Supreme Pastor, Our Lord Jesus Christ, and implore his holy Mother Mary, so that she may assist the Cardinal Fathers with her maternal solicitude, in electing a new Supreme Pontiff. With regard to myself, I wish to also devotedly serve the Holy Church of God in the future through a life dedicated to prayer.

There are hundreds (perhaps even thousands) of conflicting thoughts rushing through my mind at the moment, many of them barely formulated. But as I scanned the reactions of my friends and acquaintances this morning, Steven Greydanus’ thought captured my sentiments perfectly:

For Catholics who love our Holy Father, Lent started two days early this year.

— Steven D. Greydanus (@DecentFilms) February 11, 2013

View image | gettyimages.com

Our Lenten focus just got a whole lot sharper, didn’t it? And our future just took on an entirely unexpected uncertainty. After a few years of wonderment over his age and health, I’d grown accustomed to thinking of Pope Benedict XVI’s papacy as a “sure thing,” and one lasting far into the foreseeable future. The thought of someone else sitting in St. Peter’s chair could hardly have been further from my mind that it was this morning.

But at the same time, could there be a better season to pray earnestly, relentlessly for the future successor of Peter than these forty days? This time when the Catholic Church’s 1,000,000,000+ members join together in fasting and mortification? This is perfect, isn’t it? And yet another — perhaps the final — great gift from Papa Benedetto’ to his beloved Church.

This Lent will be not only mine and yours, but ours. This is the Catholic Church’s Lent. And that fills me with hope and joy, no matter my sadness at Benedict’s departure.

Because that’s the one great thing about Lent: it always ends with Easter. And at this moment, I take profound comfort in the words of his predecessor:

“Do not be afraid!”

View image | gettyimages.com

Attribution(s): Photos courtesy of Getty Images, which allows the use of certain images “as long as the photo is not used for commercial purposes (meaning in an advertisement or in any way intended to sell a product, raise money, or promote or endorse something).”

Faith

Previous Post

February 8, 2013

Cinematically-Influenced Ear Worms for Your Friday Afternoon

Next Post

February 12, 2013 Prepping for Valentine's Day with A&F's "Top 25 Films on Marriage"

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Art Baseball Faith Family Lenten Music Movies Music No Commentary Necessary Parked By the Jukebox Photography Politics Quodlibets Streaming Video Suggestions Summa Short Films Television The Man Behind the Booth Through a Lens, Darkly

Select a Month December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 July 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 November 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz