88 years, not 8 weeks

It often happens that when a person dies, we tend to remember only the last few weeks, maybe months, often the last few days of that person’s life. And we tend to overlook the entire life-span of that person, how loved he was because of the work he accomplished, how appreciated she was because of her generosity, and how admired the person was because of the sterling example he/she set for us to imitate. The same seems to be happening with the death of Pope Francis, with expressions of ‘how weak he looked!’ ‘no one could understand him...’ ‘he could hardly raise his arms,’ and other remarks. Let us instead remember the entire 88 hard-working exemplary years he spent among us, especially the last 11 and a half years he lived as the Vicar of Christ. As thousands of people honor him with a sign of respect at St. Peter’s Basilica, may we virtually join them to remember a life given to others, sensitizing us to be kind to the poor, to accompany those who feel lonely, and show compassion to the hurting and abused. Lord God, grant Pope Francis the eternal rest he so much deserves.