Dear everyone who asks me about the Pope,
He's a boss, so stop asking.
People think that since I'm Catholic, I have to be obsessed with the Pope (people assume it's a fetish, which is really weird). Of course that's part of the reason (the liking him, that is), but I admire him for a number of other reason. The Pope is a person who has all of this power but doesn't use it like other priests or rulers.
His philosophy is simple: just love people. For one thing, he has changed the way we view divorce and the queer community. However, some crotchety old parishioners will surely disagree: "the gays belong in hell;" "Your mom can't remarry because she's divorced;" "You're a teen mom and your child is damned."
No.
As one of the most influential people in the world (named People's Person of the Year), Pope Francis has become an icon for the Catholic Church and for religions and people everywhere. The pope is not only a person to look up to as the head of the Catholic Church, but he is a person who genuinely cares about people. Instead of taking his bullet-proof car around Vatican city, he'd rather walk around and enjoy the day. He has washed the feet of people who have come to see him and hugged people who were very ill and contagious. He brings himself down (literally) to the level of people he cares about—which is everyone. He has a twitter so he can reach the "hip kids" with prayer and kind thoughts.
Along with being in the lime-light as a good person, he is also fundamentally changing the way non-Catholics are viewing the Catholic church. Instead of staying silent on certain matters, Pope Francis is speaking out on rights and refugees. The Pope is a person who is proving that the classic ideas people have on the stances of the Catholic church are misconstrued. The Bible, he claims, is 'just a suggestion;' Jesus wanted us to love everyone so that's what we have to do. He says it as it is and knows that there is evil in the world. He tries and that is all the Pope has to do to make a difference.
The way I feel about the Pope is thankful. He is an icon (with a lot of power), but he chooses to get down to everyone's level. He is a person of service and a person of love; he is patient and kind. He isn't envious, he does not boast, he is not proud (1 Corinthians 13:4). He is love.
Who knows if he'll become a saint like Pope John Paul II. Who knows if he'll make a big difference.
And that's why I love the Pope.
So if you keep asking, this is what I'll say. He has my support until his last day. Because he is love, his mission is love, and Christianity is love.
