We are all Francis now

Since I last wrote for here, Pope Francis has spent three momentous days in the Holy Land.  His visit was announced as being for purely spiritual purposes but still, as one would expect, this did not mean that Francis would not be leaving his imprint.  He left his imprint indeed with many memorable moments, pictures and messages being shared around the world. 

I came across one article reflecting on his three days that attratced me because of its intriguing title.  It was from Huffington Post and entitled "We are all Francis now".  Its thesis was that Francis went to a divided land with only one response - peace.  He did not get caught up in their issues nor their fight.  Wherever he went, he simply shared that one message with whomever he met - Christian, Jew, Muslim - and it worked. 

The picture here shows Francis with his two friends, also religious leaders, who joined him from Argentina on this visit.  They are embracing each other in front of the Western Wall in Jerusalem.  "These three representing the different faith traditions that inhabit the Holy Land offer to all of us a symbol of hope in a land that is desperate for peace."  This is not just a picture but a powerful image for peace, symbolising what can happen in a world so driven by other themes that pull us apart and destroy and that are driven by forces focused on their own narrow self-interest. 

The message imparted by this image is a message apt for so many parts of our world and for any and every relationship of which we are a part.  Let's focus our energies on what builds peace and justice and have that focus alone.