Refreshing

The refreshing Pope Francis was at it again.  Last Sunday, he officiated in the public marriage at St Peter’s Basilica of 20 parishioner couples from his diocese of Rome.  On the surface, it looked like a typical mass wedding of women and men in their mid-20s to their late 50s exchanging marital vows. Upon closer scrutiny, however, it was apparent that some of the participants were not the usual candidates for the sacrament of matrimony — unwed mothers, individuals that had been married before and couples that had been living together. More unusual was the fact that it was the Pope himself who presided over the ceremony.  

 Unlike Philippine mayors (who seek to widen their political network), the Pope rarely performs public marriages.  In the last 20 years, then Pope (now Saint) John Paul II only presided in two such ceremonies during his long reign. Retired Pope Benedict XVI never did. But when they do, there is usually an important occasion being celebrated or a far-reaching doctrinal pronouncement being made. In 1994, Saint JP II ushered in the International Year of the Family, proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly.  In 2000, he performed a public marriage ceremony as part of the Jubilee for Families and his sermon centered around the gift of family and the sin of abortion. These precedents have led veteran Vatican watchers to speculate that an important message from Pope Francis is forthcoming.

In fact, there is an Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops scheduled next month. This was the first big event that Pope Francis placed in the papal agenda when he was elected last year.  Just like public Papal marriages, Extraordinary Synods are rarely convened.  This is only the third time that it has been called since the Synod of Bishops was created in 1965.  This Assembly’s theme is “The Pastoral Challenges of the Family in the Context of Evangelization” and this is why pundits are speculating that his officiating the mass marriage this week was a precursor to the message the Pope wishes to emphasize during the synod.

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Pope Francis’ non-traditional, “down-to-earth” ways have become legendary. He asked for the people’s blessing before he blessed them. He does not wear red shoes nor white stockings. He celebrated the Maundy Thursday Last Supper Mass not at St. Peter’s Basilica but at a juvenile prison. Those who served as apostles (whose feet he washed and kissed) were not the usual dignitaries and pezzonovantes of Rome but the vagrants and vagabonds in the sidewalks. From carrying his own bag when he travels to riding compact cars instead of bullet-proof Pope mobiles, he has endeared himself to the Catholic faithful with the monicker “Pope of the People.” 

Last Christmas, he distributed subway tickets and pre-paid telephone cards to the beggars in Rome. When he celebrated his 77th birthday on 17 December, he decided to share a meal at the Vatican with three homeless men and a dog. When these men were invited, they first thought it was a cruel joke. But after realizing their good luck, they packed their cardboard beds and put them in the Pope’s car with the dog riding up front.  One of the men later told the Pontiff, “It’s worth being a tramp because you are received by the Pope.” So for rich Filipinos who wish to increase their chances of dining with the Pope next year, there is still time to give away your earthly possessions.

And the list of endearing acts of simplicity, humility and kindness continues to grow.

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So what will his message during the synod be? No one expects that he will be diverting from the Church’s traditional teachings regarding divorce, remarriage and cohabitation. So if ever there will be a change, it will not be of substance but of tone, not on content but on emphasis.  Rather than condemning a sin or castigating a sinner, the synod may explore how churches can show mercy and compassion in the context of modern views and realities on family life.  

If I may liken this situation to the interpretation of legal provisions, greater weight will now be focused on the spirit rather than the letter of the law. More often than not, the two go hand in hand but in case there is a clash, preference will be given to the former. In a statutory construction phrase familiar to all law students, we should therefore interpret laws “not in accordance with the letter that killeth but by the spirit that vivifieth.”  

Aside from the synod, we are all looking forward to the coming of Pope Francis to the Philippines next year.  A song entitled “We are all part of God’s Family” has been composed and recorded by Jamie Rivera to commemorate the visit. True to form, the Pope has instructed our similarly-valued Cardinal Chito Tagle that he does not want unnecessary “pomp and circumstance” during his stay and would like to spend quality time with the victims of typhoon Yolanda. I wonder what faith-enriching teachings will be imparted and new endearing acts of simplicity, humility and kindness will be shown to Filipinos.

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Greetings:  Birth anniversary best wishes to concurrent UCPB-CIIF Finance and Cocofoundation president, Ed Amistad.

And if you are a 40- to 60-year-old Filipino who resides or happens to be in Singapore today, chances are you have been invited to and are probably attending Mino and Margo Encarnacion’s 100th birthday party (both turned 50 this year) at the American Club along Claymore Hill. If you will be joining tonight’s festivities, make sure you are not dressed in Mino’s traditional garb of shorts and slippers.

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“True humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less.”  C.S. Lewis

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