Pope Francis waves to faithful during his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, Wednesday, March 29, 2023. Pope Francis went to a Rome hospital on Wednesday for some previously scheduled tests, slipping out of the Vatican after his general audience and before the busy start of Holy Week this Sunday. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Earlier this week, two top Vatican officials visited Pope Francis in his hospital in Rome. This is not in itself surprising; the pope has been there for two weeks dealing with pneumonia. The Vatican claimed that the two prelates came to secure the pope’s signature to move forward on assembling cardinals to approve new saints.
However, the New York Times reports that the visit was made in secret and that the two officials do not work on canonization issues. Moreover, Pope Benedict XVI announced his resignation a dozen years ago at the same meeting of cardinals—called a consistory—where they were also discussing the canonization of saints.
As a result, some are speculating that Francis is considering whether to resign his office.
The pope’s biographer, who stressed that he had no idea of Francis’ plans, said, “As I know him, he wouldn’t want a major degenerative condition to be a distraction from the papacy so it then becomes the focus of everything.” He added, “For Francis what is absolutely essential is that he has freedom.”
Such speculation is especially interesting to me after watching The Two Popes with my wife a few nights ago.
The film centers on a growing friendship between Pope Benedict and then-Cardinal Bergoglio, later Pope Francis. At one point, the pope tells the cardinal of his decision to resign from the papacy. Bergoglio protests in the strongest terms, stating that the pope must serve until death as a symbol of Christ’s sufferings for us. “Did Jesus come down from the cross?” he asks.
I have no idea whether anything like this dramatized dialogue took place in reality. But it points to an issue larger even than the papacy and its place in the Christian world today.
When youth ministers “age out”
In a democratic republic and economy based on the wishes of voters and consumers, leaders and products are a means to a larger end. Leaders serve so long as they are of service to those they serve. Products are purchased and consumed so long as they do the same. Such a transactional, functional approach to so much of our daily lives cannot help but influence the way we value all of life.
As I often note, much of the religion practiced across human history has been similarly transactional: place an offering on the altar of a deity so the deity will do what you want him or her to do. We typically follow this same consumeristic approach with our religious leaders today.
Pastors seldom serve past their ability to preach and lead in ways their members consider effective. Youth ministers often “age out” of their ministries to youth. Worship leaders are often judged on their musical performance abilities or the lack thereof.
In this light, a pope would or even should resign when his health no longer permits him to do his work effectively. In any other position, this would not be controversial.
Why John Paul II refused to resign
What makes the papacy different is its role in the Roman Catholic world as the representative of Christ on earth through the “seat of Peter.” And Jesus’ most effective single act on our behalf was the one that seemed least effective at the time: his death on the cross.
No one in that moment saw his crucifixion for what it was: the sacrifice of the sinless Son of God by which our sins are atoned and our salvation purchased. Had he measured his life and work by effectiveness in the eyes of others, he would never have gone to the cross at all.
As it was, his suffering at the end of his life is the basis for our hope as we reach the end of ours.
In this light, a pope’s end-of-life suffering models that of our Lord. As an example, Pope St. John Paul II struggled mightily with Parkinson’s disease, arthritis, and other ailments for several years before his death in 2005. And yet he refused to resign, saying what Cardinal Bergoglio’s character later repeated in The Two Popes: “Christ didn’t come down off the cross.”
He believed that modeling the faithful suffering of our Savior was one of his most significant ways of serving Christ and the world.
“I have chosen the way of faithfulness”
I have no idea whether Pope Francis should resign his office or not. But I do know that God measures success by obedience and that such obedience often comes at a great personal cost.
The psalmist testified, “I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I set your rules before me” (Psalm 119:30). Samuel asked, “Has the Lᴏʀᴅ as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lᴏʀᴅ?” (1 Samuel 15:22a). Then he answered: “Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice” (v. 22b).
When we serve God and others faithfully in easy days and secure times, others are not surprised. But when we serve God and others faithfully in the midst of great opposition and suffering, others take note.
I will always remember an elderly member at the first church I pastored. A stroke paralyzed her so totally that nurses were required to turn her body periodically from side to side. But rather than abandoning her Lord and her faith, she focused even more deeply on both.
She became one of the most powerful and effective intercessors I have ever known. In fact, when our first son was born, I brought him to her to ask her to pray for him. The depth of her courageous faith marked me from then to now.
A wise mentor once advised me,
“Stay faithful to the last word you heard from God and open to the next.”
When we do, our faithfulness echoes in souls today and in eternity.
This is the promise, and the invitation, of God.
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