Who am I to judge?

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I wasn't born a Catholic or really into any specific church. Through my childhood into adulthood, I attended Methodist, Baptist, Mennonite and Lutheran churches and was a member of none of them. I never really felt called towards anyone church, at least until shortly after I was married. After marrying a Catholic, I attended my wife's church though I was initially opposed to ever becoming Catholic in any official sense. But the priest who married us and whose church we attended really captivated my attention with his homilies along with the direct line of Popes and religious doctrine that went back in a straight line to the days of Jesus. The parishioners who sat around us every Sunday felt just like extended family and in the months leading up to the birth of our first daughter, I joined a church for the first time, the Catholic Church.

As part of the confirmation process, one selects a patron saint to be a guide towards ones faith journey and after reading through the lengthy list of saints, I chose St. Francis of Assisi. I gravitated to him because of his associated patronage of animals and the environment, both things that still speak to me strongly to this day. Another thing that attracted my attention was his giving up on the trappings that came with his wealthy up bringing and focus on the common man. At the time, the Pope was a man by the name of John Paul II who had always been pope in my memory but not someone who I felt anything for.

Shortly after my confirmation and the birth of my first child, John Paul II died and Pope Benedict XVI took the reins. Although I was captivated by the process of electing a pope, the first in my conscious memory, I never felt much of an attraction to that Pope either. After many years, he decided to make history and step down from the papacy and allow another pope to be elected. Again I was captivated by the process but wasn't expecting much of the next pope, at least until the white smoke rose and it was announced that the new pope, a humble man from Argentina, had chosen the name of Francis after St. Francis of Assisi. He had my attention.

His first weeks in office pulled me in when he too gave up the trappings that come with the office and quickly showed he was a pope of the people and for the people. What sealed the deal was shortly afterwards when on a plane, a reporter tried, as they always do, to pose a question to get a headline story more than of genuine interest and asked him a question about his views against a very hot and sometimes divisive topic within the church. Rather than come out on one side or the other, Pope Francis instead asked, "Who am I to judge?"

All around me, I find people quick to judge and I must admit, I have judged many a person too, not on facts but on perception. People, especially in this age of social media, are so quick to cast stones at the other guy because it is the easiest path. It makes them feel good. It reassures them that they are better people and yet they are the ones casting the stones and judging. Who am I to judge? I became a disciple of Pope Francis that day and have followed him with great attention and love ever since.

So it was with great sadness that I learned of his death yesterday morning. I knew it was coming but had hoped it wouldn't be so soon, especially after such a joyous occasion within our church of Easter services celebrating our risen Lord. Once again, I will be captivated by process of electing the next pope and once again I find myself in a position of not holding out much hope that there will be another Pope Francis, despite reports that he personally has promoted nearly 80% of the Cardinals that will elect the next pope, presumably from their ranks. 

I hope the next pope is just like Francis but I think that is asking the impossible. Whomever it turns out to be, I will not judge them as I try not to judge events or people around me without a full understanding of all perspectives. After all...

Who am I to judge?