Tom Thomas
My world turned upside down on this Easter Monday. I received the news from a
friend, an editor of a Catholic Online Publication, almost at the instant it was
released—Pope Francis is no more. Since then, I experience a profound sadness in me,
just like I experienced when I lost my father. It is the same for billions of Catholics all
over the world, and for non Catholics too. Pope Francis was a leader from the heart. As
a writer, I followed his various letters, communications and catechesis with great
interest. They presented the Church teachings through a modern lens.
As details of Pope Francis’ last testament and his typical day and last hours emerge, I
am struck at how he has modelled his life on two of the greatest Saints to walk this earth
– the founder of the Jesuit order to which Pope Francis belonged, St Ignatius of Loyola,
and St Francis of Assisi, the beggar of Christ, founder of the Franciscans, whose name
Francis took up. I have been blessed to be closely associated with these two great
orders.
It was fascinating to note that a normal day in the life of Pope Francis began at 430 am
with almost two hours dedicated to personal prayer, the examen and meditating on the
day’s Scriptures. Pope Francis would then make his way to the 7am Mass during which
he would say a homily from the heart, and commence his busy day thereafter. Attending
an Ignatian retreat recently made me familiar with the contemplative method of reading
the scriptures that St Ignatius of Loyola followed and all Jesuits do. Pray, Prepare and
Review. The Pray aspect would be reading the scripture a couple of times, Prayer would
be contemplation of up to an hour , and Review would be writing down the points
revealed in contemplation from two perspectives: What is God saying to me? What is
my response to God’s call?
This rock solid foundation every day in Scriptural study, contemplation and prayer, is
what helped Pope Francis get through a very busy day. It is in fact a practise worthy of
emulation, if we can reach out to God, instead of our mobile , for the first few hours of
the day.
The Jesuits work all the time, and one of their founding principles is to be at the service
of the Pope at all times. I was told by a senior Jesuit who I go to for Confession
periodically, that St Ignatius worked till the very end of his life. Even in the last days,
when he knew his life was ebbing away, he was focussing on building up of his order for
the Lord, the Company of Jesus. He passed away without receiving the Blessing of the
Pope or any last rites.
Coming to St Francis of Assisi, no other saint embraced poverty and simplicity in life as
he did. A son of one of the wealthiest men in town, his conversion experience made him
renounce everything, even the clothes that his earthly father provided. He embraced
Lady Poverty with great love and embraced Sister Death. Whilst dying, asked his
beloved brothers to lower him to the bare ground, without clothes and ended his life in
a very simple manner, being buried near the chapel dedicated to Mother Mary. He died
praising God and singing Psalms 41. It is remarkable that the order he founded, the
Franciscans, follow to the letter the directives of St Francis to this day, and I witness this
from my close association with the Franciscans.
I think the great influence of St Ignatius of Loyola and St Francis of Assisi on his life, is
the reason that Pope Francis worked till the very last day of his life through the Easter
Tridium, washing feet, addressing the faithful in the St Peter’s Square, being driven in
his beloved Popemobile and even receiving the US Vice President J D Vance. The video
and picture grabs from that last day shows he was clearly unwell, but he pushed
through, for us, doing the work faithfully till the end that he was entrusted to do, just as
St Ignatius did.
He also wanted a simple life as St Francis did, even in death. This is the reason Pope
Francis wanted a simple burial, in a simple wooden cask in the papal Basilica of St Mary
Major, giving up the pomp of a Papal Funeral, which would have had three nesting
coffins made of cypress, lead and oak, besides other symbols including being buried in
the Vatican grottos below St Peter’s Basilica. He leaves this world and the Papacy as he
started it, in simplicity and humility.
I look through what Pope Francis said on death, and this address seems apt: “Our whole
life appears like a seed that will have to be buried so that its flower and its fruit can be
born. It will be born, along with everything else in the world. Not without labor pains,
not without pain, but it will be born. And the life of the risen body will be a hundred and
a thousand times more alive than we have tasted it on this earth.”
The words of St Francis of Assisi come to mind, as it seems to be the way that Pope
Francis lived his life: “Keep a clear eye toward lifes end. Do not forget your purpose and
destiny as Gods creature. What you are in his sight is what you are and nothing more.
Remember that when you leave this earth, you can take nothing that you have
received...but only what you have given; a full heart enriched by honest service, love,
sacrifice, and courage.”
I had prayed to see in person, even at a distance, Pope Francis in our country. Pope
Francis’ visit to our country would have surely built stronger bridges amongst us all.
This is one prayer of mine that went unanswered. Requiescat in Pace Franciscus
thomasmaliekel@gmail.com
