Francis’ life challenges Christians: Stand with suffering, shun comforts
TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte — Pope Francis’ life is a challenge to Christians to stand with the suffering and marginalized while at the same time leaving one’s comfort zones, Monsignor Ramon Stephen Aguilos said during the thanksgiving mass offered here on Saturday.
In his homily, Aguilos said Francis’ visit to Tacloban in January 2015 — ten years ago — should remind Filipinos to be like the yellow raincoat that the pontiff wore before, shielding other people during times of tribulation.
One of the notable images during that papal visit was Francis, donning a yellow translucent raincoat, continued to flash a smile while blessing people, and delivered his message despite strong winds and rains.
“Francis’ life challenges us to live as he did, to stand with the suffering, to dance the curacha of joy amid sorrow, to sing with a choir, to be a church that goes out to the peripheries, to the margins,” Aguilos told mass-goers near the tarmac of the Daniel Z. Romualdez Airport — where Francis also held the mass in 2015.
“Let this apron or this tarmac symbolize our faith taking flight, carrying Francis’ message of mercy and resilience to the world. Let us also be the yellow raincoat for others, a sign of God’s presence in their storms,” he added.
“As we honor him today, in union with the church in Rome, let us commit to living his legacy of love.”
Aguilos also remembered several things that Francis did, which meant a lot to the people of Tacloban and Eastern Visayas who were still recovering during that time from the impact of Super Typhoon Yolanda.
According to Aguilos, Francis opted to set aside his prepared homily for a more personal message that resonated with Yolanda survivors.
“Who can forget the image of Pope Francis stepping off the plane, clad in his white cassock, which would later be covered with a simple yellow raincoat? His warm smile cutting through the storm — can you imagine, a smile through the storm? It was a profound humility, as if he were saying, I am here in the rain, I am here in your suffering. I am here with you.”
“He circled the apron in his popemobile, greeting the faithful, his presence, a bomb to our wounded hearts. When he celebrated mass here, he set aside his prepared homily, moved by the spirit, and spoke from the depths of his heart. His off-the-cuff words reminded us that God weeps with us, that Jesus is close in our pain — aqui estoy, he said, I am here to be with you,” he added.
These simple words, Aguilos said, helped the people of Leyte and the entire Eastern Visayas to move forward.
“Even as Typhoon Amang cut his visit short, his message endured — God is near, even in the storm. The faithful were soaked in the rain, but they were steadfast,” he said.
“And that embodied the truth, standing firm as they had in the aftermath of Yolanda,” he added.
Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, passed away last April 21 morning in the Vatican — or just a day after the Catholic world celebrated Easter Sunday to commemorate Jesus Christ’s resurrection.
He was 88.
Francis’ passing came after making a much hoped-for appearance at Saint Peter’s Square. Prior to his return to his duties, Francis suffered from a bout with pneumonia.
He spent 38 days in hospital before he was discharged on March 23.
But aside from what happened during the papal visit to Leyte and Manila, Filipinos also remembered Francis for ushering change in a Church riddled by controversies, a hardline stance on conservatism, and allegations of indifference for the poor and marginalized.
People from all over the globe have thanked Francis for being kind, and for opening the church to people from diverse backgrounds, regardless of age, sexual orientation, financial status, religion, and history.
On Facebook, different clips and quote cards of Francis giving blunt but practical and wise answers to questions, especially on hard-pressing issues, have resurfaced.
At one point, Francis was asked by journalists about “Islamic violence”, after a priest in France was killed in an attack claimed by Isis, an extremist organization considered as a terrorist organization by many states.
Francis gave a sharp response, noting that if he were to talk about Islamic violence, he would also discuss Catholic violence as he saw news stories about people in Italy — baptized as Catholics — committing grave crimes against their relatives.
READ: Pope: Islam is not terrorism
Francis also received praise for having a more tolerated stance on members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) community, saying several times that he is not to judge if a person is good or bad.
The leader of the Catholic church also backed same-sex civil unions, noting that priests being scandalized when he gives blessings to members of the LGBTQ community are hypocrites because they are mum on blessings given to greedy businesspeople.
READ: Pope Francis says laws criminalizing LGBT people are a ‘sin’ and an injustice
