The Bishop’s Monitor
March 13, 2013, marks a pivotal Turning Point for the Church and for Me.
On this day, ten years ago, I walked into a bishop's office for an apointment that had been scheduled two weeks before.
I was at the time a Pastor of my boyhood Church, where I served the community of my youth for two years.
There I celebrated my first communion, my first Mass, my mother's funeral, my father's funeral, and in my last public Mass there I celebrated my sister's funeral.
As I walked into the bishop's office and sat down, he had his back to the computer monitor on his desk, so he told me to keep an eye on it.
I noticed he had a live news shot of the conclave happening at that moment in Rome.
The camera had its eyes on the chimney of the Sistine Chapel.
On that visit, I told the bishop I was considering taking a personal leave to discern marriage.
He listened patiently and was kind.
It was a decision that I question but one I do not regret.
A story for another day.
As the visit was winding up, I noticed the chimney began to billow white smoke.
I pointed to the monitor and said to the bishop, "look."
We drew close to it and the bishop surmised that one Cardinal Scola may have been chosen.
I said something but I do not recall what it was. I thanked the bishop for his time and walked out.
Later the news was made public, the first Jesuit and the first American had been chosen Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Catholic Church.
Jorge Bregorilio had been chosen as the Bishop of Rome, the Vicar of Christ, Successor of the Prince of the Apostles, Primate of Italy, Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Roman province, Sovereign of the State of the Vatican City, and Servant of the Servants of God.
Francis has been with us ten years and he remains strong, in his witness, his evangelization, his appearances, his writings, his travels, and in those he points to for care and solicitude.
He is a light not hidden under a buschel basket, and his light shines brightly.
Many of us love him greatly.
His enemies are also many.
They exist here and there, within the ranks of the Church, and some outside of it, but they are ever present, ever vain, and ever making their voices known.
He has no need to fear them.
Francis spoke these words on February 26 of this year.
Jesus himself will say that he came into the world to make us, too, partake in the unity between him and the Father, Jn 17:11.
The devil, instead, does the opposite: he enters the scene to divide Jesus from the Father and to distract him from his mission of unity for us.
He always divides.
Let us now see how he tries to do this.
The devil wants to take advantage of the human condition of Jesus, who is weak as he has fasted for forty days and is hungry, Mt 4:2. The evil one then tries to instil in him three powerful “poisons”, to paralyse his mission of unity.
"These poisons are attachment, mistrust, and power.
First and foremost, the poison of attachment to things, to needs; with persuasive arguments the devil tries to convince Jesus: “You are hungry, why must you fast? Listen to your need and satisfy it, you have the right and the power: transform the stones into bread”.
Then the second poison, mistrust: “Are you sure the Father wants what is good for you? Test him, blackmail him! Throw yourself down from the highest point of the temple and make him do what you want”.
Finally, power: “You have no need for your Father! Why wait for his gifts? Follow the criteria of the world, take everything for yourself, and you will be powerful!”. The three temptations of Jesus. And we too live among these temptations, always. It is terrible, but it is precisely like this, for us too: attachment to things, mistrust and the thirst for power are three widespread and dangerous temptations, which the devil uses to divide us from the Father and to make us no longer feel like brothers and sisters among ourselves, to lead us to loneliness and desperation. He wanted to do this to Jesus, he wants to do it to us: to lead us to desperation."
The words of the Holy Father are critical for our age
Must I name them here, the attachment to power that leads to mistrust, lies, caulmny, division, violence, and yes, death.
For innocent Ukranians, such lust for power has killed many, has destroyed much, has wreaked havoc and chaos on a warrior nation that will not stand down and one that will prevail over the Russians.
Such attacment and lust for power has led one former president to engage in a campaign that has brought many lies, too many to count.
He has sown division and chaos anong the American people and on the rule of law.
It has led many powerful and wealthy people who follow him to do the same.
A recent Court filing against Fox News quotes a private communication from Tucker Carlson and sent a day after the 2020 election,
“What Trump is good at is destroying things. He's the undisputed world champion of that. He could easily destroy us if we play it wrong."
They know, like most do.
They just don't have the courage or the integrity to say it publicly.
It would cost them too much, in prestige, wealth, and power, so they refrain.
They remain attached to more wealth and more power so they sow mistrust, doubt, injecting into the masses a nihilism so wicked it could cost them billions in damages.
It takes its playbook from someone whose deeds are known to us.
This attachment and lust for power is visible among those with titles who profess the Catholic faith.
Many have crossed into the red zone of moral behaviour where deeds are done in secret, in the dark, and behind closed doors.
What violence, trauma, and chaos, waged and levied on others.
We see it in many places in the world.
In eastern Europe, in Central America, in parts of Africa, Central America, China, the Middle East, Israel, in our own country, in our Churches, and cities, in our minds, and most unfortunately, in our our hearts.
Division is the fuel that gives the "devil" his power.
The more there is of it, the more it sits back and the greater it smiles.
But even here, and always here, the Lord says, once again:
Be strong and of good courage, do not fear or be in dread of them: for it is the Lord your God who goes with you; he will not fail you or forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:6
He says again:
I have said this to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. John 16:33
On the bishop’s monitor that day came forth a beutiful sign, smoke that spoke of a fire that remains with us to this day.
May God protect Francis from the clutches that took St. Peter away.
May he fulfill God’s will in life and until the hour of his death.
Laudem Dei.