Editor’s note: Following the death of Pope Francis on April 21, 2025, the editors of Where Peter Is received many tributes to his life and reflections on his influence from past and current contributors, as well as podcast guests and friends of the site from all over the world. We will publish a few of these reflections every day leading up to the conclave. —ML
Pope Francis taught me the value of resting
By Marissa Nichols
It may sound strange to say after a pontificate of inexhaustible activity, writings, and a universal synod, that Pope Francis taught me the value of resting. I discussed this in a piece I wrote for WPI, “Sleeping Saint Joseph and the Sacred Siesta.”
We would all do well to remember that the indefatigable Pope Francis took a daily nap. It is a pertinent lesson of living out one’s mission in a balance between working and praying, of laboring for Christ while remaining anchored, indeed, in finding peace and repose in Christ. A synodal Church cannot give the love of Christ to the world if it does not truly possess it, and it is only in stopping all that we our doing in our busy lives that we can experience it. It is little wonder that Pope Francis’s last encyclical was Dilexit Nos: On the Human and Divine Love of the Heart of Jesus Christ. In this markedly significant moment, as Pope Francis enters into his eternal rest, may we as a Church — committed to synodality and accompaniment — take time to rest and experience ourselves loved by God, rested in the Divine Love. Let us be rejuvenated by the heart of Jesus Christ, not unlike our beloved Pope Francis. May we demonstrate Christ’s love to this world that so desperately seeks it, just as Pope Francis did.
I have become more orthodox and knowledgeable in my faith
By Mike Gray
In 2013, I regularly listened to Catholic radio during my commutes. Most of the content was good — quirky and sometimes odd (did I really need to know how to make saint-themed muffins?), but overall, it was positive and offered many helpful spiritual insights. It was a source of support for me as a lawyer with a young family and a lot of stress.
However, things began to change in Catholic media about a year after Pope Benedict resigned and Pope Francis became the new pope. The positivity I once valued was overshadowed by complaints and concerns regarding the new Jesuit pope. This shift became particularly pronounced when Pope Francis hosted the Synod on the Family and released the exhortation Amoris Laetitia. Based on what I heard from the radio and other Catholic media, I braced myself for the worst.
When Amoris Laetitia was published, I read it immediately and was surprised by how much I liked it. It provided many valuable insights into Catholic family life, and the controversial points about communion for divorced Catholics were less alarming than I’d anticipated. Meanwhile, many Catholic commentators — some of whom I had respected and listened to for years — reacted with outrage and ignored any positive aspects of the pope’s message. Many seemed more interested in rage-fueled attention than honest conversation about hard topics.
Eventually, I tuned out from most Catholic media but continued reading what Pope Francis published. I particularly appreciated his book, The Name of God is Mercy. I have become more orthodox and knowledgeable in my Catholic faith thanks to Pope Francis. At the same time, I have become less judgmental, more open, and uninterested in most of the internal debates within the Church — or as the Pope would say, I stopped “navel-gazing” and started to give myself more to others.
It will take some time for Francis’s message to reach me
By Sam Rocha
Some may say that Pope Francis was the pontiff who broke the dam of dissident right-wing factions in the Church, above all in the United States. One might suggest that he finally exposed them in ways his predecessors were unable to do, although there were signs of it already. I would resist this portrait. Francis is perhaps better remembered as the pope who endured the breaking of that dam which was going to break no matter what. And break it did. Francis’ endurance was not always a virtue, but it was a quality of his pontificate. From the climate emergency, to global authoritarianism, to the COVID-19 pandemic, Francis’ endurance stood on the side of the poor and the marginalized and against those who belittled that stance and tried to undermine it at every turn.
They will continue to try, in so many ways. For example, Bishop Barron’s Word on Fire press release on the passing of Francis attributes to him the idea that that “the Church is a field hospital,” which is true, but goes on to add that this field hospital is for “those wounded by our postmodern, relativistic society.” Francis’s many uses of that metaphor do not include any mention of postmodernism or relativism. Barron is turning Francis into a mix of himself and Jordan Peterson here, reshaping the image and legacy of the Pope who made him Bishop.
This is but one example of the things Francis endured, then and now, including some of the ironies of that endurance. Perhaps my appreciation for this endurance is because it stands in stark contrast to my lack of endurance. For myself, Francis’s pontificate was a test of endurance I failed to meet. When the news of his passing reached me, I fact-checked it, then sighed and went to sleep.
I think it will take some time for Francis’s message to reach me in this moment we are facing and will face. I do trust in grace and am consoled that the message of mercy Francis preached was also one he sought after. May the mercy and love of God welcome him.
If you would like to add your own reflection to this series, please send it via email by clicking on the “Article Submissions” tab above, with the subject line “Reflection.” The recommended length is 200-300 words. Longer submissions will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and may be subject to editing. We may not be able to publish all submissions.
Image: Vatican Media
Marissa Nichols can be found on Twitter.
Mike Gray is a husband, father of four (with one on the way), combat veteran, and attorney living in
Findlay, Ohio. He writes about his interests (mostly about homebrewed beer, barbecue, parenting, and
Catholicism) at www.mikegrayblog.com and on Twitter @mikegrayok.
Popular Posts