A meal for the mind, perhaps a feast for the soul...

A friend in another medium furnished a recent interview conducted with Pope Francis in the interest of clarifying what seemed to be snippets of the Pope's words which were taken out of context...As usual, the original source provides a better understanding of the thoughts behind the words than the interpretation by a critic...In the linked interview I saw some of the Pope's expanded thinking as he attempts to reconcile Jesus' acceptance of all people regardless of birthright, earthly gains or deformities as opposed to the common norm of wishing to weed out and isolate the weaker, disenfranchised of us such as those he mentioned born with Downs Syndrome, or those whose innate strengths were sapped by the circumstances of life...It gives me a new perspective in the argument in favor of inclusiveness for those who not only look and behave differently, but also act and emote on a different scale...Definitely thoughtworthy...

The Pope also makes obvious his study of history, and the effect which its study can have on those of us attempting to either endure or alter our present lives...He exemplifies this by eschewing the notion of a welfare system for the poor, suggesting instead that they should be offered support not in perpetuity, but until they can provide for themselves...The most important part of that thought was that he did not suggest the equalization of wealth, rather the leveling of opportunity for self-reliance...To accomplish that, he suggests going among people of a different strata in observation of their methods of coping with what they abhor, and preserving what they adore...And since the Pope chose to concentrate his examples on differences in levels of earthly wealth, I suggest that people from any point in the spectrum of worldly gain could learn from that practice...

The Pope further suggests the Church (and even though he may have meant only the Catholic Church, I choose to think of it as all God's believers) as a "tension between disorder and harmony," which to my thinking infers a bridge between chaos and peace...It further suggests that individuals might cross from one to the other without the understanding that both cannot exist on the same plane, and that what is seen as desirable from one may entail shunning that which appears beneficial from the other...Such decisions are the reason God granted mankind the gift of independent thought...The actions we choose guide not only our own destination, but the direction in which those who follow might take...

The Pope's words were offered in a time of isolation for many of us, and uncertainty for all of us...It may not change societal thinking on a grand scale, but reading it may pry open a few minds enough to let a little light and new air into an otherwise stagnant room...Thanks to Dave for the link...

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