With these three simple words---pilgrimage toward Home---the Pope Emeritus, Benedict XVI, described his life in retirement and from his perspective of ninety years of life. These words were originally written in Italian and the late, active German Pope capitalized the word, Home. No doubt, it is theologically suggestive. It was only a few years ago, the then Pope Benedict XVI shocked the world by announcing he was retiring. Popes typically serve till they die. Retiring was novel; what would we do with a retired Pope?
By now the world knows, we do not do much with a retired Pope. Of course, I have no clue whether current Pope Francis ever consults Benedict XVI. From what I can tell, the retired Pope has stayed out of the way. If he has meddled in Francis’ papal work, I have not heard about it. It seems like he has been content to be retired in Rome and devote time to prayer, study and the like. Meanwhile he continues to grow older.
And now apparently, Benedict XVI is growing more frail. The aging process is taking its toll. As the former Pope put it, “I am on a pilgrimage toward Home.” That is simple, poignant and inspiring. It is simple because it shows a life which is clear and focused. When we are younger and engaged with career, life and the like, our lives are often complex, busy and sometimes even depressing. But if we can learn to live spiritually, then maybe we catch a glimpse of the genius of Benedict’s situation with God.
I find it touching that Benedict knows his life is a pilgrimage. No doubt, it always was a pilgrimage, but it is focused and intentional for him now. That suggests to me that I can be more focused. One of the things busyness does is complicate our focus. Busyness can blur the simple clarity that spiritual knowledge can provide. I like the metaphor of pilgrimage. A pilgrimage is not the same thing as a trip or even journey.
I take plenty of trips. Some of my trips take me downtown and other trips take me half-way around the world to places like China. But they are trips, not pilgrimages. Pilgrimage sounds spiritual. A pilgrimage has a specific destination. It is a trek to Jerusalem or Mecca or some other place of spiritual significance. There is also intentionality in terms of why we are on a pilgrimage and what we expect from the pilgrimage. I am pretty clear the former Pope knows his destination. And he knows that destination necessarily passes through death. He sounds like a guy who is ready and willing.
It is worth seeing this snippet of a sentence in a little larger context. He gives us this context in speaking to the readers of that Italian newspaper. "I am touched to know how many of the readers of your newspaper want to know how I am experiencing this last period of my life," the 90-year-old retired pope wrote. "In that regard, I can only say that, with the slow diminishing of my physical strength, inwardly I am on a pilgrimage toward Home." This does not sound morose. He is not complaining. He is realistic.
His physical powers are diminishing, as they will for all of us. He notes the pilgrimage Home is an inward trip. He is a good teacher for me because he assures me I, too, can focus on the more important. We embrace the pilgrimage Home as embodied creatures. We do have these physical bodies. They are the source of pain and pleasure. But they don’t last forever. They are the vessels of an inward pilgrimage Home. We can know our destination, even if we don’t know all the details.
I am intrigued by the rest of Pope Benedict XVI’s words in this small interview. He says, "It is a great grace in this last, sometimes tiring stage of my journey, to be surrounded by a love and kindness that I never could have imagined,…" Again, the pathos, the patience and power of these words speak deeply to me. Because of those around him, the former Pope says this last stage of life’s journey is a “great grace.” What a different perspective than to see the end of life as a pain in the butt---or somewhere else! I pray that I also can experience the “great grace” of life’s ending. And I also hope to know something of that same grace as I live toward the end.
Benedict tells us this stage of his journey is tiring. That is a description, not a complaint. At one point in life, this German intellectual was a robust physical man and a towering intellectual presence in the Church and world. Of course, we are all vulnerable, but he was a mighty man and cleric, so his vulnerability was limited. Now he is fully vulnerable to life’s whims. He is a sitting duck for life’s vicissitudes. It is tiring, but look at what he notices.
He sees that he is surrounded by love and kindness. This is powerful. He acknowledges he is surprised by that---allowing that he never imagined it. This is not surprising for a strong German guy who became a giant in his field. Now that all that is gone, he experiences the deeper truths of life in a way only someone in his situation can really fully understand. He probably is experiencing God in fresh ways. He is getting a foretaste of divine hospitality.
I am thankful to the former Pope. Hopefully, he can be my mentor. I hope I can become aware of my own pilgrimage toward Home.
By now the world knows, we do not do much with a retired Pope. Of course, I have no clue whether current Pope Francis ever consults Benedict XVI. From what I can tell, the retired Pope has stayed out of the way. If he has meddled in Francis’ papal work, I have not heard about it. It seems like he has been content to be retired in Rome and devote time to prayer, study and the like. Meanwhile he continues to grow older.
And now apparently, Benedict XVI is growing more frail. The aging process is taking its toll. As the former Pope put it, “I am on a pilgrimage toward Home.” That is simple, poignant and inspiring. It is simple because it shows a life which is clear and focused. When we are younger and engaged with career, life and the like, our lives are often complex, busy and sometimes even depressing. But if we can learn to live spiritually, then maybe we catch a glimpse of the genius of Benedict’s situation with God.
I find it touching that Benedict knows his life is a pilgrimage. No doubt, it always was a pilgrimage, but it is focused and intentional for him now. That suggests to me that I can be more focused. One of the things busyness does is complicate our focus. Busyness can blur the simple clarity that spiritual knowledge can provide. I like the metaphor of pilgrimage. A pilgrimage is not the same thing as a trip or even journey.
I take plenty of trips. Some of my trips take me downtown and other trips take me half-way around the world to places like China. But they are trips, not pilgrimages. Pilgrimage sounds spiritual. A pilgrimage has a specific destination. It is a trek to Jerusalem or Mecca or some other place of spiritual significance. There is also intentionality in terms of why we are on a pilgrimage and what we expect from the pilgrimage. I am pretty clear the former Pope knows his destination. And he knows that destination necessarily passes through death. He sounds like a guy who is ready and willing.
It is worth seeing this snippet of a sentence in a little larger context. He gives us this context in speaking to the readers of that Italian newspaper. "I am touched to know how many of the readers of your newspaper want to know how I am experiencing this last period of my life," the 90-year-old retired pope wrote. "In that regard, I can only say that, with the slow diminishing of my physical strength, inwardly I am on a pilgrimage toward Home." This does not sound morose. He is not complaining. He is realistic.
His physical powers are diminishing, as they will for all of us. He notes the pilgrimage Home is an inward trip. He is a good teacher for me because he assures me I, too, can focus on the more important. We embrace the pilgrimage Home as embodied creatures. We do have these physical bodies. They are the source of pain and pleasure. But they don’t last forever. They are the vessels of an inward pilgrimage Home. We can know our destination, even if we don’t know all the details.
I am intrigued by the rest of Pope Benedict XVI’s words in this small interview. He says, "It is a great grace in this last, sometimes tiring stage of my journey, to be surrounded by a love and kindness that I never could have imagined,…" Again, the pathos, the patience and power of these words speak deeply to me. Because of those around him, the former Pope says this last stage of life’s journey is a “great grace.” What a different perspective than to see the end of life as a pain in the butt---or somewhere else! I pray that I also can experience the “great grace” of life’s ending. And I also hope to know something of that same grace as I live toward the end.
Benedict tells us this stage of his journey is tiring. That is a description, not a complaint. At one point in life, this German intellectual was a robust physical man and a towering intellectual presence in the Church and world. Of course, we are all vulnerable, but he was a mighty man and cleric, so his vulnerability was limited. Now he is fully vulnerable to life’s whims. He is a sitting duck for life’s vicissitudes. It is tiring, but look at what he notices.
He sees that he is surrounded by love and kindness. This is powerful. He acknowledges he is surprised by that---allowing that he never imagined it. This is not surprising for a strong German guy who became a giant in his field. Now that all that is gone, he experiences the deeper truths of life in a way only someone in his situation can really fully understand. He probably is experiencing God in fresh ways. He is getting a foretaste of divine hospitality.
I am thankful to the former Pope. Hopefully, he can be my mentor. I hope I can become aware of my own pilgrimage toward Home.
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