Statement from Archbishop Jeremy Greaves on the death of Pope Francis
Reflections
“Restless and joyous – seems to capture so much of what the world saw of Francis in his public ministry. Restless for a world that better reflected the kingdom proclaimed in the Gospel, and joyous in his encounters with people everywhere,” says Archbishop Jeremy Greaves
“For we Christians, the future has a name and this name is hope. To have hope doesn’t mean being naïve optimists who ignore the tragedy of human evil. Hope is the virtue of a heart that doesn’t close itself in the dark, doesn’t stop at the past, doesn’t scrape along in the present, but can clearly see tomorrow. Restless and joyous, this is how we Christians must be.” Pope Francis in his autobiography Hope.
Restless and joyous – seems to capture so much of what the world saw of Francis in his public ministry. Restless for a world that better reflected the kingdom proclaimed in the Gospel, and joyous in his encounters with people everywhere – prisoners and refugees, the sick and suffering, the marginalized, the young, the old, world leaders and small children.
Francis also wrote, “Happiness is always an encounter with others, and those others are always a concrete opportunity to encounter Christ himself.” And it seems to me that this is how he lived out his faith.
Francis’ death will be mourned by many millions around the world, even as his life is remembered with thanksgiving.
Not that long ago he wrote in his autobiography, “And when we are rather more tired, the Lord knows even when to take us in his arms.”
Having celebrated the Easter mysteries, Francis now rests in the arms of the Lord he loved and served all his life.
Archbishop Mark and all the clergy and people of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane, along with others around the world, are in my prayers as they mourn the death of Pope Francis.
“Rest eternal grant unto him, O Lord, and may light perpetual shine upon him.”
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