The deepest, happiest, most beautiful reality for us, for those we love, has yet to come.
My reading for Lent this year was Pope Francis’s autobiography, Hope. The Pope says in the introduction that this book was scheduled to be released after his death, but he felt the current state of worldly affairs warranted its release before his death and before he fell ill and was hospitalized. It makes me wonder if he knew his end was near and the flock would need guidance during these difficult times we are experiencing.
It’s an exceptional book. Pope Francis tells his history, his background, and always ties the past into the relevance of following Christ and taking our faith into the world. Hope is a book I will keep on my shelf. I will add it to my essential reading list to reread at least every five years.
As I type this, we have a new pope! Pope Leo XIV, the first American-born pope. I’m very hopeful and excited to witness and participate in, as Pope Leo XIV preached in his first homily of his inaugural mass, a plea for unity, peace, and a missionary spirit. With the words of Father James Martin of the Jesuit Order, when asked to define Pope Francis’s lasting legacy. Fr. Martin thought for a few seconds and said Pope Francis’s greatest legacy is that he lived in the footsteps of Jesus Christ.
Pope Francis walked the Christian walk. His whole life was dedicated to living his faith both inside and outside the physical church. He lived his faith above and beyond the strict ceremonies and procedures as Jesus himself did. Christianity is a living faith. Christianity is a community. To live as Christians, we must all follow Pope Francis’s spirit and walk with Jesus Christ among our brothers and sisters from the least to the greatest.
I highlighted four quotes from the book that hit hard. Here’s the third in which Pope Francis addresses the power of hope and prayer in living the Christian life. When I look around the world and our country now, we all could use a recharge to what Jesus called us to do and to be as His followers.
Be sure of it: The deepest, happiest, most beautiful reality for us, for those we love, has yet to come. Even if some statistic tells you the opposite, even if tiredness weakens your powers, never lose this hope that cannot be beaten. Pray with these words, and if you are unable to pray, murmur them to yourself, do it even if your faith is weak, murmur it until you believe it, murmur it also to those in despair, to those with little love: The best wine has yet to be served.
So long as we continue to find cheer in the gaze of a child and in the infinite possibilities of goodness, so long as we allow mercy to dwell within us, everything will always be possible. Clinging to the anchor of hope, we can say with the lines of the poet Nâzim Hikmet,
The most beautiful sea
hasn’t been crossed yet.
The most beautiful child
hasn’t grown up yet.
Our most beautiful days
we haven’t seen yet.
And the most beautiful words I wanted to tell you
I haven’t said yet…
THE COACH HAYS 