He can't do that!! Oh Wait, yes he CAN!

My Mom yelled up to me this morning at 0445, "The Pope is resigning!"..

NO WAY!

I told her I did not believe it!  I figured it was some sort of weird hack job done by the Anonymous Group so that the news lines running under the morning weather report would have the usual stuff and then one practical joke.   One zinger.

The Pope has announced his resignation.

What the WHAT????

Once I had confirmed the information I just sat there, iBreviary in hand, and thought, 'I do not know how to feel about this - so it is a damn good thing my Faith is not just a feeling, my love for the Pope extends beyond my love for an individual pontiff and that I know Jesus is not a liar.'

Truly, I do not know how to feel about this announcement.

There is a part of me that wants to fire off a email to the Vatican telling B16 to just knock it off.  Pick up your cross, follow Him, no one said it would be easy, who cares if you are tired, you know - the usual stuff one says when the first thought is, "I am being deserted".

Because that is what it feels like on a gut level.  I am being walked away from by another Father again.  It was tough when I was six years old.  It was tough when I was 31 and my husband died after only 4 months of legal marriage.  It was tough when JPII died.  It is tough now.

My Papa is leaving again, and it just feels icky.

However, my Dominican intellect kicks in and I am reminded that Jesus promised never to leave me an orphan.  My sober self kicks in and I am reminded that nothing happens in God's universe in error.  I am reminded that He promised that the Holy Spirit would guide The Church when the subject of Faith and Moral Teaching came into play.  I am reminded of what happens when people (are you listening, Cardinal Mahoney?) care more about their face and their reputation than about justice and truly leading the flock.

So I wait, and I know that there is something amazing coming...something about to happen within the beauty that is the Catholic Church and I get to be a historical witness to that happening....something wonderful is coming at a time when we are our most vulnerable, when people like Jack Armstrong vilify us and say "f the pope" on the air and I think, "This is going to be FANTASTIC!".

Thank you, Jesus, for my life today.  Thank you for founding a Church that weathers every storm like the Ark of Old.  Thank you for the Dusty Pilgrim that is the Bride of Christ.

Thank you, Lord....

I am waiting.......