I must admit I didn't even know this was possible due to the fact that the last time a Pope abdicated was to end the Great Western Schism, sort of an extenuating circumstance. It was also 700 years ago, so not exactly on the forefront of everyone's minds either.
The Pope stated that “before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise.”
:(
But even though the primary response is one of sadness, I have been thinking about the good side of things. This stemmed from reading this article about the resignation in a historical context. First, the Pope has not died! He is still present and able to help guide the next Pope into office. Second, what a model of humility to recognize his weaknesses and step down from one of the most powerful offices in the world.
I don't quite understand everything, but I do know that God's hand is in this and so we can have faith in the plan.
Vive la Papa
Thank you Pope Benedict
We are praying for you!
No comments:
Post a Comment