Like many around the world, my wife and I recently watched the news coverage following the death of Pope Francis. We even decided to re-watch the 2024 film Conclave (excellent in many ways, but with a disappointing and unrealistic ending, based on a novel by Robert Harris).
It was quite unexpected to have a Pope chosen from the United States for the first time. Living in Illinois my entire life, I’ve enjoyed seeing the excitement from many friends and family members about choosing a Pope from Chicago, one who attended a White Sox World Series game in 2005.
Although raised Roman Catholic, I have been an elder in a conservative Protestant denomination for nearly 30 years. I have nothing against Pope Leo XIV, who is the leader of 1.4 billion Roman Catholics, and only hope that he will lean on the Lord as he leads, and be more conservative than the previous Pope was on social issues.
Watching the coverage leading up to the announcement of Pope Leo XIV and afterwards, my wife Tammy and I talked about how he was being received in contrast with how Jesus was received.
In the last week of his life, Jesus entered Jerusalem in what is known as his triumphal entry. Mark tells us in chapter 11 of his Gospel:
And many spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut from the fields. 9 And those who went before and those who followed were shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! 10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!”
But just a few days later, the crowds turned on Jesus. Mark writes in chapter 15:
And Pilate again said to them, “Then what shall I do with the man you call the King of the Jews?” 13 And they cried out again, “Crucify him.” 14 And Pilate said to them, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Crucify him.” 15 So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.
The Pope has beautiful garments hand-tailored for him. In Matthew 27:35 it says: “And when they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots.” He was whipped, slapped and spit upon, versus having his ring kissed.
The Pope has access to many assets, but Jesus said about himself in Luke 9:58 ”the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.”
In Luke 4 Jesus goes to Nazareth where he grew up and told those at the synagogue his purpose for coming:
“to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
And they tried to throw him off a cliff. Quite the hometown reception!
At the end of Jesus life, he had his disciple John, his mother Mary and a few other women near him. It was not worldwide news and he didn’t have throngs of supporters around him. But just you wait for his second coming!
As we move on from the excitement of Pope Leo XIV’s selection, we need to remember that Roman Catholics, Protestants and members of all other faiths need to put their trust in Jesus. Jesus said in John 14:6 “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” The Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 2:5 “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” Jesus is the Great High Priest – both the perfect sacrifice for sin and the mediator between humanity and God. Paul also wrote in Romans 10:9 “Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
