The religious leader has had a heavily publicized visit to the United States, but has spoken about living admirably, not only about Catholicism.
No matter your roots, values or religious beliefs, there are several messages that ring true regardless. Be truly devoted to the alliances and friendships you make. Do not let the past slip out of mind, but instead learn from it. And it is truly wrong to bring pain or shame to any fellow man or woman.
Though countless leaders focus only on self-gain, by means of tearing down their opponents or asking for support in the form of much more than just words, one leader stands out — asking only of us to honor the former proclamations. The point is not whether Pope Francis is the head of the religion you follow, or if you find teachings outside the religious world closest to your heart and mind. The point is, the pope will remind us all, day in and day out, while speaking to the homeless or to the highest ranking American officials, that our duty is not necessarily to serve the Catholic church, but instead to serve each other in goodness and loyalty.
Earlier this week, standing before Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pope Francis spoke simply of the strength of our values and unity, and that those aspects of life are the only way for injustice to be conquered. He did not ask for followers — or by extension, money. He confronted some of the most powerful men in the world, only to ask them to remember those in the past who sacrificed so much for the lives we live today and for each individual to honor their traditions with pride.
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Can you even imagine that message being delivered by a politician? Or any of the leaders you find yourself behind in your everyday life? I, for one, cannot imagine such a thing. And it’s not because I have not met good people with honest intentions, whom I would follow. There is a void in almost all leadership because it takes an astronomical amount of courage to speak out for only the goodness of humanity. The pope, as a man, not even as a religious figure, fills that void flawlessly and with a certain bravado that only someone truly behind their words can hold.
So while you keep your beliefs and values close at hand, it is pertinent to the survival of humanity to keep the preachings of what it is to be good even closer and to enact those ideals everyday.
Anna Ayers is a freshman studying journalism and finance. What do you think of the pope’s visit? Email her at aa183414@ohio.edu.
