Pope Francis seems to have a foot problem. And no, I don’t mean he is putting his foot in his mouth. That I have not observed nor do I expect to. But in other situations related to the foot…
First, some folks were annoyed that he is a fan of a particular soccer team, a fact he made no diplomatic attempts to obscure. Soccer, of course, is called football in most of the world and is played with the feet. But in the United State and Canada, we have football, in which the ball is thrown and caught in the hands. (The Pope isn’t the only person with a foot problem.)
Second, in one of his early appearances one of his feet got tangled in his white cassock and he tripped. It was just a little trip and he didn’t actually fall – but the cameras were rolling and the media speculation began: Was he hurt? Is he clumsy? Is he less firm and healthy than believed? The truth: it was no big deal.
Third, fashionistas noticed the Pope wearing black oxford shoes instead of red loafers. To be honest, I don’t really know what goes with a white cassock, but I don’t think either black or red is wrong. I wouldn’t blame him for white tennis shoes or blue suede if that is what he liked. After all, he is the Pope.
Fourth – and this is the biggie – when the Pope presided over services the evening of Holy Thursday, he washed the feet of 12 people, a couple of whom were (dare I write it) not men, but members of the other gender. Yes…women, female persons.
According to the Associated Press, which apparently worries about such things, “traditionalists” were upset: “Francis’ decision to disregard church law and wash the feet of two girls – a Serbian Muslim and an Italian Catholic – during a Holy Thursday ritual has become something of the final straw, evidence that Francis has little or no interest in one of the key priorities of Benedict’s papacy: reviving the pre-Vatican II traditions of the Catholic Church.”
It really is a bit of an overstatement to suggest that in this situation the Pope decided to “disregard church law.” Fr Federico Lombardi, the Vatican spokesman, had a saner take on things:
“One can easily understand that in a great celebration, men would be chosen for the foot washing because Jesus, himself washing the feet of the twelve apostles who were male,” he said.
“However the ritual of the washing of the feet on Holy Thursday evening…took place in a particular, small community that included young women.”
“When Jesus washed the feet of those who were with him on the first Holy Thursday, he desired to teach all a lesson about the meaning of service, using a gesture that included all members of the community,” the spokesman emphasized in his statement.
“That the Holy Father, Francis, washing the feet of young men and women on his first Holy Thursday as Pope, should call our minds and hearts to the simple and spontaneous gesture of love, affection, forgiveness and mercy of the Bishop of Rome, more than to legalistic, liturgical or canonical discussions.”
In other words, lighten up folks; the Pope is being Catholic. And I expect we are just seeing the beginning of behavior that will confound the traditionalists, liberals, conservatives, progressives and the media who look at the Holy Father through a political lens and want to put him in a neat category: Orthodox Pope…Reformist Pope…Middle of the Road Pope.
Surprise! The only mold the Holy Father fits into is CATHOLIC. Thanks be to God.
