Newness, Harmony, And Mission

In his homily for the Feast of Pentecost, Pope Francis reflected on three words linked to the workings of the Holy Spirit. These are newness, harmony and mission.

This reflection is helpful for those looking to go deeper into the significance of Pentecost Sunday. Here at the Shrine, we also find it helpful for connecting the pontificates of our beloved Blessed John Paul II and our new Holy Father, Pope Francis.

First of all, the Holy Spirit plays a role in the newness of change in our lives. In a culture of planners, new direction is not always welcomed with open arms. “Yet throughout the history of salvation,” Pope Francis said, “whenever God reveals himself, he brings newness and change, and demands our complete trust.” He continues:

Noah, mocked by all, builds an ark and is saved; Abram leaves his land with only a promise in hand; Moses stands up to the might of Pharaoh and leads his people to freedom; the apostles, huddled fearfully in the Upper Room, go forth with courage to proclaim the Gospel. This is not a question of novelty for novelty’s sake, the search for something new to relieve our boredom, as is so often the case in our own day. The newness which God brings into our life is something that actually brings fulfillment, that gives true joy, true serenity, because God loves us and desires only our good.

Now Blessed John Paul II and Pope Francis do have much in common. They are both similar in their openness to others and in the genuineness of their prayers. They both have a deep devotion to the Blessed Mother, and the chaplain of the Blessed John Paul II Shrine, Rev. Gregory Gresko, also notes that Pope Francis “is continuing the call of Blessed John Paul II in telling us ‘Be not afraid’ to give yourself over completely to the loving mercy of God.”

Yet the two are certainly not the same, and Pope Francis has already made some unique choices during his pontificate that challenge the faithful to look humbly inside of ourselves so that we may better perceive what is going on around us and how we can serve those in need. 

Pope Francis is new and different from Blessed John Paul II in these ways and others. This isn’t a bad thing for the Church. In fact, we might say that it is a gift from the Holy Spirit. In his Pentecost homily, Pope Francis said:

…the Holy Spirit would appear to create disorder in the Church, since he brings the diversity of charisms and gifts; yet all this, by his working, is a great source of wealth, for the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of unity, which does not mean uniformity, but which leads everything back to harmony. 

Blessed John Paul II was both an actor and a philosopher, and he was able to bring this background with him into the pontificate. His charisma on the altar and off was attractive to people of all ages, and his academic experience allowed him to communicate his deep concern for the human person in an understandable yet highly intellectual way.

Pope Frances brings academic experience to the pontificate as well, but what most people have noted about him so far is that he is a master of simplicity. He did not forget his simple way of life back in Argentina. He brought it with him, and it emanates through his actions, his preaching, and most especially in his taking the name of St. Francis of Assisi. 

All of this works in harmony with what Blessed John Paul II taught us about God and the human person, for Pope Francis is able to communicate the very same truths through his witness and through his words to the faithful.

It is the Holy Spirit that allows these diverse gifts to work in harmony for the same mission. This is Pope Francis’s third point:

The Holy Spirit draws us into the mystery of the living God and…he impels us to open the doors and go forth to proclaim and bear witness to the good news of the Gospel, to communicate the joy of faith, the encounter with Christ. The Holy Spirit is the soul of mission. 

Just as he carries the same crosier, designed during the pontificate of Pope Paul VI, and used during the pontificate of Blessed John Paul II, Pope Francis is on the same mission. That is, to proclaim the Gospel to all who need to hear it for the first time and to all who need to hear it again. He may be making different choices and he may be employing different talents, but he is giving the Church the same thing that Blessed John Paul II gave us: Christ.

Pope Francis has already honored Blessed John Paul II in numerous ways. In April he blessed a plaque that renamed a corner of the piazza outside the Basilica of St. John Lateran after John Paul II. He also prayed at John Paul II’s tomb on the day of his death. 

At the Blessed John Paul II Shrine, we are honoring Pope Francis with an exhibit, tracking his experience during the recent conclave. We are excited to celebrate both Holy Fathers who, through the Holy Spirit, uniquely lead the Church to Christ.

For more information on the Habemus Papam exhibit, see The Blessed John Paul II Shrine website.