Viva Il Papa

Thursday, September 12, 2024 will forever remain etched in my memory as the day Pope Francis most congenially celebrated mass to mark our 93^rd month of marriage. I joked with P that it was nice of our Holy Father to pop by Singapore to help us celebrate our monthiversary.

P and I mark the 12^th of every month with prayer and, where possible, with Mass. This is because we consecrated ourselves to Mother Mary on our wedding day and we repeat the consecration prayer monthly to renew ourselves in the Spirit and remember our wedding vows to each other.

I never really noticed that 12 September is also the Memorial of the Most Holy Name of the Blessed Virgin Mary until it was noted at the Papal Mass. It was a wow moment for me for it felt like a double blessing. Mother Mary, the one who brought us together in marriage, and who keeps us bound together in love is the one whose name I invoke very often when I pray for the wisdom and clarity to know how to walk. I also desire her gentleness which I so sorely lack - she is my role model.

Although I was not quite looking forward to the crowds, 50,000 people is daunting for me, I really had a wonderful time. I met up with so many people I knew and haven’t seen in a while. I got to pray the Rosary and Divine Mercy with so many brothers and sisters before the Eucharistic celebration. My community came from all different parts of the stadium to attempt a group photo and that for me represented the nature of my faith – universal, for everyone; diverse yet united as echoed by the theme of the event Together in Unity and Hope.   

I am grateful that I got to see Pope Francis in person, and to be inspired by his simple joy and strong faith. He is indeed the successor of Peter, the rock on which Christ has built His church from the time of Peter until present time. How arduous this entire 12-day trip must have been for him, a trip that took him to Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Timor Leste and, finally, Singapore.  He was always on the go, going from event to event, crowd to crowd, under the constant cynosure of the press, with very little opportunity to just chill and be himself.

His message to young people of being courageous, to take risks, and to get out of our comfort zones in order to connect with others of different faiths was on point. The world needs more building up and connecting, than tearing down and dividing. Let me apply these principles not just to those I meet on an everyday basis, but first and foremost within my own home, and especially within my own marriage. Grazie mille, Papa Francesco.