Armodoxy for Today: Adding a Simple Prayer to His

Pope Leo XIV offered his first blessing and prayer as the head of the Roman  Catholic  Church, to thousands assembled at St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican yesterday, as millions more throughout the world watched and received the blessing virtually. Indeed, it was an emotional moment for the Pontiff as he transitioned from Cardinal Robert Prevost to head the 1.3 billion member Roman Catholic Church. Even from a distance, watching on screens and phones in different parts of the world, Catholics, believers, and even non-believers were visibly moved as many understood the gravity of the event.

Interesting to me was how quickly and readily the term “American” was volleyed around in the media, conveniently forgetting that the previous pope, Francis, of blessed memory, also came from the Americas. But, homeland is a major factor in defining and giving identity to an individual. Think of some of the first-day discussion that consumed news outlets when they discovered Pope Leo was from the City of Chicago: Was he a Cubs’ fan or a White Sox fan? Perhaps, excitement for geographic identity provides a good explanation as to why churches, which are united in their belief in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, are separated along ethnic and national lines, whether we’re talking about the Armenian Church, the Roman Catholic Church, or the Greek, Bulgarian, Georgian, Russian Orthodox, and even the American congregations of Presbyterian and Methodists. There is of course the AME, the African Methodist Church and of course, the Church of England. Often, the Christ, the center of Christianity, is lost in some of the traditions that align us with national preservation. Bishop Daniel Findikyan, of Holy Etchmiadzin, talks extensively about this in his book, Building up the Body of Christ. And musician John Lennon, as a dreamer points to the grave dangers of the consequence of national pride, when he asks us to “Imagine there’s no countries, it isn’t hard to do. Nothing to kill or die for and no religion too. Imagine all the people living life in peace…”

With that in mind, we turn to the first words of Pope Leo XIV, in his message. “Peace be with all of you! Dearest brothers and sisters, this is the first greeting of the Risen Christ, the good shepherd who gave his life for God’s flock. I too would like this greeting of peace to enter your heart, to reach your families, to all people, wherever they are, to all peoples, to the whole earth. Peace be with you! “

To his prayer, tonight, we add most appropriately, Amen.