Pope Francis has Died

Pope Francis greeting the crowd at his Election in 2013.

Dear Friends,

I was not expecting to write another email so soon to you all. Despite the news, I will still start my message with: Happy Easter! He is Risen, Alleluia!

This morning, as I'm sure many of you are seeing, the world got the news that Pope Francis has gone to the Father.

I will always remember the election of Pope Francis in 2013 (the image above was taken on that night) and his words to the crowd and to the world: "Pray for me". In uncertain times, as I said just yesterday, we must put our faith in God and we must pray for each other, for the Pope, and for the Church.

I will make one encouragement, and one request:

Today, at some point, sit down and read 1 Corinthians 15. Some of the language is complicated, but this passage summarizes our faith and our source of Hope. It also acts, in my mind, as an interpretive key for some of Pope Francis' papacy. St. Paul says, "For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am." (1 Corinthians 15:9) Pope Francis taught us about the humility that is inherent to being a follower of Christ, now let us use that Humility as we wait for his successor.

For those discouraged by this news, remember the Easter message also contained in this passage from scripture: "Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy sting?” (1 Corinthians 15: 55) As we mourn the loss of Pope Francis, let us remember that, for Christians, death has been conquered and that Jesus Christ is victorious. Pope Francis has gone to God, and we shall see him again.

My exhortation is this: please join me in praying the rosary today for the soul of our beloved spiritual Father, and for our Church. It is what Pope Francis would have wanted us to do. As always, we need God's grace for ourselves, for our friends, for our Church, and for our world!

Remember: we are a people of Easter Joy! Christ is Risen, and so we rejoice no matter our circumstance! Alleluia!

With Joy in the Lord,

Dr. Evan Kristiansen