The Finger is Not the Moon

There is a highly-respected Baylor Religion and English professor who I also happened to attend church with back in my Waco days. He was known amongst our circle of friends as the "Crusty Ole Curmudgeon" for his sour disposition and staunchly-held perspectives on many issues. One of those subjects happened to be Roman Catholicism, of which he was not a member. However, he revered the tradition and considered it the true church. When asked why he wasn't a Catholic himself he said he was better served a signpost, pointing others towards the church.

For most of my life, I never saw any reason for Christians to associate with a denomination that appeared so impersonal and dogmatic. Now, I think they have a leader that can be respected; one with a sense of humor, an understanding of his own humanness, and a true sensitivity towards mankind. Pope Francis is the signpost that will point many towards the church and, perhaps, back to the church. Of course, even Catholicism is the finger pointing at the moon.

“This ‘closing off’ that imagines that those outside, everyone, cannot do good is a wall that leads to war and also to what some people throughout history have conceived of: killing in the name of God. That we can kill in the name of God. And that, simply, is blasphemy. To say that you can kill in the name of God is blasphemy … The Lord has redeemed all of us, all of us, with the Blood of Christ: all of us, not just Catholics. Everyone! ‘Father, the atheists?’ Even the atheists. Everyone! …

We all have a duty to do good. And this commandment for everyone to do good, I think, is a beautiful path towards peace. If we, each doing our own part, if we do good to others, if we meet there, doing good, and we go slowly, gently, little by little, we will make that culture of encounter: we need that so much. We must meet one another doing good. ‘But I don’t believe, Father, I am an atheist!’ But do good: we will meet one another there,” – Pope Francis.