“The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you.” John 14:25-26
Jesus spoke these words to his disciples the night before he died. Six days ago this was also the reading, almost as if the Church wants to emphasize this message, especially as we will celebrate Pentecost Sunday in two weeks. The Feast of Pentecost is often referred to as the birthday of the Church because this is when the apostles started spreading Jesus’ gospel message.
We witnessed a powerful example of Jesus’ promise to His disciples when the cardinals convened to gather in the conclave last May 7 and 8. Cardinal Ambo David revealed there were many messages like this circulating during the pre-Conclave sessions: “We believe the Holy Spirit has already chosen the next pope. He is here among us, but we have yet to identify him. Dear brother, whoever you are, should the lot fall upon you when we cast our votes, please accept it. We assure you of our allegiance and fidelity."
On the fourth ballot, a majority of more than two thirds of the 133 eligible cardinal electors discerned that Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was God’s anointed.
A lot of the cardinals when interviewed said they did not know him. Before the Conclave, priests and experts offered the opinion that it was unlikely that an American would be chosen as pope. But on the second day of the conclave, this relatively “unknown” American was put on St. Peter’s seat and took the name of Leo XIV.
When I read about him, and listened to what his brothers and teachers had to say about him, I felt that God had chosen him from when he was young, maybe even before he was born. He was unlike other boys as he aspired to the priesthood from a young age and would even play at being a priest using the ironing board as the altar. He was chosen, anointed for such a time as this.
I appreciate what the Hon. Justice Aggrey, a judge in Kenya who is not Catholic, has to say: “…today, the Catholic Church has reminded us of something we have forgotten. That the kingdom of God is not noise but order. Not display but discipline. Not popularity but purity. It has reminded us that when God is allowed to speak, He will often choose the one no one expected. He will raise the man who is hidden. He will lift the one who has been in the secret place.” Pope Leo XIV is our David for this time when there are many Goliaths that need dealing with. Let us pray for him.
Read Cardinal Ambo’s sharing about the Holy Spirit and the Conclave:
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:^) Patsy