Pope Francis is so winning America right now. He shows up, he speaks to Congress, and then John Boehner resigns; and, China decides to tackle Climate Change.
All on a Friday!
Yo, this weird-looking white man in a dress with the funny “Italian-Wetback” accent needs to come around more often!. Clearly, shit get done when Pap Frankie is around
At this rate, we black people might get reparations for slavery, jobs, and even a shutdown of BET by friggin’ Monday! Okay, so maybe not by Monday, but you get the picture.
I’m not really a believer of miracles, folks. But et’s just say that after today, I’m going o be looking for images of Jesus in every slice of bread I eat. Either that or my used-to-be practicing Catholic ass might go back to eating those wafers and sippin’ on that wine to wash it down.
And to think here I was this entire week so uninterested in Pope Francis’s visit to America. I mean, as far as I knew, it wasn’t like he had any plans of visiting te hood to kiss black babies, buy Pampers, or buy a struggling sista a T-bone steak, eggs-cheese, with Welch’s grape on his itinerary.
But, of course, I was kind of wrong.
You see, after delivering the most epic chin-check to the moral conscience on the floor of Congress. Pope Francis decided to skip a scheduled lunch with our elected politicians, and opted to feed homeless people instead.
Pope Francis stepped away from the pomp and pageantry of Capitol Hill to be with the poor and homeless on Thursday.
Passing on the opportunityto dine with politicians after addressing Congress this morning, Francis instead said a prayer blessing a meal for homeless clients of St. Maria’s Meals, a food program run by Catholic Charities in Washington, D.C.
Just before the meal, Francis drew a powerful comparison between the plight of the homeless and the Christmas story about Jesus’ birth in a stable.
“The son of God knew what it was to be a homeless person,” Francis said, during a speech at nearby St. Patrick’s Catholic Church. “What it was to start life without a roof over his head.”
“I want to be very clear. We can’t find any social or moral justification, no justification whatsoever for lack of housing,” he continued. “We know that Jesus wanted to show solidarity with every person. He wanted everyone to experience his companionship, his help and his love. He identified with all those who suffer, who weep, who suffer any kind of injustice. He tells us this clearly, ‘I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me.’”
There’s some irony to the message of Pope Francis here. This week, the mayor of the city of Los Angeles, California, has declared a state of emergency over the size of its homeless population.
Yes, in this country’s second-largest city, there are an estimated 26,000 homeless residents.
Now I know California has suffered a historic drought for the last five years, and that the state is literally on fire. Yet and still, there’s no reason or excuse other than government failure for the current crisis of homelessness in Los Angeles and across the country.
Which, when you think about how little Congress has done in he wake of the most destructive economic meltdown in modern U.S. history. Or, when you think about how much Republican obstructionism has assisted in fueling the prolonged suffering of Americans. Once you take this all into consideration, Pope Francis skipping lunch with politicians makes perfect sense.
After all, they cut food stamps, as well as an unemployment insurance extension and expected Pope Francis to have lunch with them after his speech?
Nah, instead, he fed homeless people.
Yes, he served food to homeless people. Which, might not be a big deal to some. I mean it;s not like the Catholic church isn’t wealthy enough from all of its raping and pillaging back in the day to put more than a few homeless bums in hotels for a night or two.
But hey, it ain’t like Pope Francis has a GoFundMe account to raise money to purchase a new jet to replace his existing not-so-new jet or anything.
Yep, how’s that for your moral conscience?
I don’t like playing in the weeds of conspiracy theories, so I won’t suggest that Pope Francis showing up on Capitol Hill and his subsequent low-key shade thrown at Republicans in Congress speech led to Boehner’s removal as House Speaker.
For all I know there may be an opening for a weepy “Franciscan Monk Bartender” at the Vatican that Boehner feels compelled to fill. I mean, it’s not like Boehner isn’t Catholic nor does he have the necessary skill set. However, after presiding as Speaker for the two least productive sessions of the House of Representatives. Let’s just say that the only way is up; and, when it comes to gettin’ into heaven, you gotta do what you gotta do.