Up until a few days ago, I was seemingly the last Catholic in Christendom who hadn’t seen The Two Popes, a biopic inspired by the controversial succession of the papacy in 2013, directed by Fernando Meirelles. Since I had some leisure time over Thanksgiving break, I finally booted up Netflix on the living room TV to watch it with my parents. I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect: A factual documentary of Vatican life? Blatant bids for Academy Awards? What I found was a poignant insight into a Church divided, and, also hope.
The movie addresses the questions of healing a broken Church and whether and how to embrace modern tides of change. Inevitably, there is a myriad of responses to these difficult questions—and, many of these questions still cause discord today. Other examples of division are not hard to find at present, in our politics, culture and fighting this pandemic. In today’s readings, we are reminded how enmity can only be dissolved by Jesus. But how do we find him when everyone suggests a different place to look?
Nature imagery is abundant in Isaiah 11: 1-10—a green shoot, a blossoming bud, animals of all kinds. It reminded me of a scene in the movie where the two popes stroll through the lush garden of the summer residence.
“Nothing is static in nature, not even God,” says Cardinal Bergoglio, the future Pope Francis.
“Where should we find Him, if He’s always moving?” asks Pope Benedict.
“On the journey,” replied the other.
Later as they’re walking, Pope Benedict suggests sarcastically as they explore a different corner of the garden: “Perhaps we'll find God over there, on the journey, I'll introduce you to Him.”
During this Advent season, let us pray for “a Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,” and “A Spirit of counsel and of strength” (Isaiah 11:2). I hope that we will find the courage to keep walking side by side with our siblings in Christ, even as we are divided, even though we might disagree, as we search for God in our everyday lives, and perhaps through our journey, introduce others to Him.
