Everyone knows the face the next performer makes after the act before them has an incredible performance. The last notes finish and the next act knows that at the end of the song the crowd is going to erupt and give a the first performer a standing ovation. That's when the look comes. The face goes pale, the jaw drops and the eyes get wide. Suddenly the last thoughts in the head of the following act go from "I can knock this crowd's socks off" to telling themselves "just don't mess up."
A sinking sect of Christianity who could barely keep their head above water was now treading water calmly when Pope John Paul II passed in 2005. Being one of the main reasons Communism couldn't survive in his native Poland during and the world the Cold War, when Pope John Paul II died he was not only loved by Catholics, but by much of the world. This gave Catholicism the spike it needed. He got the standing ovation.
Watching the crowds roar from the previous performance, Pope Benedict XVI took the stage after recollecting himself from what he just watched, telling himself "just don't mess up."
Pope Benedict kept the Catholic Church treading; he didn't take it to new levels, he didn't let it sink. Very little of his work was major public news except, of course, joining Twitter. Like any Pope, he pushed ideas he felt best reflected the ideals of the Catholic Church, made appearances and pushed for reform. The only reason his retirement is really newsworthy is because he is the first Pope in 600 years to do so. He felt his time has come and gone. After Pope John Paul II's reign, the Catholic Church remains vulnerable and Pope Benedict knows that he doesn't have a plan to move it in a better direction without too much risk.
For the first time in 600 years, the Pope is hanging up his robe, and hey, after a tough act to follow, he did the most important thing. He didn't mess up.
I think you made a good point here. Pope John Paul II did great things (in most people's opinions I'm fairly certain) and following him would be no easy task. I have no idea why, but I really don't like Pope Benedict XVI, I guess because I was really fond of Pope John Paul II. But Pope Benedict XVI didn't do anything to harm the long term well being of the Catholic church.
ReplyDeleteI think this is a good analysis of the overall performance of Benedict. I remember when he was appointed that he was being termed "a transitional Pope" because of his age and his generally cautious attitude. This proved to be the case. Some would argue though that he had a chance to deal much more aggressively with some of the sex abuse scandals--he was the head of the office that dealt with the complaints before becoming Pope--and that he did not fully take advantage of this.
ReplyDelete