One thing that never ceases to amaze me about Pope Francis is his spontaneity. I am incredibly humbled every time I see a new article or video of him doing exactly what he wishes to do during his papacy: be a pope of and for the people, especially the poor and marginalized.
And sometimes it is the simplest gestures and actions that show his utmost greatness. On Sunday, Francis took a surprise detour while on his way to visit a parish. He asked those he was with if they could stop at a shantytown he had heard of in the outskirts of Rome. This shantytown is home to people living in poverty, many of whom are from South America.
The pure joy in their faces at seeing Francis says it all. Here’s a video of the visit:
My hope is that Pope Francis stays around for a very long time and continues to live the gospel—as he most certainly has been.
Image: Flickr photo cc by Republic of Korea
