From the time that he became pope, I have found Francis’ statements and writing very inspiring. I was also inspired by St. John Paul II and Pope Benedict, but Pope Francis, for me, has been special. I have enjoyed that special relationship throughout his pontificate.
His latest encyclical, which has the wonderful title “He Loved Us,” while demanding, is beautiful and challenging. My view of a person is so similar to Pope Francis’ that eight years ago, I wrote a book about his vision of the human person, which I entitled, “Pope Francis’ Profound Personalism and Poverty.”
For several years, I had been teaching the philosophy of personalism at St. John’s University. Writing the book helped me to understand the philosophy of personalism a little more deeply. I do not recall reading personalist philosophers as an undergraduate or even in my graduate studies. Once I began to read them, I was hooked. The experience of writing the book on Pope Francis was definitely a labor of love.
The book seemed to write itself. If I had to describe what philosophy I embrace, I would describe myself as an “existential personalist.” I have borrowed insights from existentialist philosophers such as Soren Kierkegaard and Jean Paul Sartre and personalists such as Martin Buber and Gabriel Marcel. I suspect that these same thinkers have been read by Pope Francis. Some of his wonderful insights into the mystery of love and the mystery of the human person are very similar to insights offered by Buber and Marcel.
Of course, St. Thomas Aquinas has also greatly influenced my thinking. In his new encyclical, Pope Francis wrote the following: “The ‘heart’ listens in a non-metaphoric way to the ‘silent voice’ of being allowing itself to be tempered and determined by it. “At the same time, the heart makes all authentic bonding possible, since a relationship not shaped by the heart is incapable of overcoming the fragmentation caused by individualism.
Two monads may approach one another, but they will never truly connect. A society dominated by narcissism and self-centeredness will increasingly become ‘heartless.’ This will lead in turn to the loss of ‘desire,’ since as other persons disappear from the horizon we find ourselves trapped within walls of our own making, no longer capable of healthy relationships. As a result, we also become incapable of openness to God. As Heidegger puts it, to be open to the divine, we need to build a ‘guest house.’ ”
I think that Pope Francis’ emphasis on the power that a society that promotes narcissism and self-centeredness has on our relationship with God is exceptionally important. As persons, we coexist on every level of living. I think it would be naive to think that a society promoting narcissism and self centeredness will not influence us in any way. We coexist on every level of being human. We coexist on the level of knowledge and on the level of emotion, and today, we coexist in new ways because of the rapid advances that have been made in technology.
Teachers who have taught for years have told me that now, when they arrive early for a class, the students are looking at their phones rather than talking to one another. I find it frightening that companies know how to create addiction to the use of phones.
What role models does our society present to us? Aside from religion and leaders such as Pope Francis, the model of unselfishness and concern for others does not seem to be frequently, if ever, presented. I thank God that Pope Francis has been partof my life. I met Pope Francis once and have a photo of the two of us shaking hands. Needless to say, I treasure the photo.
Recently, Pope Francis’ health has not been good, but I pray that the Lord will help him to continue to lead the Church. I believe that his vision of a civilization of love is not Pollyanna but rather is based on profound insights into the power of love to transform us. Trying to imagine Pope Francis writing his encyclical, I picture him thinking of all the thousands and thousands of people around the world physically suffering terribly and perhaps also of all those whose faith is being challenged, those who are struggling to continue to believe and to hope.
Much of the contemporary world not only does not encourage religious faith and hope but works against religious commitment. As he was writing his encyclical, Pope Francis must have wondered about what message he should emphasize.
He chose to emphasize the most profound truth about the human person, a truth that we can spend our lives meditating on, a truth that should color every moment of our lives, a truth that we should allow to flood our consciousness and shape and form our consciences. Pope Francis wrote, “He loved us.”
Father Lauder is a philosophy professor at St. John’s University, Jamaica. His new book, “The Cosmic Love Story: God and Us,” is available on Amazon.com and at Barnes & Noble.