2013-04-26     John W                    John W's previous articles

The mud on Pope Francis' boots

In an article posted on yesterday's menu Cardinal George Pell said that Pope Francis has "mud on his boots after years of work' - a saying that means Francis is not someone who has been stuck in the office, but someone who has got out among the people in the real world, especially among the poor

I wonder how many Christians, how many religious, how many priests, how many bishops "have mud on their boots"?

I wonder how many parishes, schools, religious communities, dioceses have a reputation for "mud on boots" as a result of a continued commitment to and continuous involvement with the poor?

What is my/our reputation for?
  Love of sport/music/fine food/fine wine/restaurants/movies/travel/seminars?
 .....love of the poor?

As I finished a prison visit yesterday,
I reflected on the friendly welcome given me by the inmates in every section I went to.
Of the several hundred I saw yesterday, maybe one or two were Christians, yet all gave me a welcoming smile as I went round shaking their hands and saying "Jesus bless you".  And I had a grateful and humbling insight into the saying of the Good Shepherd: "my sheep know me"
....because they see me often, at least weekly, and they know I care about them. I have mud on my boots 

Like so many pastorally-minded school principals and parish clergy and heads of hospitals and parish clergy who regularly visit all parts of their schools/parishes/hospitals....rather than just spending their time behind a desk. Boots get no mud from being under a desk all day

Pope Benedict attracted attention for his delicate red shoes.  Pope Francis is attracting attention for mud on his boots

May the papacy of Pope Francis inspire more and more Christians, especially Christian leaders, no matter what color shoes they wear, to get a reputation for "mud on their boots"