Received this e-mail today from Rick Weiland's U.S. Senate campaign today and he nails it about Pope Francis:
We lost one great leader when Nelson Mandela passed away. Fortunately, another great leader has taken up Mandela’s message of Peace.
Pope Francis is bringing the true value of Christ to Christianity. He is a voice for ordinary folks and a personal inspiration.
Nelson Mandela defeated Apartheid by the power of his personal example. Now Pope Francis is attempting to defeat greed and inequality the same way. His simple lifestyle, his scorn for the trappings of obscene wealth, are an inspiration to the world, and a particular inspiration, I think, to the kind of ordinary, hardworking folks who live in places like South Dakota.
As a man who could have everything, but voluntarily chooses to have only what he needs, Pope Francis is teaching us with his life. To me, his lesson is that we should all strive to get ahead, to be as great as we are able, but when we succeed, we must resist the temptation to grab all our power permits.
The measure of a person is not just whether he or she succeeds. It is also how a person deals with success.
To me, the message Pope Francis sends with his life is a message to the powerful that tells them the measure of their success is not whether they can turn it into billion dollar riches and immense personal power, but rather whether they will turn from these, taking from their success only comfort for themselves and their families, rather than an obscene wealth that impoverishes and demeans those around them.
In the words of Pope Francis: “Whenever our interior life becomes caught up in its own interests and concerns, there is no longer room for others, no place for the poor. God’s voice is no longer heard, the quiet joy of his love is no longer felt, and the desire to do good fades.”
Rick
Well said. I'll have another diary on this race soon. In the mean time, how about donating to Weiland's campaign so we can have a man for the people in the U.S. Senate:
http://www.rickweiland.com/