With great anticipation I looked forward to the apostolic visit of Pope Francis to Mexico, as something that means much to me personally. Indeed, for me, being half-Mexican and Roman Catholic go hand-in-hand.
So when my Abuela called me on the evening of February 12 to tell me to turn on Univision channel 66 to watch the coverage of Pope Francis's arrival at the airport in Mexico City, I dropped what I was doing, and spent nearly 30 minutes in front of the television. In the midst of viewing the proceedings, I knew this apostolic trip was definitely something I should make time for in my schedule, because it speaks to my heritage.
Similar to his visit to the United States last September, excited throngs were drawn to greet Pope Francis during his visit in Mexico. It was quite a lively scene when he stepped off the plane at the airport, and then to see various performers put on a wonderful display of Mexican culture through music and dancing.
The displays of Mexican culture that were offered up in tribute to His Holiness were an aspect of this visit that stood out to me.
And Pope Francis offered his own tribute to Mexican culture as he spoke of the significance of La Virgen de Guadalupe while celebrating Mass at the the Basilica of La Señora on February 13. In his homily, he spoke of how La Virgen is a sign that God desires to be present to the people He created, and wants them to know they have value in His sight and a place in accomplishing His work of salvation.
On Monday, I watched the Mass in Chiapas on live television in its entirety, celebrated with indigenous people, with parts of the Mass done in three different indigenous languages I had never heard of before, , Tzotzil, Tzeltal, and Chol. An incredible moment came at the end of the Mass, when representatives of the local indigenous peoples presented Pope Francis with two copies of the Bible, one in Tzotzil, and the other in Tzeltal. The readings and the homily spoke about God's life-giving word. And here was a sign of how God's Word gives life, not matter what human language it is in, because the power of God in His Word is just that great in revealing to us Jesus Christ, who does a marvelous work of faith in us.
Then, on Wednesday, I watched part of the Mass celebrated in Ciudad Juarez. I was struck by the connection Pope Francis made in his homily between the violence plaguing Nineveh and the violence plaguing places in Mexico like Ciudad Juarez. Some of the language he used calling for an end to the violence reminded me of a similar call Archbishop Oscar Romero made in El Salvador, especially in a homily he gave the day before he was assassinated. The Pope's words were well said in calling for us to turn to God who is rich in mercy as we seek to be cleansed of the violence plaguing our world. (He expressed similar sentiments in an address to the bishops of Mexico, encouraging them to make the light of faith shine forth in the darkness they presently face.)
Of course, it wasn't just the words spoken at this Mass that amazed me, but furthermore the setting. The fairgrounds were situated within sight of El Paso, Texas, in the United States. As I watched, I wondered if anyone was watching this Mass from across the border. It turns out that a crowd was gathered to watch the Mass live on screens at the stadium at the University of Texas-El Paso. It was so incredible to think that people on two different sides of an international boundary were able to experience the same Mass, the same ritual celebration of Christ's Paschal Mystery, and be joined together as His One Body, which transcends all time and, in this case especially, space.
Indeed, there were many powerful and joyful moments during this apostolic trip. I reminded myself of them when more troubled instances arose in the days to come, like Pope Francis's scolding of someone who pulled at him in the crowd, and his response to a question about Donald Trump's stance on building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. I was indeed filled with a joy that rose above all that as I followed the proceedings of the Holy Father's visit to Mexico. For Mexico is the land that feeds into the fibers of my being, and whose strong sense of religion helped forge my sense of faith. I rejoiced in having this chance to connect with Mexico and its people as they rejoiced in the visit of Pope Francis.
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