What Pope Benedict Gave Us

Pope Benedict's six-day trip to the United States came to an end Sunday night.

The theme of his first Apostolic Journey to the country was "Christ Our Hope." His message of hope, as embodied in Jesus, wasn't just some political slogan. Pope Benedict wasn't speaking of bumper sticker hope. He wasn't giving a well-rehearsed stump speech.

In this ugly political season, Pope Benedict's message was so spiritually refreshing.

The hope of Christ isn't like empty campaign rhetoric or promises. It's the promise of salvation. And as people of Christ, we're called to exercise our freedoms responsibly and in service to others.

Pope Benedict XVI celebrated Mass and American Catholicism in storied Yankee Stadium on Sunday, telling his massive U.S. flock to use its freedoms wisely as he closed out his first papal trip to the United States.

Benedict beamed before a joyous crowd of 57,000, hours after making a solemn stop to pray at the site of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center.

He called the Mass "a summons to move forward with firm resolve to use wisely the blessings of freedom, in order to build a future of hope for coming generations."

...He praised the U.S. church, which has 65 million members, in his homily, saying that "in this land of freedom and opportunity, the church has united a widely diverse flock" and contributed greatly to American society.

The pope departed on a special airliner nicknamed "Shepherd One" after a farewell ceremony hosted by Vice President Dick Cheney, with Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Rodham Clinton and President Clinton in attendance. "May God bless America!" the pope said before departing.

Earlier, on a chilly, gray morning, the pope blessed the site of the terrorist attacks and pleaded with God to bring "peace to our violent world."

The visit by Benedict to ground zero was a poignant moment in a trip marked by unexpectedly festive crowds such as the one at Sunday's Mass.

There it is again, "a trip marked by unexpectedly festive crowds."

That exact phrase was used in an AP article from Sunday morning.

The media don't understand. They seemed to be in awe of all the excitement, and somewhat troubled by it.

I think they were poised to bash the Pope on failing to address the sex abuse scandal, and when that didn't pan out, they were determined to present something negative.

For example, this piece from the New York Times: "Swept Up in Pope Fever, Unwittingly."

Many of those thousands who came to see Pope Benedict XVI as he headed up Fifth Avenue in the Popemobile after the Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral spoke about investing significant expense and travel time to be there. Then there were those who were there by accident – and, in fact, did not want to be there at all.

...This type was especially prevalent in a spectator pen along Fifth Avenue at 58th Street, in front of the Plaza Hotel. Around this busy tourist area, there were many tourists with no intention of waiting for the pope. So they became, well, papal prisoners, trapped in sidewalk pens when the police suddenly shut down pedestrian traffic some 30 minutes before the pontiff’s motorcade eventually passed, leaving passers-by stuck with the screaming, waving Pope fans.

“You mean we can’t leave until the pope gets here?” said one woman who was with her grown daughter and told she could not leave the area. “We have to meet someone at 1:45 across town.”

Then there were the two women from Pennsylvania who were in town for the day and just wanted to go shopping when they wound up trapped in the same pen.

“We just want to go to FAO Schwarz,” one said. “Now it looks like we’ll have to see the pope.”

They looked a bit perturbed.

"Papal prisoners"?

Good grief.

I think the media were "a bit perturbed."

How could tens of thousands of people show up to see this man, and express their deep respect and affection for "God's Rottweiler"?

I didn't see or hear a Rottweiler. I saw a gentle, holy man, a humble servant of God. He reached out to his flock, with enthusiasm, broad smiles, and generosity. The faithful responded. He engaged us on a remarkably personal level.

In addition to his presence, Pope Benedict blessed us with the gifts of love and joy and hope. Although he has returned to Rome, what he gave us remains.