On his recent visit to the United States, Pope Francis hugged many people in wheelchairs.  In Philadelphia, Pope Francis stopped his Fiat, he then reached out to a 10 year old boy crippled by Cerebral Palsy and hugged him, and blessed him.

Through his touch, Pope Francis was affirming this young boy declaring “you belong too.”   Through his hug Pope Francis reminded him “God loves you too.”  And with his blessing, Pope Francis said to this young man that “God knows who you are-and that you matter!" 

Through these small actions and this very ordinary sense, i.e., touch, Pope Francis showed the amazing power of Christ.  Pope Francis, by his touch, made this vulnerable person marginalized by a disease; know that he was important and that he still belonged.

Pope Francis has the keen and Christ like sense to spot the vulnerable in our society, and to merely reach out to them with a smile and a hug, and thus, bestow God’s love and mercy on such individuals.  Pope Francis acts on Jesus’ behalf and in His name. This is the same thing that Jesus asks us all to do in His name.

Jesus reminds us: “If they are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them a drink.  If they are strangers or foreigners, welcome them.”  Vulnerability comes in many sizes and shapes; we just have to discover it.  And then acting like Pope Francis, we reach out and love.  It takes effort and concern to “get out of our own Fiat” and act as Christ would act.

For instance, are we able to reach out and forgive that person who hurt us deeply, but longs for our forgiveness?  Can we call a son or a granddaughter or any relative, for that matter, who has made a life style choice we don’t agree with and tell them we still love them?  Do we trust in God’s mercy to let go of something from our past, which still haunts us as we continue on with our journey?

When our lives are transformed as was that young boy's in the wheelchair, Jesus' power is alive in our world.  Jesus has truly given us this simple and wonderful power.  Why not--get out of your Fiat--and start sharing it today and make this extraordinary difference?