Light in the Piazza. February 21, 2013

Walking around St. Peter's piazza or square was quite peaceful on the dark of night. It was striking to see a light shining from the Pope's study on the third floor of the apostolic palace. That light, shining on the square left me to imagine the pope planning his resignation when he will move out in one week and move into a small monastery within the walls of theVatican.

I imagined him filling boxes with pictures, books, photos and other belongings. Maybe he is downsizing and lightening the load, so to speak. What is Benedict thinking as he packs and sees his quarters becoming sparser and emptier. Within three weeks, a new pope will move in and totally transform the rooms making them his own.

Benedict will be a distant memory and the Church will move on. It left me feeling somewhat sad when the truth really hit home, sinking deeply into my heart: we are all dispensable. The Church's foundation isChrist who breaths His Spirit in this Body we call " church." Popes come and go and does each one of us. Human beings enter this great circle of life as humans leave making room for creation to expand with new ideas and visions.

My sadness gave way to a deep peace: it is good that we are dispensable since life does go on when we leave this circle of life. Each one of us is a part of this beautiful tapestry of humanity, a permanent part, but only a part. Only in this sense are we INDISPENSABLE : we are forever a part of this tapestry. We are needed, wanted and cherished by the color and story we bring to the tapestry that God weaves together with the Spirit.

The new Pope will bring new life and hopefully, a new vision to carry the Church forward. But the church belongs to Christ her foundation and reason for existing. Yes, the light in the piazza was initially sad until I realized that all will be well when Christ, the Light, shines on all piazzas ,plazas, streets. neighborhoods, buildings, homes, seas, oceans, mountains, indeed, on all of creation.

We are always in transition , moving from one place in the heart to another. We carry with us what is necessary, those memories that have shaped is in love; and we let go of memories that have wounded and deformed our lives. We move through our lives as pilgrims on a journey into the center, the place where we become reacquainted with those who have left the circle of life.