Tomorrow the Pope will officially step down and a billion Christians will wait for a new spiritual leader. I am not of that tradition, but I think it's an epic moment each time it happens.
When I was a young teen and a new pope was announced by a puff of white smoke (probably Pope John Paul II in 1978), I remember making fun of it. Being a good Baptist, we could let nothing this momentous occur without trivializing it with a joke.
We all believed the departed Pope was in hell and the new one would be there someday too.
The Vatican smoke signal dates back to 1914, but the conclave began burning paper ballots as far back as the 1400's. I did a little searching and couldn't find any indication that the smoke from burning ballots was seen as a message that far back, but since everything associated with the Pope takes on biblical proportions, I wouldn't be surprised.
Maybe the Vatican will tweet the new pope, who knows. A good portion of those billions of Christians have cell phones.
But why not continue the old ways along with the new. We do this with everything else, from birthday cakes to Christmas trees.
Old ways connect us to the past.
Some are good, some are bad. Just like the new ways.
[2013-02-17]
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Those that take the high road are easy targets. They won't return unkind words and they often fall the farthest and hardest.
It's a better road anyway.
Jesus said it was narrow. Maybe it's high and narrow, like an elevated sidewalk. With hills. And ice. And no salt trucks.
[2013-02-25]
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BTW, the Pope's got a bum ticker and has two pacemakers for crying out loud. Give the guy a break. If you were in charge of a billion people you might want some time to unwind too.[2013-02-25]
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Chicago – Old Days
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