Pope Francis just celebrated his first year as Pope. During this time he has continued to show us all how to “encounter” one another. We know we must meet one another “where we are” but understanding what that means and more importantly, how to do that in real life, is so very difficult. But Pope Francis knows how and he continues to suggest to us that the hard task of finding common ground begins with calling one another brother and sister.

How beautiful and simple. I know the Pope is intimately connected to the Virgin Mary because of his profound humility. For she possesses this virtue and to know her intimately brings you intimate knowledge of your unworthiness. Through her one will come to know his or her own sinfulness such that he or she can begin to possess and share the profound humility that will see each person as brother and sister BEFORE seeing him or her as anything else. Pope Francis evidences profound humility and that is what is drawing the world to him.