I have become convinced there are two ways to receive Francis and what he’s trying to say: (at any time not just now)
1. In a defensive way- looking for ways he’s wrong and/or ways he “doesn’t talk about me”. Dismissing him as inept, or a socialist, or a kind man who is just “misguided”. This is easy to do, and perhaps the right thing to do if what he says is a source of scandal, for anyone.
or...
2. In a receptive way - not looking for ways he is wrong (or even right) but how what he says applies to ME, as an individual. A person. Not a member of a group (an American, a Republican, a conservative, a capitalist), but for me, about me, concerning ME.
In other words, a provactive way (in every etiological sense of the word “pro-vocative”).
Does what he says concern me? Does it matter to me? Do I find his words offensive? Are they helpful? And the question “why”, tacked into those questions, for good measure.
Speaking for myself, I choose option 2 (and the two paragraphs following it). Not only because option 1 has nothing to offer me but bitterness and contempt, but because Jesus is just as real as the Pope.
Also, so everyone may make a judgement based on truth regarding Pope Francis’ latest words, and not based on what the MSM thinks is “newsworthy”.