Ideas Don’t Matter. Things Don’t Matter. People Matter.

No one should be forced to flee, nor exploited or mistreated because of their situation as foreigners or people in need! Human dignity must always come first!

— Pope Leo XIV (@Pontifex) October 5, 2025

Let me first say that Pontifex gets a shameful amount of trolling on Xitter. But that’s Xitter for you.

 I was going to write something clever about Pope Leo’s apostolic exhortation Dikexi Te. But the truth is, I haven’t finished reading it yet, and TC  beat me to it. I also lost my link to it, which he provided. And we both noticed the same passage in the opening of the exhortation (what a grand word):

1. “I HAVE LOVED YOU” (Rev 3:9). The Lord speaks these words to a Christian community that, unlike some others, had no influence or resources, and was treated instead with violence and contempt: “You have but little power… I will make them come and bow down before your feet” (Rev 3:8-9). This text reminds us of the words of the canticle of Mary: “He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty” (Lk 1:52-53).

I’ve been reworking some of my Advent posts (novelty and originality are overrated, especially at Xmas time). The Magnificat always appears in the liturgy at Advent, but the fact it is an apocalyptic work is often overlooked. Make a mental note of this passage; I’m pretty sure I’ll be working Revelation 3 into anything to do with Mary’s Advent song come December.

So there’s Pope Leo, the first American pope, using the favorite book of fundamentalists and evangelicals in our fair country, which they use to bash people they don’t like, and scare hell out of ‘em (or into ‘em). It’s not an accident, ‘s all I’m sayin’.

I had an article about the Pope’s concern for migrants, wherein he pointed out that he was relying on the gospels for his guidance. That struck me as very American, too, since fundies and evangelicals tend to regard the Church of Rome as unbiblical because they aren’t “bible based,” but have doctrines fashioned by some of the greatest minds in Western history. The basis of the Reformed branch of the Reformation, in other words. Some things truly never die. And the Pope from America makes sure to play on their field, while addressing a topic sure to enrage them.

Every year I like to point out the Holy Family were immigrants fleeing for safety when they moved to Egypt after the Magi visited. Fundies and evangelicals don’t like that analysis.

Apocalyptic and immigrants. “Apocalyptic” doesn’t mean “end of the world. That’s eschatology.  Which is related to Advent. But apocalyptic means a revealing of the truth.” As in, the true state of affairs. Apocalyptic is pointing out the sheer corruption of the Trump a

administration. Not only because it’s true, but because people don’t want to face the truth. That’s what makes the truth seem world ending. And something that’s going to end your world, is something you don’t want to know. 

Like the gospel teachings about drawing lines between people (the Parable of the Samaritan; the woman at the well in John’s gospel, who schools Jesus on the topic). There’s a great deal in the scriptures about caring for people who are NOK. There’s a long history of it in Xian teachings, both Catholic and Protestant.

I’m looking forward to the dialogue Pope Leo is offering.