Francis’ time as pope has come to an end and already many are attempting to define his legacy. Was he a reformer? Was he a progressive? Was he an apostate? Perspectives are wildly varied with some honoring him as the greatest pope of modern times and some dishonoring him as a disgrace to the office.
As I read various columns, several words seem to come up repeatedly, though none so often as humility.1 From his earliest days he was described as “the humble pope.”2 It was said to be humility that compelled him to take the name “Francis” and evidence of his humility that he asked the faithful to pray for him rather than the other way around. He declined some of the more ostentatious benefits of the papacy and chose to live a simpler and less pretentious life. In these ways and many others, he seemed to show exemplary humility.
Yet before we concur with such an assessment, we ought to consider this: What is humility? Humility, in the words of Wayne Mack, “consists in an attitude wherein we recognize our own insignificance and unworthiness before God and
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