Pope Francis is a remarkable man

The remarkable Pope Francis became the first Roman Catholic pope ever to address the U. S. Congress.  And what an address it was !!   It was both radical and full of the humility he always shows.   As if to underline the latter, following his address, he skipped the traditional lunch with political leaders to break bread with the homeless in a nearby church.

Francis built his message around the Golden Rule, especially in relation to the refugee crisis and immigration in general:  “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”  And he called for a higher definition of politics, based on that Golden Rule:

"If politics must truly be at the service of the human person, it follows that it cannot be a slave to the economy and finance. Politics is, instead, an expression of our compelling need to live as one, in order to build as one the greatest common good: that of a community which sacrifices particular interests in order to share, in justice and peace, its goods, its interests, its social life. I do not underestimate the difficulty that this involves, but I encourage you in this effort."

Except for indirect allusions to abortion and gay marriage (which he didn't actually mention by name) his message could have been endorsed by a progressive politician -- which Bernie Sanders lost no time in pointing out in a letter to supporters.

Francis is telling the billionaires that we cannot continue to ignore the needs of the poor, the sick, and the dispossessed who cannot find jobs.   He is saying there is something higher in life than greed and social injustice.   He is asking us to create a new society where the economy works for all, not just those with wealth and power.

Already the conservative politicians are nit-picking over this and that.   For at least one day, I want to just let this good man's moral vision and humility be untrammeled and untainted by smaller minds and hearts.

Ralph