Thoughts on the true nature of the Papacy

While in public the Popes are well attired and look wealthy. In private they live humble essentially poor lives with little in the way of material possessions.

Benedict  XVI showed that he is a humble man by freely surrendering his role as leader of over a billion Catholics because he felt he was no longer physically able to do the job Christ called him to.

What most forget is that the Papacy is not about power but service.  Just as the God who created everything became a man and died for us, stooping to wash the dirty feet of His apostles along the way, in order to teach us that serving others is the surest way to true happiness the Pope lives a life of service and sacrifice.

Benedict did not want to be Pope; he wanted to retire, take it easy and write.  Yet when called he abandoned his own personal plans to serve God. 

In this Lenten season we should look to Benedict as an example of how serving God leads to true happiness.