Resurrection Energy: When a Friend and a Pope Die 

A few years ago one of my friends died suddenly. And, his death taught me more about the meaning of Resurrection than any theology class or Church service I’ve ever attended. 

Rev. Graham Golden, O. Praem., was the unique sort of person who seemed to be able to befriend and maintain relationships at an exponential rate. No matter where he encountered someone—at a coffee shop, in a Church, at a meeting, on the streets—they would feel that they had made a friend, and would feel at ease. By his simple, humble, and relational witness and pastoral leadership, Graham had a great impact on the world. After I met Graham, I felt loved and I loved him in return.

Only after Pope Francis died last week did I start to realize that I deeply loved him too. I don’t think the death of any other public figure has caused me to cry so much. I even began to wonder if I had fallen into some sort of parasocial relationship with him during his papacy, with an imagined connection. Then I realized my grief was more connected to gratitude for his humble leadership and witness, for the impact he had. Pope Francis’ encyclicals, apostolic exhortations, and pastoral sensitivities helped me to feel assured that I belong in the Catholic Church and my vocation is a gift. 

When Graham died, the stories of the early Church  became relatable. Graham was a man centered in Christ. Like Jesus, Graham had an impact on so many different people that some of us only discovered our common connection to him after his death. Old and new friendships fell into a different depth and solidarity. 

After Graham’s death, love expanded and brought much newness into my life, filling me with creativity, hope, and energy. I gathered and had meals (broke bread) with others who knew and loved Graham, some who I barely knew before, and we each talked intimately about our experiences of encountering Graham after his death: in our dreams, in new ways. As we shared and felt the newness emerging, I became convinced that the new bonds between those who knew and loved Graham after his death were much like the bonds that built the early Church after Jesus died and rose back to life. 

Since Pope Francis died, I’ve been pondering how he mirrored Jesus Christ in his leadership style. And I’ve been reminded of Graham’s death, of how unity is felt in grief and memory. Death builds community. Death offers new life.

Two nights after the world learned about the death of Pope Francis, I joined a Lutheran group of women for a discussion about the meaning of community inspired by my book, For Love of the Broken Body. The pastor who facilitated the conversation asked for us to name prayer requests and then  eloquently spoke a prayer aloud, weaving together all of our requests. As I asked for prayers for the repose of Pope Francis’ soul and for the whole Catholic Church, I felt held by a group of women who aren’t Catholic. My chest warmed with wonder.  Then, I felt tears flood my eyes as we prayed together that somehow Pope Francis’ death would build unity and peace throughout the world.

Beyond that prayer group, beyond the friendly local circles, people all over the globe continue to grieve the death of Pope Francis. We are in a holy time now. We are in a time of Easter, yes, and we are also in a time of newness and love. 

We remember our encounters with Pope Francis’ witness and his important teachings, and as we do we experience love. Love for him, for God who worked through him, and for each other. During this holy time let us look around and notice the newness and love that is here and now, building hope and peace in the midst of the sorrow, the mess.

Resurrection energy—new life rising from death—builds unity and peace. Yes, Pope Francis is dead, and so is my friend Graham, yet they are part of the body of Christ; Christ who makes all things new.

[Jesus Christ] came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near, for through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.

So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone.

Through him the whole structure is held together and grows into a temple sacred in the Lord; in him you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.   —– Ephesians 2:17-22

Christ is Risen and Christ is Peace, and we are being built together into one in Christ. Alleluia!