Two Popes - We all have concerns
#film
#movie
#The Two Popes
I have watched the movie The Two Popes multiple times. There’s no particular reason, really. It’s just that when I watch it, it feels like a soothing and peaceful experience.
In The Two Popes, there are two popes with very different personalities. Pope Bergoglio (now Pope Francis) is a fan of The Beatles, while Pope Ratzinger doesn't know much about them, though he enjoys classical music. Their perspectives on the Church are also very different. They have different ideas about what the Church has been pursuing so far, and what it should strive for in the future.
Despite their differences, there is a moment in the film when these two popes come together. That moment occurs when they share their struggles with each other. The film reveals some of Pope Bergoglio's regrets from his younger days, which he confides in Pope Ratzinger.
Pope Bergoglio's painful memory comes from an event that does not align with the direction he now wants the Church to take. Because of this, he could not erase the pain of the memory. He felt that this painful memory would follow him until his death, and ultimately, he felt like an inconsistent person.
The event he regretted was a time when he, in his foolishness, had to sacrifice his own people and the Jesuits, which went against the Catholic faith he believed in. Pope Ratzinger, upon hearing Pope Bergoglio's confession, forgave him for his past mistakes.
Pope Ratzinger's own struggle was that he could no longer hear the voice of God. For a priest, not hearing God's voice is like a football player who can no longer use his legs.
I can only imagine how difficult it must have been for the sitting pope to share such a deep concern with anyone.
These two men were very different and had a hard time finding common ground. It was difficult for them to empathize because they had such different backgrounds and beliefs. However, toward the end of the film, the two of them come together because they shared their deepest struggles with each other, and in doing so, they connected and understood each other's pain.
This movie reminds us that everyone has struggles. Even those who have left worldly life to become clergy and have ascended to the position of pope experience difficulties.
Watching this movie, my own struggles didn’t seem insignificant, but it did make me realize that anyone, no matter their status, can face challenges in life. The size of one’s worries may differ, but everyone has at least one concern.
For anyone reading this, the worries and troubles you carry may not disappear easily, but I hope they don’t feel too heavy to bear.