Dates bear a certain fascination for me. They are markers of great and small events, coincidences, joys and tragedies. Tags get attached to happenings and historical events often get remembered in a short hand manner. The phrase “9/11” means but one thing now since that fateful date in 2001 when Manhattan was attacked.  

Today’s date, July 10th, has no particular association, one more day in the Northern hemisphere’s Summer months. So in reading the latter pages of Yves Congar’s “My Journal of the Council” this afternoon I went back to his entry for this date in 1963, exactly fifty years ago. I found this.  

“He did not operate by great exposition of ideas but by gestures and a certain personal style”.  

Congar was of course speaking of John XXIII who had died early in the previous month.  

Now fast-forward to our time, and realise just how those same words might be applied to Papa Francesco. Since March he has been recognised by many for his gestures, both simple and significant. His style is very much a personal affair, how he goes about his life as the Bishop of Rome, what he wears, what he does, his simple yet meaningful words. You have only to look at the improvised remarks that get included in his weekday sermons to see this individuality at work. And incidentally his references to Synods and Collegiality are to be welcomed indeed.  

Style and gesture mark us out. People recognise us through our style, be it in dress, our manner of speaking or expression of ideas. Gesture can be just as significant, if not more so. The hand stretched forth in greeting, the smile that accompanies it, the warm hug of friendship, the affectionate arms that reach out to show compassion in sorrow, all tell so much about who we are and where we come from. And such gestures often say so much more than many eloquent words.  

I remember a young teacher coming into my office after school one day, distressed that a friend, about her age, had died. What could she say to her husband, what should she do? I suggested she knock on his door, say nothing but to give him a consoling hug. She came to see me the next day. “Thank you Chris, it went well”. Words can sometimes get in way when we need to show deep emotion and feeling. The touch of love from an embrace can often say so much more.  

In that same Journal entry, Congar also notes that “...It has become clear that he has profoundly altered the religious map and even the human map of the world simply by being what he was.”  

Maybe that is the Gospel calling for each one of us, to be who we are and through our being, show others the Christ who animates our life, for that is what Francis is presently doing.