“In the world you will have trouble,
but take courage, I have conquered the world."
John 16:33

In today’s gospel Jesus tells his disciples to have courage because they will have trouble in the world. They couldn’t have been too surprised because Jesus was constantly stirring up what we might call “good trouble.” But when he told the disciples that he had conquered the world, they must have thought he had gone crazy. What was Jesus missing about Rome and Caesar?

I assume Jesus was referring to his kingdom that was not of this world since he obviously lacked temporal power. However, Jesus’ kingdom    has an impact on the world and its temporal rulers.

I was thinking about this as I watched leaders of 156 countries join an enormous crowd for the installation of Pope Leo XIV.  IT struck me how the papacy has evolved from monarchial to service leadership during my lifetime and the added moral force this gives today’s popes.

During my youth, I saw Popes John XXIII and Paul VI carried aloft in a chair through St. Peter’s Square then crowned with the triple crown symbolizing their authority over the Church and the world. In contrast, like all popes since Paul VI, Pope Leo received a simple woolen pallium that symbolizes his role as the Church’s shepherd.  That perspective that popes no longer act like kings became beautifully evident during the liturgy when various representative of the people of God, not just cardinals and clergy, offered their obedience to Pope Leo. Instead of stiffly extending his hand for his genuflecting subjects to kiss his ring like a sovereign, Pope Leo greeted participants with smiles, handshakes and hugs.

It’s almost shocking to recall that for centuries, popes ruled actual kingdoms, even leading military expeditions against their foes. It’s only been about 150 years since they lost control of the Papal States and retreated to the Vatican, calling themselves its prisoners. Ironically this loss of temporal power has vastly enhanced the pope’s status as the world’s most important moral leader who influences Catholics and non-Catholics alike.

World leaders flocked to the Vatican for the funeral of Pope Francis and the installation of Pope Leo out of respect for and possibly fear of this influence. Think, for example, of the impact of St. John Paul II on the fate of communism in Eastern Europe.   Many leaders will disregard the messages about peace, love and prioritizing the needs of people on the margins. But they felt compelled to show up, if only for the photographers.

Now it is up to us, the people of God, to work to implement the pope’s messages. This may take courage, but today’s gospel assures us that we need not be afraid because Christ has conquered the world.