You, Too, Go Into My Vineyard!

Habemus Papam!

What an exciting moment!  I decided this morning to leave the radio on while at work to hear any word that might come about the conclave.  I truly didn't expect that we would have a new pope already.  But when word came this afternoon that there was smoke, I looked at my watch and thought, "This is too soon for it not to be white smoke!"  And as the reporters kept debating whether it was white or black, but describing it as continuing to billow out, I just knew.  Having during this interregnum seen old news coverage from 1978, I remembered taking note of how the white smoke just kept coming and coming.

Habemus papam!  Pope Benedict XVI!  Man, I wish I had ordered a Ratzinger Fan Club mug.  If Chris is smart, he won't print any more up and sell the remaining lot on eBay to the highest bidder!  (Just kidding.)  I have yet to see more than these pictures of him, but I am excited that we have been given another gifted teacher as our shepherd. 

And I could not help but notice that the Holy Father described himself as a "simple, humble worker in God's vineyard".  Loyal Integrity readers should recognize that, too.  For the parable of the vineyard and workers being sent out into the vineyard (at all times of the day) is the entire framework for CFL, the previous Holy Father's great exhortation on the vocation of the laity that Integrity is dedicated to examining.   I have no doubt that our Holy Father would echo his predecessor's message drawn from that parable:  You, too, go out into the vineyard (Matthew 20:7)!

Post Script:  Those eager to learn from our new Holy Father can check out many of his writings, thanks to Ignatius Press.  I have a whole shelf of his writings that I now shall revisit.  But one interesting volume that I think may get overlooked by some --  but is fitting of the theme of Integrity --   is  Co-Workers Of The Truth, a set of meditations for each day of the year that was prepared using the Holy Father's writings.  He chose the title because it is from his Coat of Arms, and signifies all the faithful in the service of the Gospel.