Our world is in a state of flux. The old parameters have shifted to a new progressive view of society and culture. In Western culture there is less tolerance for the old traditional ways on which the country was founded but at the same time there is a growing desire for a sense of belonging, for rebirth, and for home, family and community. We are hungry for authentic moments and genuine people.
Extraordinary events in recent days have encapsulated this strange but real desire to connect with our roots and what binds us as a civil society. None of them spring from a united vision. They give insight to the spiritual dimension in visual ways that move us. In our hardened and negative view of government, religion, and those who seem to lie to us instead of being transparent with straight talk, we witnessed public people coming out from behind the mask and exposing their hidden self and their religious anchor in this dry spell in our nation’s history. As I listened to Mark Shields and David Brooks discuss these rare exchanges on the PBS NewsHour, I could tell they were profoundly touched and appreciative of the inner graciousness, strength, and honesty of these public but personal authentic discourses, unusual by today’s standard where pretense clouds truthfulness.
Pope Francis came to Washington and left his mark. Pope Francis’ words to Congress stirred the nation. Here is a transcript. Simply stated but profound in essence, the Pope called us to a higher, better, and greater purpose than where we as a people have been floundering. Pope Francis spoke to almost every issue using a kind and gentle voice. We saw it lived out before us as the Pope ate lunch with the marginalized rather than the powerful and elite amongst us. His words made us consider our actions and ways in which we can improve for the betterment of society and the world. He made us listen for his words were softly calling us to action, to care, for the world is greatly troubled and none can ignore that reality.
Just weeks before, we watched Vice President Joe Biden talk with Stephen Colbert about his faith as he grieves the loss of his son Beau Biden. It was a simple but profound exchange. Biden’s expressions as a grieving dad losing an honorable son combined with the earlier losses of his first wife and daughter take us to the place of the human spirit making sense of difficulties of loss–such as found when we lose a particularly grand person through the ravages of disease. Colbert, too, knows loss, having lost his father and two brothers during his youth. Connecting through a very human exchange with an emphasis on a higher spiritual power made for an exceptional, authentic moment. I watched the video of their talk a few times intrigued by its realness and authenticity.
We as a nation viewed another center stage event at the Carter Center a few weeks before. President Jimmy Carter spoke candidly of his cancer and cancer treatment, his life and mission, and his firm faith in God. At ninety years of age, it was still remarkable President Carter’s peace, sincerity, humor, and calm, and his quiet acceptance of his illness. Strength and courage mixed with love and no regrets were presented on the face of a humble peanut farmer who has lived his life to help others. Again, faith was mixed with peace and candor. It was another exceptional, moving moment in which both liberal and conservative people could see the impact of a guiding faith on an individual coping with the extremity circumstances of life when life is raw and real but their center core is not destroyed and is alive and well.
The world’s bent toward the corruptive and dysfunctional behaviors stopped for a pause while we saw remarkable grace being lived out in three distinctly different men. We as a nation also saw John Boehner, Speaker of the House moved by emotion while standing in the presence of Pope Francis, a symbolic moment of an individual overcome in his inner self because his emotion, sense of awe and respect for the Pope could not be contained. It was John Boehner who invited the Pope to our country. These glimpses of the human in a display of the spiritual intermixing with the public will forever date the time of this writing. I include them anyway. Even though I differ in my views in some areas with each of these men, what we observe is the mask removed and the inner spiritual strength brought to the forefront. These real-life examples bring us to the point of why I include them.
Faith in God and God’s influence and presence in man or woman makes a great difference, not just in their outlook and beliefs, but in their center of reference, their inner person, and their viewpoint–and that is how it should be. Those are my ready examples. We could talk of others of the well-known both past and present public persons but that is for another day. Instead I have chosen to showcase recent authentic moments when inner belief has usurped the public persona to show the soul side of authenticity.
