Please enjoy this writing by Pope Francis written while in the hospital.
[Note: after the publication of the Hilltop Echoes, it was discovered Pope Francis did not write the following. Author unknown, but still a beautiful message.]
Pastor Val
The walls of hospitals have heard more honest prayers than churches…
They have witnessed far more sincere kisses than those in airports…
It is in hospitals that you see a homophobe being saved by a gay doctor.
A privileged doctor saving the life of a beggar…
In intensive care, you see a Jew taking care of a racist…
ready to receive the organ from a poor donor…
It is in these moments, when the hospital touches the wounds of people,
And in this communion of destinies, we realize that alone, we are nothing.
The absolute truth of people, most of the time,
only reveals itself in moments of pain or in the real threat of an irreversible loss.
A hospital is a place where human beings remove their masks
and show themselves as they truly are, in their purest essence.
This life will pass quickly, so do not waste it fighting with people.
Do not criticize your body too much.
Do not complain excessively.
Do not lose sleep over bills.
Make sure to hug your loved ones.
Do not worry too much about keeping the house spotless.
Material goods must be earned by each person—
do not dedicate yourself to accumulating an inheritance.
You are waiting for too much:
Christmas, Friday, next year, when you have money,
when love arrives, when everything is perfect…
Listen, perfection does not exist.
A human being cannot attain it
because we are simply not made to be fulfilled here.
Here, we are given an opportunity to learn.
So, make the most of this trial of life—and do it now.
Respect yourself, respect others.
Walk your own path and let go of the path others have chosen for you.
Respect: do not comment, do not judge, do not interfere.
Love more, forgive more, embrace more, live more intensely!
And leave the rest in the hands of the Creator.”
Pope Francis
December 17, 1936 – April 21, 2025
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One Response
I sometimes find people amusing. The poem above that has been attributed to Pope Francis on the internet actually was not written by him. In searching for the actual author, which is unknown as best I can find, I came across many upset people at Pope Francis for “plagiarizing” this poem. I cannot find any claim by Pope Francis that he did write it. As Pastor said in Sunday service, we need to be aware of the source of our shared information. But I would claim, the poem would probably be supported by most hospital staff and the message is beautiful. Whoever wrote it, let us relish in the love that it expresses.