Tribute to Pope Francis: May his memory be a blessing
We publish a recollection of the late Pope Francis, signed by the professor who was the initiator of the letter written to Pope Francis by some 400 rabbis and scholars, in the aftermath of the outbreak of war in Gaza, to which the Pope responded with a reply expressing appreciation.
Apr 26, 2025
By Karma Ben Johanan
To our Catholic brothers and sisters,
In February 2024, at a moment of great affliction for our people, Pope Francis addressed the Jewish community in Israel with words of comfort, reminding us that the Church and the Jewish people have walked a long shared path.
Today, as we continue this two-thousand-year journey together, it is we who extend a hand to you, with deep solidarity and a sincere expression of sorrow for the loss of your beloved shepherd.
In Jewish tradition, to say “may his memory be a blessing” is not merely to express grief, but to take on a commitment: to make memory active, to transform remembrance into action, by bringing to life what the departed has sown in the world. Ultimately, the most authentic eulogies are those enacted with the hands, not merely spoken with the lips.
Creation, the Psalms teach, gives glory to God without words:
“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands... their voice goes out through all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.”
This too was the legacy of Saint Francis of Assisi, who invited even the birds to join in praising the Creator: “Sing, sister cicada, and praise your Lord!” It was an invitation to praise God not with words, but with one’s very life.
Inspired by the Poor Man of Assisi, Pope Francis always gave greater value to gestures than to discourse. As he wrote in Fratelli Tutti:
“Francis did not wage a war of words… he simply spread the love of God... In this way, he became a father to all and inspired the vision of a fraternal society.”
May our mourning for Pope Francis be translated into concrete actions. Let us build, step by step, gesture by gesture, that fraternal society he spoke of.
May his memory be a blessing.--Vatican News
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