Revolution of Tenderness

The photo shows two inexperienced sisters with a very trusting little visitor to our monastery.  This little boy trusts us while at the same time he keeps a watchful eye on the faces of his loving parents. What joy he brings to his family and to all of us. Your heart can’t but melt when you see him.

Looking at this photo made me more aware of our responsibility to make our world a better place for him and the next generation. Sadly, at the moment we are failing in many areas. All around the world we are conscious of so much human suffering.  But one person who is calling us to look at our lives and make a difference is Pope Francis. He is the person who speaks often and calls us to a Revolutions of Tenderness. Yes, a Revolution of Tenderness!

When I first read these words I wondered what the Pope could possibly be referring to. When I think of revolution I think of some violent events in history like the French Revolution. 

When I looked up the meaning of Revolution, just to be sure, the search came up with ‘a forcible overthrow of a government or social order, in favour of a new system’.  And then I checked out tenderness – ‘gentleness and kindness’. These are two powerful and very contradictory images. Another powerful image the Pope Francis uses is ‘Unjust Mercy’. 

This is what he had to say at a conference whose audience consisted of founders of some of the world’s biggest tech companies, as well as politicians, artists, entertainers, venture capitalists and leaders of major cultural institutions and foundations. Pope Francis addressing those gathered said:"tenderness is not weakness; it is fortitude. It is the path of solidarity, the path of humility. Please, allow me to say it loud and clear: The more powerful you are, the more your actions will have an impact on people, the more responsible you are to act humbly. If you don't, your power will ruin you, and you will ruin the other.”

Pope Francis called those present to a "Revolution of Tenderness. “How wonderful it would be if the growth of scientific and technological innovation would come along with more equality and social inclusion? How wonderful it would be, while we discover faraway planets, to rediscover the needs of our sisters and brothers orbiting around us?

How wonderful it would be if solidarity — this beautiful and, at times, inconvenient word — were not simply reduced to social work and became, instead, the default attitude in political, economic and scientific choices, as well as in the relationships among individuals, peoples and countries.” (https://www.ted.com/talks/his_holiness_pope_francis)

Earlier this year Pope Francis also called Grandparents and the Elderly (including himself) to be part of the Revolution of Tenderness: ‘Old age is no time to give up and lower the sails, but a season of enduring fruitfulness: a new mission awaits us and bids us look to the future. He invited them to join ‘the revolution of tenderness, a spiritual and non-violent revolution in which I encourage you, dear grandparents and elderly persons, to take an active role.’

We are all called to this non violent Revolution of Tenderness. I feel, looking at the photo of our little visitor and his devoted parents, the need to do my part, however small, for the Revolution of Tenderness. Wherever we are or whatever we do we can make the world a better place for the next generation to live in.