Bella and the Pope -- Paradise Found

There are few stories that grabbed my attention more than the murdered "Baby Doe" later known as Bella Bond whose tiny lifeless body was first placed in a refrigerator wrapped in a trash bag then thrown into the ocean washing up on the Deer Island shore as if she were nothing but refuse. My mind drifted like the currents did to her small body yearning to know how anything so heinous could be perpetrated on that innocent 2-year old. What could she have done to warrant such a blood-curdling end? The answer, of course, is nothing. That innocent child could have done nothing to warrant her fate. My mind wafts to the apex of incredulity that a member of the human species could stoop so low as to do that unspeakable horror to a child. Truthfully, though, why should I be shocked when I examine human history's cacophonous squeal? From the legend of Lizzie Borden to Charles Manson and Adolph Hitler the human wreckage of man’s carnage can be seen far and wide over the ironically beautiful earth’s landscape. But this was an innocent child we say straining to make some sense of it all. We cannot because there is no sense to be made.

To save our sanity in our time I believe we must look at humanity with a carpenter's level. We must know that our fellow travelers on this planet do not come in black and white. There are many shades of grey as one can see so many offers to bury free-of-charge that sinless child. Even Cardinal O’Malley offered to say mass for her. One can see monuments of candles, teddy bears and hearts left in her memory. If one looks carefully one can even find a Pope.

There is a reason so many love Pope Francis, including this Jewess. He represents man's search for acceptance, search for love and search for goodness in what is an otherwise cold, lonely and war-like world saturated in violence. This Pope has managed to capture even the most implacable hearts. Is he perfect? No one is but there is, in our time, no better example of empathy, kindness and justice that embodies this man. I laud you, Pope Francis, and ask you to say one for Bella, the personification of goodness and innocence on our earth. I look to the youthful purity of Bella gone well before her time and the aged wisdom of a Pope among us now trying to teach us understanding, acceptance and love as Jesus in parables is said to have done. Through Bella and the Pope the Paradise lost is the way to a Paradise found. To that I say Amen.