Mixed message from the Pope

"Pope: 'Guardian Angel' didn't stop him from breaking wrist". The story caught my eye mainly as an opportunity for the Pope to address transpersonal (i.e. beyond Ego yet mingling with it) elements in his own universe. The manner in which someone refers to the doings of his higher principle can say a lot about his relationship with the unconscious Self.

In the story two quotes are (we assume) taken directly from the Pope regarding an incident in which he broke his wrist. The first is most telling: "Unfortunately my own Guradian Angel did not prevent my injury, certainly following superior orders," he said.

When something "bad" happens to us, we often first view it as "misfortune" - forces conspiring against the self (Ego). With the passing of time many come to see the same circumstances as acceptable or even favorable, causing a complete reevaluation of the intent of said forces. There's a wonderful zen parable which illustrates the all-too-common trap of placing lables of "good" or "bad" luck on circumstances, one constantly leading to the other and then back again until it becomes plain that the only sensible position of the Ego to the tides of fortune is as a still witness.

Here the Pope, who must be all too aware of the power of his every uttered word, potentially betrays himself to be at odds with his greater Self (God). The begged question: how can his circumstances be "unfortunate" if they have come from something superior to even his Guardian Angel?

His next sentence takes a positve view of his circumstance, but seems trite and maybe even resigned: "Perhaps the Lord wanted to teach me more patience and humility..." One wants to view this as making lemonade out of lemons, but in the wake of his statement about his failed Guradian Angel it sounds more like a punitive measure. The idea of "superior orders" leading to a shameful stepping aside of one's very own trusted Guardian Angel flies in the face of harmonious conjunction and indeed sounds more like a military hierarchy.

Despite possible appearances this not a diatribe against the Pope, about whom I know little and hold no grudge. It is an opportunity to explore through him the mentality of the modern religious masses, who see the nature of the universe through him as he speaks to them. To so many he is as a representative of the highest spiritual position a mortal man can take and it is therefore reasonable to expect the most of his references to the forces which shape the lives of humans.

The Pope's reactions to his accident seems to betray an apprehension to these forces, if tempered by casual aplomb. A reflection of the 1st World mindset today, perhaps?

At the very least he missed an opportunity to ruminate positively on the web of circumstance weaving in and out of all goings-on in God's great domain. Or something like that.

This story can be found here:
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D99O4M380&show_article=1

And here:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2009-07-29-pope-angel_N.htm