Gracious God, we give you thanks for Pope Francis’s inextinguishable love for your people, especially those marginalized and traumatized by secular authority as well as by the church he led; for his devotion to ecumenical dialog and unity; and for his courage in speaking truth to callous power even in the last hours of his life. Twinning boldness and kindness, he is a pioneer for all who proclaim the risen Christ in these times. May he rest in peace and rise in glory. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Photo: By Meaghan O’Connor Bovee, during Pope Francis’s visit to New York City in 2015)