Pope Francis, I'm disappointed with Jesus! I don't understand

MANILA: I wanted to be somewhere in Rizal Park today, 17 January 2015, Sunday at or before 3:00 PM where the mass will begin, but here I am unable to move and I'm not going to the park anymore. I know, Fr Federico Lombardi said, "If there is only rain, the Pope has no fear of rain – we see him in St Peter's Square, he is ready to be in rain" (quoted by Janess Ellao, 15 January 2015, thepoc.net). Today, the weather is predicted to be windy and rainy, and unlike you I'm afraid of the rain. I'm not like that girl in Tacloban yesterday who was praying fervently while the rain fervently fell on her and everybody else.

I wanted to meet you or, at least, see you in the flesh. I know – mind the message, not the messenger. But, Pope Francis, I wanted to see you because I wanted to give you a copy of my new book, inspired by you, 11 out of 13 chapters about you, your words and your works, what you preach and what you practice (the other 2 about the practice of Roman Catholicism by Filipinos anyway):

(1) "A Big Heart Open" – Interview with Pope Francis Annotated by Frank H
(2) Pope Francis, Champion of Faiths
(3) Papal Power. Pope Francis of the Little Doughnut
(4) Epal Power. The 7th Commandment: "Don't Steal!"
(5) Pope Francis & The Beatitudes of Power
(6) What Would Pope Francis Say? Charice on Glee, Fox Revisited
(7) The Large Hilario Family. Pope Francis & Population
(8) Jose Rizal, Hero as a Returning Roman Catholic
(9) Gift Of Release. A Pope Francis Lesson of 2013
(10) Pope Francis: For Catholics, Is He Leader or Soldier? Saint!
(11) Frank H and the Making of Pope Francis' Joy of the Gospel
(12) Pope Francis' Genius & Women's Genius
(13) Pope Francis, Champion of Science

I have already summarized what these chapters contain in my previous essay (visit "My Pope Francis book, the joy of the gospeler!" 16 January 2015, blogspot.com); in fact, I created on Christmas Day 2014 that very blog, Champion of Faiths, plural yes, which refers to you. So, I am disappointing myself by not going to the park and giving you a copy of my book. I'm disappointed with Jesus because of the wind and rain today; any other day would have been fine!

But my disappointment with my book and Jesus is nothing compared to that of the people of Tacloban City (and the rest of the victims of super typhoon Yolanda). I know that you told your Tacloban audience yesterday, 17 January 2015, that "Jesus does not disappoint" (rappler.com).

I'm about 1,000 km from Tacloban City, but I can empathize with the people there, that Jesus disappointed them. Why was Tacloban devastated? Why the Taclobanons? Once and twice. Why, Jesus, why?!

You told them, "He understands us because he underwent all the trials that we, that you, have experienced." But I'm sure they don't understand. "Why Lord? Why us?" They're disappointed that Jesus had forsaken them. They believed so much in Him.

In Spanish, you told them in an impromptu homily during the celebration of the mass at the Tacloban City airport:

Permítanme esta confidencia – cuando yo vi desde Roma esta catástrofe, sentí que tenía que estar aquí. Esos días decidí hacer el viaje aquí. Quise venir para estar con ustedes, un poco tarde me dirán, es verdad, pero estoy (aplausos). Estoy para decirles que Jesús es el Señor; que Jesús no defrauda (aplausos).

My extended translation (based on Fr Mark Gerard Miles' free translation at the moment of speech):

Permit me something confidential – When I saw from Rome that catastrophe, I felt I had to be here. And on those very days I decided to journey to here. I have come to be with you – a little late you tell me, it's true, but I'm here (applause). I have come to tell you that Jesus is Lord, that Jesus never disappoints (applause).

Despite the applause from the audience, I don't understand "Jesus never disappoints." Pope Francis, remember Yolanda killed about 10,000 and destroyed whole towns, not just dwellings and buildings and boats. Yolanda destroyed the past, the present and the future. They are believers; I am a believer. Is that punishment? They don't understand that; I don't understand that.

As you yourself put it:

Father, you might say to me, I was disappointed because I have lost so many things, my house, my livelihood.

They lost their family, their friends. And you say to them (Fr Mark's free translation):

It's true if you say that and I respect those sentiments. But Jesus is there, nailed to the cross, and from there he does not let us down. He was consecrated as Lord on that throne and there he experienced all the calamities that we experience. Jesus is Lord. And the Lord from the cross is there for you. In everything the same as us. That is why we have a Lord who cries with us and walks with us in the most difficult moments of life.

He walks with us.

"We have a high priest who is capable of sympathizing with our weaknesses," you told them. "Therefore he is capable of understanding us." You said (Fr Mark's translation):

So many of you have lost everything. I don't know what to say to you. But the Lord does know what to say to you! Some of you have lost part of your families. All I can do is keep silence and walk with you all with my silent heart. Many of you have asked the Lord – why Lord? And to each of you, to your heart, Christ responds with his heart from the cross. I have no more words for you. Let us look to Christ. He is the Lord. He understands us because he underwent all the trials that we, that you, have experienced.

He is capable of understanding us. Then I understand. He understands. We don't have to understand. We just have to accept. With faith.

He had his own cross, you told them (my extended translation):

And beside the cross was his Mother. We are like a little child who is down, in those moments we have so much sorrow, so much grief, in those moments we no longer understand anything, in those moments we want revelation, but all we can do is grab hold of her hand firmly and say "Mama!" – like a child does when it is afraid. "Mama!" It is perhaps the only word we can say to express our sentiments in those difficult times – "Mother! Mama!"

In the end, we get hold of the hand of Mother Mary and hold it tightly, and say, "Mama Mary!" Then I understand. She understands. We don't have to understand. We just have to accept. With faith.

A girl died yesterday at the airport at Tacloban City, an accident. We have to accept. A little girl prayed. She accepted, with her faith.