Today I went to meet some friends for lunch downtown. I didn’t even give thought to encountering protests and counter protests. The place was buzzing with activity. People were walking all the streets in all directions carrying signs with all different messages and flags of all different sorts. Later this evening, I saw parts of the President’s military parade honoring the 250th anniversary of the United States Army. It was actually more of a history lesson, which was unexpected. And then I saw that Pope Leo XIV addressed a crowd gathered at Rate Field, the home of the Chicago White Sox baseball team. He wasn’t there in person, but spoke on the big screen. He spoke to young people saying, “The world looks to you…We need you, we need you to come together to share with us in this common mission, as Church and in society, of announcing a message of true hope and of promoting peace, promoting harmony, among all peoples.” “And in that service to others we find that coming together in friendship, building up community, we too can find true meaning in our lives,” the pope said. “To share that message of hope with one another — in outreach, in service, in looking for ways to make our world a better place — gives true life to all of us, and is a sign of hope for the whole world.” It seemed to me that he was fully aware of everything that was happening in our country and continued to carry his message of peace. It was a very interesting day with so many mixed messages, and I was grateful to find the one that made the most sense.

I Found God today in His one true, loving, peaceful message.