Dear Editor,
It is not surprising to me when Pope Francis comes up with innovative ways to reach out to people especially with his down-to-earth message of love and unity. I was pleasantly surprised when I opened TED Talks yesterday and saw him giving his message of unity, love, and tenderness. 
The pontiff has been very creative in his approach to his pontificate by using modern mediums to communicate the Gospel message to the world. Hence, I would tend to think that Pope Francis rises to the modern times so that he can reach out to thousands of people in an effective and faster way.
Let me briefly express the message that he delivered to the world in his TED Talk. This message fits well with the Season of Easter. Firstly, he emphasised the need for unity and peaceful coexistence. “The future you” is his tagline to convey the message of unity, knowing well the atrocities which are divisive and done to the people in the world. This message is crucial as he prepares for a two-day visit to Egypt at the end of this week. It is crucial as experts on the country say he will face a series of difficult choices while he’s there. The trip could be one of the most delicate yet of his four-year papacy. For the Pope, “unity” has been a key factor in his papacy.
Secondly, his message of love is communicated powerfully throughout his papacy. Although, the Pope himself promotes technology, he is well aware that technological innovations have blinded humanity to see our neighbour who is suffering. We watch the stars and planets orbiting in the far distance, but we also need to see people who are orbiting us to provide our help.
Thirdly, his message of tenderness is crucial for our times. He emphasises the use of our eyes and ears to see and listen to the children, the poor and those who are afraid of the future, and also to listen to our common home, Mother Earth. Tenderness is to use our hands and hearts to comfort others, to take care of them.
The message of unity, love, and tenderness is important for our modern times, irrespective of religions. Although the Pope speaks as a Christian, this threefold message could apply to every individual and every country in the world, including Guyana, because our issues are similar with varying intensity.
Sincerely,
Reverend Jerri
Melwin Dias, SJ
Diocese of
Georgetown
