My wife Letizia asks our 12 years old son Lorenzo: ‘So, how was your weekend in Philadelphia with Daddy?’
Lorenzo answers: ‘I am glad to have gone because I met one of the most important people in my life. The Pope is real fun and loves everybody.’
I could expect anything but this kind of answer, which is perfect in its truth! I thought he would mention nice things we saw in the city or the friends with whom we spent time together. What struck him is the Pope. I brought Lorenzo with me to see and receive the Pope because, when lately I have been trying to explain to him what Christianity is all about, what my faith consists of, I realize that my son needs a living witness, not a discourse. It’s so true that I need that too. The desire to follow the Pope on the different gatherings came about from that specific need.

Thus, after we got back home, how is it possible for an honest kid like my son to state that Pope Francis is one the most important people he met in his life?
Because Lorenzo has seen someone who he is real fun and loves everybody.

About the fun: Lorenzo laughs all the time, he loves being funny and likes funny people, including actors. His favorite one is in fact Jim Carrey. But I saw that Lorenzo was pleased by the Pope’s jokes because they are coming from a certain humanity, a beautiful sense of humor. His jokes do not need to be offensive or to bring up bad words to be funny. I heard thousands of people cheering and laughing at his jokes, laughing with a joyful heart because those funny lines were affirming something true, affirming an experience that can be traced back to our very own. These jokes were examples for everybody to better understand that what we believe in can be recognized in our daily lives. Lorenzo feels a sympathy for this man.

About the love: Lorenzo is now certain that that man loves everybody. Lorenzo is a very sensitive person, he can see if an adult is true or not in his or her behavior. He does not say that the Pope is good because he saw him doing good things, like lifting up an infant and delivering a kiss to his head, but because of the way he is and does things, like kissing a child. His way is different. The Pope is different, says things and looks at things differently than most of us. The "man in white" loves everybody. Who loves everybody?

Lorenzo was struck by that and considers him one of the most important people in his life. I love the word important, because someone is important when it brings something to your life, something useful. Like a new gaze. He could have said that the Pope is one of the most good-hearted people on earth, but no, he said: he is important. Important because there is a connection (now) between the person of the Pope and what Lorenzo’s heart is made of.

And me? What do I say about those days with the Pope? I realize I went to see the Pope because it’s fascinating to find someone who really loves reality before any other sentiment he could have towards it; before anything else he loves reality. His gaze is made of love. Like the guy who is in love with his woman, the Pope is in love. The Pope abandons himself so much to this love that his desire becomes evident: for every man and woman of this world to experience this kind of love. He offers it in all he encounters, and also to those he cannot reach.

With such certainty of being loved he looks at the world and all its happenings, and offers his life, his remaining time and his poor energies, for every person to receive the Good News for their lives.

So, going back to the Pope’s question ‘What about you?’ I answer: ‘I follow you!’