Judges 6:11-24 / Matthew 19:23-30
Pope Francis chose the motto "Miserando atque eligendo", meaning lowly but chosen; literally in Latin 'by having mercy, by choosing him'.
That motto expresses the essence of the call by God to him to be the pope. That motto is the same one the Pope had already chosen as Bishop.
In the Bible, we see it over and over again who God calls for a special purpose - the lowly.
In the 1st reading, the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon and addressed him as "valiant warrior".
But Gideon could not understand it because his clan was the weakest in Manasseh and he was the least important in his family.
So he was not a warrior, much less a valiant warrior; in fact he had to hide himself while threshing wheat so that the oppressors would not find out.
But the Lord turned to him and said, "Go in the strength now upholding you, and you will rescue Israel from the power of Midian. Do not I send you myself?"
Yes, it is the Lord who empowers, who strengthens and who sends forth those He had called and chosen.
So as much as we see the weak and lowly as impossible candidates for any great mission, yet what is impossible for men is certainly not impossible for God.
Pope Francis was lowly but God chose him. We have to remember that each of us are already chosen by God for a special mission.
We just need to be lowly and humble in order to be empowered and strengthened in order to fulfill our mission.