Woke – Not the Pope

I don’t access Facebook on a regular basis any longer. (Check out the Netflix documentary: The Social Dilemma for an explanation of why.) 

So, when I was recently emailed a link to a Facebook post that apparently came from the new Pope, Leo XIV,  it struck me as not really ‘Papal’ phrasing, but the words rang true for me and I wanted to believe it came from His Holiness. However, I found out later that these are not the words of the Pope. They were generated with the help of AI and posted by someone else, attributing them to the Pope.

Here is the post: 

To be called ‘woke’ in a world that sleeps through suffering is no insult – it is the Gospel. Woke means awakened by compassion; guided by truth; humbled by grace. Committed to justice – not just for some, but for all.

Pope Leo XIV

After checking this online and running it by my wife, who studies the Italian language, and a good friend and Italian speaker, Paul Knitter (Without Buddha I Could Not Be A Christian), I got copied on this exchange between them:

My wife: “Non erano le parole del Papa.”

Paul replied with an expression in Italian: “Si non é vero, é ben trovato.”

A loose translation:  

“Not the words of the Pope”

“If it’s not true, it’s appropriate.”

From my perspective as a Buddhist, I think these words express the sentiment of the Buddhist teachings and are very appropriate. The spiritual path is entered through the portal of awakening to the realization that others are suffering in just the same ways that we are suffering. This realization evokes the feeling of compassion for all those who are suffering in a similar way. We are then called to use our renewed awareness of connection with others to express our compassion toward others in the activities of our daily life.

Our meditation practice serves to support and reinforce our expression of our true nature of openness, acceptance, and compassion in our off-the-cushion (daily life) practice.