what s important and where is god in my life and what am i doing? what are my priorities? i think already today just simply by what s happening today and everyone participating and we re all going to be better americans and catholics will certainly be more faithful by this visit. jason, you don t have to be religious to relate to what this man says, the moral foundation that is is really what we are as a people. you know, he is the rare figure of unity on the global stage. when he washed the feet of that young muslim girl in prison, in rome two years ago, it was an image that went across the international media grid. it really spoke volumes about forgiveness. radical mercy is the theme of this pope and i think it manifests in so many ways, in the small symbolic gestures and in the larger statements that he makes through his writings and speeches. i can t wait to hear what he has to say to our congress. they could all use a talking to by somebody who s got a moral basis, i think.
cathe cathedra. the pope will enter the mass and everyone will settle down. father, also with us is jason berry who s lead religion writer for ground truth project. for people who aren t catholic like me, and maybe people who are of other faiths or not religious, help us understand the greater meaning of all of this. well, the mass is a celebration of the sacrifice of jesus s life. and it moves in several phases, each with its own sort of liturgical logic and meaning. but i think the ultimate message is one of i come back again to radical mercy. that s what jesus manifested in his life to those of us who are believers. and i think in some ways it is a universal moment. you don t have to be a believer to appreciate the poignance and the beauty of the ceremony