The Holy Father has chosen neither to fall silent nor backpedal regarding is recent lecture, which has caused such an uproar in the Muslim world. Sandro Magister in this commentary gives the most cogent and coherent analysis of why he has done and is doing the right thing.
Here is one personal observation. When I saw pictures of Pope Benedict in his open-air car circling St. Peter's Square this past Sunday, I thought this is a man who is not afraid to die. In fact, I recalled his original hesitancy at being asked to ascend the throne of St. Peter. He was probably thinking to himself, "OK, Lord, I didn't want this job in the first place. Now that I'm in this predicament, I'll need you to protect me. If you want me to continue what I'm doing, You'll ensure I'm safe. If not, then this would be a perfect opportunity to cut my pontificate short. Thy will be done."
I'm not saying he is being reckless; rather, he is faithfully carrying out his mission with no earthly fear. Would that we have courage enough to take a page from his playbook.
