10/29/2021

My dear Friend & POTUS, JRB,

            Your marathon trip has started. I hope you’ve got plenty of energy.

            It looks like you were thrilled to be at the Vatican & you enjoyed introducing yourself to people as “Jill’s husband.” Someday you can explain to me why you do that. If it’s supposed to be funny, I don’t get the joke.

            Did Pope Francis (PF) like your gift of the handmade fiddleback chasuble? Today I learned it is part of the Catholic priest’s outfit. Did he really need another one of those? I think the command coin with the 261st infantry unit on it was a better choice. I’m sure that Beau is smiling up in heaven knowing that PF was thinking of him & that a memory of his life will stay in the Vatican. I didn’t get to see the tile that PF gave you, but my guess is that it is ornate.

            I have always found it odd that an organization that claims to serve the poor spends so much money on fancy outfits & expensive chapels. I agree with the song from Jesus Christ Superstar which asks, “why has it been wasted…could have been saved for the poor…people who are hungry, people who are starving matter more…”

I encourage you to promote the idea of simplicity on your trip. Simplicity works well for worship, for relationships & for the planet. When we worship in a plain space, we can focus inward. When we love without drama, we feel whole. When we live lightly on the planet, we have less stuff to worry about. The world is such a complex place, don’t you think we should simplify where we can?

Did you & PF happen to talk about Burma? I’m sure you’ve heard that the AP just uncovered solid evidence about the junta’s systematic torture of detainees at interrogation centers. Please consult with Rep Michael McCaul about his BURMA Act to see what needs to be done to get that passed. I know you have other legislation to worry about, but a bipartisan win on a foreign affairs bill might inspire folks to get BBB passed.

Say hi to EJFM for me.

BYBS,