Keller @ Large: Listen To The Pope's Words

BOSTON (CBS) - If you were around here back in 1979 when Pope John Paul II became the first and only pope to visit Boston, you know what it's like to be in Washington, New York or Philadelphia this week.

As you can see from the wall-to-wall coverage, no person on earth can command attention simply by coming to town the way a pope can.

All the ceremony and the public's excitement over it is fine. But what's really interesting about this or any other pope is how he chooses to use that extraordinary pulpit.

I'm writing these comments before Pope Francis speaks to a joint session of Congress, but Wednesday in his canonization mass he hit on something that ought to be nourishing food for thought for Congresss and our other politicians.

In his homily, the pope talked about Jesus's exhortation to others to go out and spread the word about faith and love.

"Go out to proclaim the good news that error, deceitful illusions and falsehoods do not have the last word in a person's life," was how the pontiff paraphrased the message.

Right there is a pretty good description of what's gone wrong with our politics, not to mention some other parts of our culture.

Our errors are obvious – just ask the critics and adversaries of those in power, the ones who blundered when they were in control.

Our deceitful illusions include the presumption of moral high ground on issues that cry out for compromise and humility.

And our falsehoods? It's much, much easier to find those in a day's worth of politics, than it is to find truth.

The pope said those toxic habits don't have "the last word."

But the fact that he saw fit to point them out is proof of their prominence.

Listen to Jon's commentary:

You can listen to Keller At Large on WBZ News Radio every weekday at 7:55 a.m. You can also watch Jon on WBZ-TV News weeknights at 11 p.m.

Email Jon at keller@wbztv.com or reach him on Twitter @kelleratlarge.