The best Pope is a man who realizes that he is just a man, yet also accepts his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ at His Word! For the best we can hope for in a Pope is another St. Peter! And imperfections aside, with the grace of God, Peter championed Christ all the way to his own cross--upside down in respect to the Supreme Cross of our salvation.
Understanding the Petrine Ministry: http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?id=2598
The next Pope will be a mere fisherman in that he cannot save a single soul without the grace of His Lord. Yet in the promises of Christ, this next successor to St. Peter holds the very keys to heaven! Matthew chapter 16 witnesses to Peter's inspiration from God the Father, as witnessed by God the Son, in professing Jesus as the Christ! In response, Jesus changed Simon's name to Cephas (Aramaic for 'rock'), and gave Peter the vocation of the Vicariate of Christ on earth, in lieu of Jesus' coming Resurrection and Ascension. Peter alone was given the keys to heaven and the power to bind and loose on earth as in heaven.
But we must remember that this very same Peter was rebuked by Jesus for tempting Jesus away from the Cross. Peter, moreover, wielded a sword and cut off the High Priest's servant's ear. Peter also thrice denied his Lord before the cock crowed! And according to Tradition, Peter was hightailing it out of town, for his own safety, when the Risen Lord asked him (Quo Vadis, Peter?) where he was going.
Quo Vadis: http://www.sacred-destinations.com/italy/rome-domine-quo-vadis
Yet in the end, in what really counts, Peter differentiated himself from Judas in the fact that he repented of his sins and came back crying for Divine Mercy. In response, the Risen Jesus reiterated (in the divine emphatic!) Peter's ministry as head of Christ's Church! Thrice Jesus gave Peter the chance to acknowledge his love for Jesus, and thrice Jesus commanded Peter to feed His (Jesus) lambs and look after his sheep.
John Chapter 21: http://www.drbo.org/chapter/50021.htm
So, in the end, only Christ is Perfect. All we can expect from the next Pope is to act like St Peter. And for this, he needs our prayers!
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