"What a beautiful day the Lord has made," said President Obama.
Even for presidents and popes, some days stand out…And today was a morning of majesty.
Together at the White House were two of the world’s most powerful symbols of hope and change, urging more of it, because more is always needed.
The president praised the pope’s humility:
"Your Holiness, in your words and deeds, you set a profound moral example. And in these gentle but firm reminders of our obligations to God and to one another, you are shaking us out of complacency," said the president.
The pope responded, speaking in English with no translator:
"Mr. President, together with their fellow citizens, American Catholics are committed to building a society which is truly tolerant and inclusive, to safeguarding the rights of individuals and communities, and to rejecting every form of unjust discrimination," said Pope Francis.
They agreed climate change must be confronted. The pope quoted Martin Luther King, Jr.
"We can say we have defaulted on a promissory note and now is the time to honor it," said the pope.
On immigation–the pope made it personal:
"As the son of an immigrant family, I am happy to be a guest in this country, which was largely built by such families," said the pope.
Amid the joy, neither the president nor the pope ignored reality:
"Around the world at this very moment, children of God, including Christians, are targeted and even killed because of their faith." said the president.
"When it comes to the care of our common home, we are living at a critical moment in history," said the pope.
Today church and state were not separated. And both were made stronger by publicly stating their shared values, and simply standing together.