By Jose G. Hortelano
THERE are various reactions to that incident when while walking along the line of devotees and a woman held tightly to the Pope’s hand so that Pope Francis nearly lost his balance and the Pope slapped the woman’s hand to free himself. I am therefore compelled to write something I know so that everyone would be enlightened especially those who have negative reactions.
In one of my readings, I have learned that a part or section of our brain is responsible for evaluating and processing any stimulus that we encounter and declares whether it is a good or bad hence a person knows how to give the proper response. But in an emergency situation like for example when we experience pain, fear and other life threatening situations, there is also one section of the brain that gives or dictates the immediate response and does not pass the information to the section that evaluates and processes. An example of this is when somebody slaps your face automatically you retaliate and slap the person that has hurt you. Sort of knee-jerk reaction, and because Pope Francis is a human being explains why he slapped the woman’s hand.
However, after that embarrassing incident, the Pope publicly apologized. That’s a sign of humility a virtue not all possess.