"Certainty." Sometimes it takes the strangest things in life to adequately articulate what you've had trouble giving voice to in your walk as a Christian. Or Jew. Or Buddhist. Pick your faith, brother. For me, though, I've always balked at anyone or any church that professes to know with certainty the mind and will of God. That sort of arrogance is not only off-putting but telling in the extreme. The same can be said of politics, but for once I'll show some restraint and keep it to the topic at hand. "Certainty." Again, it's strange how something like a movie, in this instance Conclave, can give voice to how you've felt your entire life without understanding why or how to articulate it. Then Ralph Fiennes, starring as the Cardinal Dean in charge of the Conclave to elect the next Pope, gives a little commentary on the enemy of the Church and faith itself. And all is made clear! A movie, of all things! Not a sermon, song, or speech. A movie! A two minute pep talk, in this case. Warning his fellow Cardinals of the dangers of certainty. The certainty that allows no room for doubt or reservation. Ironic, coming from a priest, when most of them might suggest it's a sin to even have uncertainty in your heart. But as the Dean so wisely pointed out, even our Savior had doubts and uncertainty. A friend of mine belongs to a certain faith that tells their followers to put all doubt and questions on a shelf. To do otherwise, they're told, is a sin against God and church. They're hardly alone in this self serving admonition, now are they? How very convenient to say that to your parishioners who might suspect you of misconduct. Catholic leaders sure enough did that with their own pedophile priests. Begging and sometimes threatening members of their own congregations to let them deal with those sorts of things in-house. Again, they're hardly the only church guilty of such things. Put any man in a position of power and give him absolute obedience and you'll have created a monster. Believe anything they say, and...well, I promised not to go there this time, didn't I? The Dean's point was to remind his fellow Cardinals that the best of men are those who leave room in their hearts and minds for doubts and uncertainty. God gave us the free will to receive or reject Him and His message. The choice is ours. That's the basis of our faith. To still find a way to believe and follow Christ despite all our questions and doubt. To accept and believe without doubt or certainty is to relinquish your God given gifts for ration and reason. At the end of Conclave a new Pope is elected and we're left with some lovely symbolism before the end credits roll. Independence, light, and unbound joy. The very things that make up this thing we call Hope. May you relinquish your certainty to reason and rationally, my friends. While holding on steadfast to the faith that binds God and all good things together.