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Good Morning – there is a web site called Twiplomacy… which measures the impact that world leaders have through Twitter.  Although President Barack Obama has the most followers - Pope Francis is retweeted the most often and thus could be deemed the world’s most influential leader on Twitter.  In an age of hashtag diplomacy the ability to communicate directly without having to go through the filters of journalists and editors and the spin of advisors is refreshing.  However a picture still has a bigger impact than 140 characters: the selfie standing proud above the hashtag.  But it’s amazing how many of us no longer are present to events as they unfold in front of our eyes.  With more and more sophisticated recording equipment just one click away, we so often record for posterity what is in front of us, experiencing life through a smart phone lens. 
But there is something about the selfie culture that can leave a bad taste in the mouth.  Has social media  produced an age of exhibitionism? –and if so, what explains the popularity of the Pope’s tweets?  Is it because his words are calculated to inspire hope or solidarity?  In the age of the so-called ‘celebrity humblebrag’, the sincere humility of Francis is a refreshing change.  A humblebrag, is an ostensibly modest or self-deprecating statement whose actual purpose is to draw attention to something of which one is proud.  But such ‘double-speak’ leaves us empty, whereas  Francis’s simple, faith-filled words are always aimed beyond himself.   May my words be used carefully today, whether in real life or virtual, and may they bring with them blessings. Amen.