White smoke

I was raised Lutheran.  During every service, we prayed for the holy catholic church.  Somehow, in this child's mind, I thought we were praying for the Roman Catholic church.  I think I internalized some great desire to be reunited with our long lost brothers and sisters.  Perhaps on day, I thought they would just forgive Luther, and we could all be happy.  As an adult, I remember asking a Methodist about this.  He explained we were praying for the little 'c' catholic church, or universal church.
Either way, I think this longing to be reunited with the Catholics was a representation of something much deeper for me.  I would like to believe that we really are one Body, and church divisions can never change that.  We can argue and fight with each other, but ultimately, we are One.
I was watching streaming TV yesterday when the white smoke appeared.  My 4 year old thought I was crazy running around yelling, "We have a Pope!"  I dragged her to the TV and showed it to her.  About an hour later, the window was open to the balcony.  I forced her bigger brother to sit in bed with me.  I tried explaining what was going on.  He really didn't care because he wanted to play a video game.  I started wondering if I was loosing my mind, especially after having facebook discussions with practicing Catholics.  Was I simply being a voyeur? 
I have nothing at stake within the Catholic church.  I doubt I could ever convert.  My family certainly wouldn't.  My kids have had an eclectic religious upbringing, and don't have any particular emotions towards any religion, or clergy.  So why were my emotions so high? 
I was just being silly at first, but this moment turned into a Holy one for me.  I was able to hold a Beloved child and witness, via Television a truly historical moment.  The Conclave and other rituals are rooted in ancient tradition.  They didn't tweet the answer to the election, they had to send smoke.
I watched the TV channel with the quickest feed, and they had an interpreter that was keeping up with the new Pope.  I was simply breathing in the moment when the Pope said something that touched my soul.  He asked the people to pray for him.  He didn't ask the Catholics, or the Romans or the attendees.  He asked the people.  I sat in stunned silence as I realized that he was talking to all of us.  For one brief moment, we silently joined our prayers.  Billions of us across the globe were praying with the same intention.  Beautiful.
I prayed the Lord's Prayer with him, remembering Catholics cut off the last couple of sentences (I learned this the hard way during a service).  I prayed some of the Hail Mary, from what I could remember from the Anglican Rosary.  I prayed with billions of other people.  No one cared about my baptism, my faith, my history, I was just among the throngs of worshipers.  I let myself be caught up in a moment.  A moment without theologians, cannons, doctrines, divisions.  A moment of humility in a man asking for the Blessing of the people before he was worthy of bestowing his first Blessing as a Pope.