Pivoting on the Cross: Pope Francis’s Playbook for Spiritual Resilience

 

 Introduction: A Pontiff’s Passion for Sports and Spirituality 

Pope Francis, known for his humility and pastoral warmth, reveals in his autobiography an unexpected hobby dimension of his life: a deep love for sports and particularly his interest in football. His allegiance to the Argentine soccer club San Lorenzo de Almagro —founded by Salesian priest Lorenzo Massa— and finding pride in supporting the team hint at a formative link between faith, community, and play. San Lorenzo is a neighborhood in Buenos Aires. Francis’ support for San Lorenzo ties to his Salesian connections, which influenced his upbringing and perhaps his spirituality. Yet it is basketball, a staple of his youth at the Salesian oratory, that provides a striking metaphor for Christian living. Speaking on basketball, Francis says, the player while dribbling the ball suddenly stops pivoting around a fixed leg, trying to motion himself in diverse directions in order  to pass or free himself to proceed to score the basket. The Pope’s reflection on the “pivot”—a basketball maneuver where a player anchors one foot to change direction—becomes a transitional and spiritual ‘pivot’ analogy: just as athletes pivot to navigate the court, Christians must root themselves in the Cross of Christ to serve others amid life’s challenges. This column explores how this athletic wisdom illuminates the path of discipleship, particularly for priests and religious in an era of tumult and transformation; pivoting while being centred on the Cross of Christ and live lives in service towards others, especially when things seem tough and difficult.

The Art of the Pivot: Lessons from the Court 

Let me explain the basketball term for those unfamiliar. Pivoting in basketball is when a player stops moving but can rotate around one foot to change direction. It's a strategic move to avoid defenders or find a better passing angle. In basketball, the pivot is a moment of strategic recalibration. When a player stops dribbling, plants one foot, and rotates to survey the court, they gain clarity to pass, shoot, or evade defenders. The move requires balance, awareness, and trust in one’s footing. Without that anchored leg, the player risks traveling—a violation—or losing control. The key analogy here is the basketball move where a player stops dribbling, pivots around a fixed leg, and then moves in a new direction. Similarly, life demands moments of pause and reorientation. We relate this maneuver  to being grounded in Christ (the pivot foot) while being able to adjust to life's challenges. Pope Francis relates this to Christians, particularly clergy and religious, needing to pivot around the Cross of Christ, especially in tough times, to serve others.

For Pope Francis, the Cross of Christ is the “fixed foot” around which believers pivot. It is both a source of stability, strategy, adaptability and a catalyst for dynamic movement. Just as the pivot enables athletes to adapt mid-play, the Cross equips Christians to respond to adversity with grace and creativity.

 The Cross as Our Fixed Point: Theology of a Spiritual Pivot 

The Cross stands at the heart of Christian identity, symbolizing sacrifice, redemption, and unconditional love. Jesus clearly directed his disciples: "Take up your cross" (Mt 16:24).  St. Paul writes, “May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Gal 6:14). The Cross is central to Christian identity. The Cross as the fixed point. The Cross represents sacrificial love and salvation. Elaborating on this analogy by connecting the basketball pivot to spiritual life we expand this reflection, mostly for a religious and lay persons. The readers would be interested in how sports metaphors apply to their faith and vocation. The Cross as the pivot point, leads us to discuss the challenges faced by Christians/priests, and how the Cross helps them serve others despite difficulties through practical applications.

Pivoting around it means keeping Christ's sacrifice central, allowing it to guide decisions and actions. When things get tough, instead of moving away, you turn towards the Cross for direction. To pivot around the Cross is to center one’s life on this paradox: strength in weakness, victory in surrender. For clergy and religious, whose vocations are marked by public witness, the Cross is not merely a symbol but a lived reality. It calls them to embrace the “folly” of the Gospel—serving the marginalized, forgiving relentlessly, and prioritizing spiritual wealth over worldly acclaim. 

There is a link  in connecting the pivot to Salesian spirituality, since the Salesians focus on youth, sports, and education. Don Bosco's oratories used sports as a means of evangelization. Pope Francis's father playing basketball at the Salesian oratory shows the environment that shaped him. This ties to the idea that sports teach collaborative teamwork and strategy—qualities applicable to spiritual life. The pivot as a lesson from sports applied to faith. The Salesian tradition, which shaped Pope Francis’s early years, emphasizes joy, youth outreach, and the sanctification of daily life. Sports, in this context, were more than recreation; they were tools for forming character and community. Don Bosco, founder of the Salesians, saw play as a means to teach discipline, teamwork, and trust in God. The pivot, then, becomes a Salesian metaphor for discernment: staying grounded in Christ while engaging the world with agility.

Challenges of Modern Ministry: Why the Pivot Matters 

Why is this important for priests and religious? Priests and religious today face a court crowded with challenges: pressure of secularism, clerical scandals, internal Church issues, sustaining faith, societal and religious polarization, etc. They face burnout in the midst of  declining vocations. The Cross as their anchor helps them stay focused on service and mission. Therefore, there is the  need for a firm foundation. The pandemic amplified these struggles, forcing ministries to “pivot” literally—to virtual Masses, doorstep sacraments, and emergency outreach. Yet even in calmer times, the temptation to drift from the Cross persists. Some cling to rigid traditionalism, refusing to rotate toward new needs; others chase relevance at the cost of Gospel fidelity. 

Pope Francis’s analogy offers a corrective. The spiritual pivot is neither stagnation nor aimless motion. The Cross is not static but a source of dynamic movement. Being rooted allows flexibility in service. It is the art of holding fast to the Cross while turning toward the ever-changing “signs of the times.” For a priest in a dwindling parish, this might mean reviving traditional devotions while embracing social media evangelization. For a nun serving the homeless, it could involve advocating for systemic change without losing sight of individual dignity. . Pivoting allows one to see new opportunities to serve others in need, change tactics if needed, but always rooted in Christ. The Cross isn't just a symbol but a call to action. Pivoting helps in responding dynamically to others' needs, while being rooted in Christ's love to serve effectively. The Cross, as the fixed point, ensures that adaptation never becomes compromise.

Saints as Pivotal Figures: Historical and Modern Examples 

The saints, contemporary priests and nuns made a difference exemplifying this balance, because they kept the Cross central. For example, St. Teresa of Avila’s experience of Christ's presence in the midst of daily sufferings and humiliation, and  St. Francis of Assisi embracing the Cross. Modern clergy and these men and women embody this centrality of the Cross. St. John Paul II, whose motto was “Totus Tuus” (Totally Yours), anchored his papacy in Marian devotion while spearheading ecumenical dialogue and confronting communism. Mother Teresa pivoted around the Cross by seeing Christ’s cry of “I Thirst”  in the “distressing disguise of the poor,” combining contemplative prayer with radical service. Closer to our time, Fr. Damien of Molokai rooted himself in Eucharistic adoration while serving lepers isolated by fear, and Sr. Norma Pimentel, a modern-day advocate for migrants, draws strength from the Cross to defend the vulnerable at the U.S.-Mexico border. 

These figures show that pivoting on the Cross is not passive. It demands courage to face resistance, whether from external critics or internal doubts. As St. Ignatius of Loyola taught, discernment requires freedom to “find God in all things”—a freedom grounded in unwavering love for Christ.

Practical Playbook: Cultivating a Pivotal Spirituality 

How can today’s Christians, especially clergy and religious, practice this pivotal spirituality?  How to cultivate this pivot point in daily life?

1. Anchor in Prayer: Begin each day before a crucifix, asking, “How does the Cross shape my decisions?” Daily prayer before a crucifix, the Liturgy of the Hours and Eucharistic adoration recenter the soul on Christ’s sacrifice. 

2. Examen for Discernment: Reflect nightly  and examine to see where one needs to pivot: Where did I pivot toward or away from the Cross? Identify moments when fear or pride hindered Gospel responsiveness. 

3. Serve at the Peripheries through corporal and spiritual works of mercy: Like Pope Francis’s “field hospital” Church, step into uncharted territory—prisons, online forums, interfaith spaces—while carrying the Cross as a banner of hope. Engage in works of mercy as actions stemming from the Cross. Embrace the 'pivot' moment, rooted in Christ, to serve others with agility and love.

4. Embrace Sacramental Renewal: Confession and the Eucharist (and other Sacraments) restore spiritual balance, much as athletes hydrate and rest. 

5. Community as Coaching: Surround yourself with “teammates”, communal and interfaith fraternity, forums, associations, groups and movements (spiritual directors, lay collaborators, civic bodies) who challenge and support your mission. 

Conclusion: The Game Plan for Gospel Life 

Pope Francis’s basketball analogy invites us to view the Christian life as a divine sport—one where agility and fidelity coexist. In a world that glorifies speed and self-sufficiency, the pivot teaches us to slow down, plant ourselves at the foot of the Cross, and move outward in love. His teachings on the Church as a Mission, going out to the peripheries while pivoting on the Cross, makes sense. The pivot allows turning towards those in need. For priests and religious, this is not a mere strategy but a survival skill. The Cross, as the ultimate fixed point, transforms every trial into a pivot toward resurrection. 

Here is Paul's analogy of athletes in spiritual life: “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.  Therefore, I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize” (1 Cor 9:24-27). As the final buzzer approaches, may we all learn to play the game with the heart of a saint: eyes on the prize, feet grounded in grace, and hands ready to pass the ball of mercy to a world in desperate need of hope. “For the love of Christ impels us” (2 Cor 5:14)—to pivot, to serve, to live.