Every morning, I attempt to wake myself up by perusing Twitter and other social media outlets. Monday morning was no different. However, instead of seeing the usual “ugh it’s Monday” tweets and bypassing the #ManCrushMonday Instagrams, my feed was flooded with more pertinent information.

Pope Benedict XVI had resigned from the papacy, the first pope to do so in 600 years.

A statement from the Vatican on Monday confirmed Benedict, at 85 years of age, would leave office, effective Feb. 28. The pope said in a statement that his “strengths, due to an advanced age, [were] no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry.”

As the day progressed, tweets were flying with opinions about the pope’s unexpected resignation. Many blamed the recent (and not-so-recent) sex abuse cases that have plagued the Roman Catholic Church. Others scoffed at the pope’s decision, making statements about his laziness or that he should have stuck it out. Sarcasm aside, I think this was my personal favorite:

“Maybe Pope Benedict is giving up the papacy for Lent? #JustKidding.”

Here’s what I’m saying: Cut the guy some slack.

I had the privilege of standing in the middle of St. Peter’s Square a few months ago with a few thousand of my closest friends from around the world and listening to Benedict pray the Angelus at noon in a variety of languages. It was beautiful and awe-inspiring, but I would be lying if I said my friends and I didn’t exchange nervous glances when mid-prayer, Benny (I decided it’s cool if I call him Benny, I mean we did pray together, right?) had a pretty severe coughing fit, causing him to have to start the prayer over. I think it’s safe to say the entirety of the crowd was holding its breath, unsure if the poor guy was going to see it through.

I’m not saying that I, of all people, know the health conditions of the leader of one of the major religions of the modern world because I witnessed him cough while I stood in the pouring rain for 15 minutes, three months ago. I have to believe that this is something he has prayed about (the guy’s got a pretty direct connection) and talked about with advisors and doctors before coming to the conclusion that this is what is best for him and the people of the Roman Catholic Church.

Seriously, who among us has 85-year-old grandparents who are still working, much less leading 1 billion people, and are key holders of the Church?

A post from the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharists’ Facebook page provided clarity to this event. Yes, I was also a bit surprised to find the Dominicans have a Facebook; I guess no one is exempt from the social media hype. It read: “Pope John Paul II remained in office so that he might show us how to suffer and how to die. Pope Benedict XVI is leaving the Papal Office so that he might show us how to live in humble honesty.”

This is what Catholics should hold on to when looking to make sense of the pope’s unexpected retirement. He’s not ditching out. He’s not trying to run away from some of the problems the Church faces today.

He’s just old.

Too old, he recognizes, to effectively handle the responsibilities that come with holding papal office.

It’s always easy to pin blame on a central figure. Some have criticized the pope’s actions, or lack thereof, in opposition to the sex abuse cases that have surfaced in recent years. Some thought the pope to be too conservative, and not in keeping with the modern world and church reforms that came with the Second Vatican Council.

Some complained he was too old to take the papacy when he was elected eight years ago.

Instead of questioning his actions, let’s focus on the good that Pope Benedict XVI brought to the papal office. Benedict canonized 44 new saints, including the first Native American saint. Additionally, he waived the usual five-year rule, which says the process for sainthood cannot begin until five years after the person has died, in order to beatify his predecessor, Pope John Paul II. Talk about humility.

Between his countless meetings with world leaders in an effort to bring peace, the encyclicals he wrote continuing the religious education of the Church, and unwavering service to his people, Benedict’s papacy should be remembered as fruitful, not the butt of tweets trying to make judgments in 140 characters or less.

Here’s the kicker; Benny is on Twitter, too.

@Pontifex.

#FollowHim.