I'm not Catholic, but it's hard not to be drawn into watching the coverage of this pleasant-looking elderly man in his white robes and red shoes, being ushered off the plane to greetings from our nation's leaders, all the while being carefully guarded by his entourage as crowds try to grab a glimpse of him.

His presence has meant that news stories this week have carried some words that usually get laughed into the background: faith, hope, forgiveness.

And one teenaged pilgrim even managed to get into print the name that is most avoided in public, when she described the Pope to a Sydney reporter: ``He's like Jesus Christ on Earth.''

Tomorrow's planned appearance of the Pope on the water at Sydney Harbour before his followers has a Jesus-like flavour to it.

Jesus did at least once sit in a boat to tell stories to a crowd gathered on a beach.

But his other outings on boats included one where he calmed a storm; another where he walked on water.

And while this week's special guest reportedly has a grand piano in his room and snipers guarding his accommodation as he sleeps, Jesus was born out the back of an inn too full for his pregnant mother.

As an adult he mingled with and cared for some of the most despised people in town before being beaten and killed for claiming he was God and had the power to give new life to every guilty, broken person.

That's going to be quite a tough act to follow.

rsenescall@fairfaxmedia.com.au