By Sr (Dr.) Teresa Joseph fma –
Karol Jozef Wojtyla was born in 1920 in Wadowice, Poland. He was the third of three children born to Karol Wojtyla and Emilia Kaczorowska. He was elected Pope on October 16, 1978, becoming the first Slav pope and the first non-Italian pope in 455 years since Dutch Pope Adrian VI, who served from 1522 to 1523.
On October 22, he inaugurated his pontificate with a solemn High Mass in Rome’s St. Peter’s Square. John Paul II died on April 2, 20015, after shepherding the Church for over 26 years. Pope Benedict XVI beatified him on May 1, 2011, establishing October 22, the day of his inauguration, as his feast day. Pope Francis officially declared him a saint on April 27, 2014, along with Pope John XXIII.
Customarily we celebrate the feast of a person on the anniversary of his/her death, the day the person left for his/her eternal abode. However, in the case of Pope John Paul II, his feast was fixed for October 22, when his pontificate was officially inaugurated.
We have abundance of treasured material available on our beloved Pope St. John Paul II. Spurred on by gratitude for the rich heritage this Pontiff shared with us, here is one more loving attempt to take a closer look at this great saint.
Treasure hunt is “a game in which each person or team attempts to be first in finding something that has been hidden, using written directions or clues” – https://www.dictionary.com/. I set out on a treasure hunt with curiosity, playing the game of analyzing a few of St. John Paul II’s cherished expressions to find out what was the secret that led him to become a Saint.
From the uniqueness of the human being to accept the call to be virtuous
- The human being is single, unique, and unrepeatable, someone thought of and chosen from eternity, someone called and identified by name.
- Courageously follow the path of personal holiness and diligently nourish yourselves with the word of God and the Eucharist. The holier you are, the more you can contribute to building up the Church and society.
- Do not forget that true love sets no conditions. It does not calculate or complain, but simply loves.
- In prayer, you become one with the source of our true light – Jesus Himself.
- Prayer, intimate dialogue with the One who is calling you to be his disciples, must come first. Be generous in your active life…and be deeply immersed in the contemplation of God’s mystery. Make the Eucharist the heart of your day.
- Do not be afraid of the radicalness of His demands, because Jesus, who loved us first, is prepared to give Himself to you, as well as asking of you. If He asks much of you, it is because He knows you can give much.
- The way Jesus shows you is not easy. Rather, it is like a path winding up a mountain. Do not lose heart! The steeper the road, the faster it rises toward ever wider horizons!
- From Mary we learn to surrender to God’s will in all things. From Mary, we learn to trust even when all hope seems gone. From Mary, we learn to love Christ, her Son and the Son of God…As a great sign that has appeared in the heavens, Mary guides and sustains us on our pilgrim way, urging us on to “the victory that overcomes the world, our faith” (1 Jn 5:5).
- It is the duty of every man to uphold the dignity of every woman.
- As the family goes, so goes the nation and so goes the whole world in which we live.
- Learning to think rigorously, so as to act rightly and to serve humanity better…
- Accept the call to be virtuous. This means being strong within, having a big heart, being rich in the highest sentiments, bold in the truth, courageous in freedom, constant in responsibility, generous in love, invincible in hope. Happiness is achieved through sacrifice.
A quick glance at the above quotes marvelously reveal that St. John Paul II had his mind and heart set on becoming holy and traced out for himself a way of life lived in close intimacy with Jesus and great openness with the whole human family.
Saints in the making
The good news for us is that we are saints in the making with Jesus the Great Good News. Are we still looking for a roadmap to lead us to holiness? St. John Paul II can offer us one. Now is the favorable time for us to become saints, now is the time to ask what is important for each one of us at this particular time in history under the spell of COVID-19, in the Church of Pope Francis.
Journeying with the Lord, we get a taste of how He surprises us and feel deep within the need to respond courageously to the challenges we face day after day and it is in this spirit of openness that we ponder the words of St. John Paul II. The Lord is working miracles in our lives and amazing things are happening in and around us.
St. John Paul II Lives on
Thanks to the Magisterium of Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI and in that of Pope Francis. Can the world ever forget that penetrating glance of St. John Paul II? Oh no, it will never be possible. Yes, friends with that charming smile and piercing look; he is inviting us to renew our faith in Jesus Christ our Lord and Redeemer. Remember it is you and I who can through our daily commitment continue to give life to the teachings of St. John Paul II. Each time we forge ahead without fear and open wide our hearts to Christ, we are permitting St. John Paul II to live on.
An intentional stop at the tomb of St. John Paul II
Why don’t we surprise St. John Paul II on his feast day? Let us take time to make an imaginative stop at the tomb of St. John Paul II in Rome’s St. Peter’s Basilica, to thank God for the treasures of holiness and of friendship that this great Pontiff has shared with the world. As Pope, he tirelessly pleaded with the Lord on his knees for the whole human family and now from heaven above he will surely whisper a prayer for us especially when the world is attacked by the COVID-19 global pandemic.
His legacy of witness challenges us to do likewise!
With St. John Paul II we pray that we may treasure the uniqueness of our lives, courageously follow the path of personal holiness, without fear open wide our hearts to Jesus, contemplate the mercy of God and like Mary surrender ourselves to God’s will, love Jesus and serve humanity better. St. John Paul II pray for us.
Sr. (Dr.) Teresa Joseph, FMA is a Salesian Sister of the Bombay Province. She holds a masters degree in Science of Education with specialization in Catechetics from Auxilium Rome and a PhD in Missiology with specialization in Inter-religious Studies from the Gregorian University Rome.
Sr Teresa is a freelance writer and contributes articles for various journals in India and abroad. Her recent publications include Dream Big Dream True and Family of Truth: The Liminal Context of Inter-Religious Dialogue. She has launched and co-edited an animation book for the family titled Stay Connected in the Circle of Love (2007).