Our Pope: The Humble Shepherd
Some of you may already know, our Pope John Paul II has passed on physically into Eternal Life with Jesus this morning 11.37 am (PST). His spirit, though, continues to be with us, especially the youths in the world.
Pope John Paul II has done many incredible things in his life. And especially after he became Pope, he has worked tirelessly for peace and reconciliation in this wounded world. He advocated for inter-faith dialogues and understanding. One really significant thing he did was the reconcilation between the Church and our Jewish brothers and sisters. There are many more such things he did during his papacy, and it would be endless to list them all here. Since most newspapers and articles will talk about those great things anyway, I will not repeat them here. Instead, I would like to write more about one thing that was very close to his heart-- the Youth.
On a slightly personal side of him, he has held the Christian youths in the world really close to his heart. Before he became Pope, he was a University chaplain and loved to be with the youth. When the Vatican announced that he was to become Pope, he cried because being Pope would mean that he can't be with the youth as much as he wished to anymore. But because he was fully given to the will of God, he accepted the position. However, his love for the young people did not stop there. He started World Youth Day. This was his way to continue being with the youth. For me, he was the one who gave us, the Christian youths in the world, a "status" in the Church. By his love and advocacy for the active participation of youths in the Church, we are no more just the future of the Church... but are now part of *the Church*, fully and completely a part of it.
I was fortunate enough to have had a rather close encounter with him at World Youth Day 2002 in Toronto. The image of a hunched and humble old man, who was full of peace and love, continues to live in my heart. When he got out of the helicopter that transported him to the pilgrimage site, he saw the Christian youths from all over the world come to be with him. At that moment, he teared at that sight, and so did I.
Before JPII passed on this morning, the Vatican reported that he had mouthed repeatedly the words "I have looked for you. Now you have come to me. And I thank you". These words were supposedly directed to the Christian youths who came to visit and pray for him outside his apartment at the Vatican.
For me, these are very powerful words because it seems to me not only that he was referring to the Youths, but also to God, Himself. This just further shows me that the Holy Spirit of God *is* present in the world today, and it is in you and in me. In God, we all are One. The Pope has looked for us the Youth, and God in us; and now, we have come to him. God has come to him. And we thank you, too, our humble shepherd, for a beautiful life fully and humbly lived.
Pope JPII was a teacher and a steadfast shepherd of his flock till the end. The way he left his physical body from this world to God in His Kingdom continues to be an example of peace and total surrender to the will of God. I will forever be inspired by his Faith and trust in the Lord, even at the face of death. His humility, total surrender, emptying of himself, and most definitely compassion, Peace and Love, are the qualities of a true servant of God. I continue to cultivate myself towards that.
Our Holy Father, JPII, be at peace, for we have heard the Word, your spirit lives in us. We will continue your works. Till we meet again in Our Lord....
Pope John Paul II has done many incredible things in his life. And especially after he became Pope, he has worked tirelessly for peace and reconciliation in this wounded world. He advocated for inter-faith dialogues and understanding. One really significant thing he did was the reconcilation between the Church and our Jewish brothers and sisters. There are many more such things he did during his papacy, and it would be endless to list them all here. Since most newspapers and articles will talk about those great things anyway, I will not repeat them here. Instead, I would like to write more about one thing that was very close to his heart-- the Youth.
On a slightly personal side of him, he has held the Christian youths in the world really close to his heart. Before he became Pope, he was a University chaplain and loved to be with the youth. When the Vatican announced that he was to become Pope, he cried because being Pope would mean that he can't be with the youth as much as he wished to anymore. But because he was fully given to the will of God, he accepted the position. However, his love for the young people did not stop there. He started World Youth Day. This was his way to continue being with the youth. For me, he was the one who gave us, the Christian youths in the world, a "status" in the Church. By his love and advocacy for the active participation of youths in the Church, we are no more just the future of the Church... but are now part of *the Church*, fully and completely a part of it.
I was fortunate enough to have had a rather close encounter with him at World Youth Day 2002 in Toronto. The image of a hunched and humble old man, who was full of peace and love, continues to live in my heart. When he got out of the helicopter that transported him to the pilgrimage site, he saw the Christian youths from all over the world come to be with him. At that moment, he teared at that sight, and so did I.
Before JPII passed on this morning, the Vatican reported that he had mouthed repeatedly the words "I have looked for you. Now you have come to me. And I thank you". These words were supposedly directed to the Christian youths who came to visit and pray for him outside his apartment at the Vatican.
For me, these are very powerful words because it seems to me not only that he was referring to the Youths, but also to God, Himself. This just further shows me that the Holy Spirit of God *is* present in the world today, and it is in you and in me. In God, we all are One. The Pope has looked for us the Youth, and God in us; and now, we have come to him. God has come to him. And we thank you, too, our humble shepherd, for a beautiful life fully and humbly lived.
Pope JPII was a teacher and a steadfast shepherd of his flock till the end. The way he left his physical body from this world to God in His Kingdom continues to be an example of peace and total surrender to the will of God. I will forever be inspired by his Faith and trust in the Lord, even at the face of death. His humility, total surrender, emptying of himself, and most definitely compassion, Peace and Love, are the qualities of a true servant of God. I continue to cultivate myself towards that.
Our Holy Father, JPII, be at peace, for we have heard the Word, your spirit lives in us. We will continue your works. Till we meet again in Our Lord....
posted by Charl | 1:20 PM
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