J
Jeanette_L
Guest
It’s very lovely, you’ll like it.UhOh.
I can only access youtube when I’m at the library.
Soon, soon, soon.
Don’t forget now. If you’re like me, you’ll have a hundred things you’ll want to remember at that time. 
- Status
Don’t forget now. If you’re like me, you’ll have a hundred things you’ll want to remember at that time.
I
Indyann
Guest
Check this one out, but have a tissue handy
youtube.com/watch?v=lyhdNNjNuRw&feature=related
Thank you Pope John Paul II.
youtube.com/watch?v=lyhdNNjNuRw&feature=related
Thank you Pope John Paul II.
J
Jeanette_L
Guest
That was very touching, just beautiful. Thank you for sharing.
J
JReducation
Guest
Ann, you are an evil woman.
But it is one of the most fitting tributes to one of the greatest saints of the 21st century.
What impressed me most was his face whenever he is holding the Eucharist. It begs the question, how can we deny that Christ is present? How can we deny that the mass in any form, fails to communicate the presence of our Lord and Saviour to those who are open to receive the message? How can we judge a man’s actions, when his soul is so transparently clean and identified with his Lord and Saviour?
When did we become judge, jury and prosecutor?
If there were mistakes in the past, do we blame them on the saints or on humanity? The human condition is not a perfect one. God is not done with us yet. We will take three steps forward and two backward. This is how all children learn to walk. The greatest failure in holiness is to fear, because fear leads to panic, panic to defensiveness, defensiveness to injustice, and injustice to hell.
This was the message of John Paul II, “Do not be afraid.”
If there is no fear, the rest won’t happen.
JR
J
JReducation
Guest
Catharina just reminded me of something very beautiful and deep in the spiritual life.
We were speaking of spiritual short-sightedness, when people focus too much on the externals to the point that they miss the light right before their eyes.
I was reminded of St. Catherine of Siena. We must keep our focus on the goal. The goal is the spiritual union with God. The rest is icing on the cake.
Like St. Catherine said, the union with God is a mystical nuptual. There is always cake at every wedding and it should be beautiful and dignified and so much our worship, both in liturgy and in life.
Every action that we perform must be beautiful and dignified. It should reflect our Creator. But our actions, not even the liturgy are the goal. They are the path.
No one understood more the importance of the solemnity of the Eucharist, the Liturgy of the Hours, the mystery of the Church and the depth of scripture than the saints. But it was not their understanding that made them saints. It was their charity.
They drew from all of these things that the Lord gave us the grace to bring love to perfection in their own lives.
Contrary to what we may think, they were very human. Catherine of Siena, one of the greatest theologians of the Church was a woman of great charm. She ran her parents’ home where she received all kinds of people, from saints to sinners, from bishops to paupers. She had a whit about her. Some say that she had a great laughter and a joy that was contageous.
Her faith did not express itself in condemnations or criticisms of a Church that was in Crisis or a nation that had fallen into the hands of a madman. Her faith expressed itself in actions and writings to those who needed and wanted what she had learned from the Lord through her contact with him through prayer and Eucharist.
If the Lord is all good, all knowing, and all merciful, there is nothing pitiful about him. Those who come into contact with him through a deep life of prayer and service walk away with a sense of joy and relief knowing that all is well, despite the wind.
This was the joy of the saints, the knowledge that all was well, because God was in charge. They simply responded to his gifts and shared them freely. The greatest gift they shared was their inner peace.
Anyone who disturbs himself with the turmoils of the world around him, the Church or even their own family has not touched the mercy of God and has failed to see the omnipotence of God to calm the storm.
How can we be saints, without confidence in God’s mercy and power?
JR
We were speaking of spiritual short-sightedness, when people focus too much on the externals to the point that they miss the light right before their eyes.
I was reminded of St. Catherine of Siena. We must keep our focus on the goal. The goal is the spiritual union with God. The rest is icing on the cake.
Like St. Catherine said, the union with God is a mystical nuptual. There is always cake at every wedding and it should be beautiful and dignified and so much our worship, both in liturgy and in life.
Every action that we perform must be beautiful and dignified. It should reflect our Creator. But our actions, not even the liturgy are the goal. They are the path.
No one understood more the importance of the solemnity of the Eucharist, the Liturgy of the Hours, the mystery of the Church and the depth of scripture than the saints. But it was not their understanding that made them saints. It was their charity.
They drew from all of these things that the Lord gave us the grace to bring love to perfection in their own lives.
Contrary to what we may think, they were very human. Catherine of Siena, one of the greatest theologians of the Church was a woman of great charm. She ran her parents’ home where she received all kinds of people, from saints to sinners, from bishops to paupers. She had a whit about her. Some say that she had a great laughter and a joy that was contageous.
Her faith did not express itself in condemnations or criticisms of a Church that was in Crisis or a nation that had fallen into the hands of a madman. Her faith expressed itself in actions and writings to those who needed and wanted what she had learned from the Lord through her contact with him through prayer and Eucharist.
If the Lord is all good, all knowing, and all merciful, there is nothing pitiful about him. Those who come into contact with him through a deep life of prayer and service walk away with a sense of joy and relief knowing that all is well, despite the wind.
This was the joy of the saints, the knowledge that all was well, because God was in charge. They simply responded to his gifts and shared them freely. The greatest gift they shared was their inner peace.
Anyone who disturbs himself with the turmoils of the world around him, the Church or even their own family has not touched the mercy of God and has failed to see the omnipotence of God to calm the storm.
How can we be saints, without confidence in God’s mercy and power?
JR
I
Indyann
Guest
Ann, you are an evil woman.
I am diabolical.:crying:
youtube.com/watch?v=NduFz8Km4eY&feature=related
C
catharina
Guest
Ah yes, JR, that peace that passes all understanding, indescribable, inexplicable, a simple gift that’s never earned.
Lately I’ve thought of mentioning something on other threads that would be so upsetting to so many (not on this thread!) but let me mention it here anyway.
Spirit of the law.
Letter of the law.
We can say God is love and we are called to love, to be loving, to be forgiving, to be patient, to be kind, to be faithful to the Pope …
or we can insist, Yes, it was thus and so, therefore it must be this and that or at the least THAT, it must, it must, it must…
I won’t be posting that anywhere else, only here. Make sense?
Spirit of the law, letter of the law. I’m not speaking of NO LAW!
Lately I’ve thought of mentioning something on other threads that would be so upsetting to so many (not on this thread!) but let me mention it here anyway.
Spirit of the law.
Letter of the law.
We can say God is love and we are called to love, to be loving, to be forgiving, to be patient, to be kind, to be faithful to the Pope …
or we can insist, Yes, it was thus and so, therefore it must be this and that or at the least THAT, it must, it must, it must…
I won’t be posting that anywhere else, only here. Make sense?
Spirit of the law, letter of the law. I’m not speaking of NO LAW!
J
Jeanette_L
Guest
Of course your posts are always packed full,Anyone who disturbs himself with the turmoils of the world around him, the Church or even their own family has not touched the mercy of God and has failed to see the omnipotence of God to calm the storm.
How can we be saints, without confidence in God’s mercy and power?
JR
it’s hard to respond to it all without a lot of thought, but this bit hits home for me. Thanks.
J
Jeanette_L
Guest
You could post it elsewhere, Catharina, I actually did once, went right on over the heads of everyone involved.
It proved the point in and of itself.
Thanks for reminding us.
C
catharina
Guest
This is the thread that needs no reminder!You could post it elsewhere, Catharina, I actually did once, went right on over the heads of everyone involved.
It proved the point in and of itself.
Thanks for reminding us.
M
Mickey_Jackson
Guest
I’m getting a little redundant in saying this, but that was an excellent post.Ann, you are an evil woman.
But it is one of the most fitting tributes to one of the greatest saints of the 21st century.
What impressed me most was his face whenever he is holding the Eucharist. It begs the question, how can we deny that Christ is present? How can we deny that the mass in any form, fails to communicate the presence of our Lord and Saviour to those who are open to receive the message? How can we judge a man’s actions, when his soul is so transparently clean and identified with his Lord and Saviour?
When did we become judge, jury and prosecutor?
If there were mistakes in the past, do we blame them on the saints or on humanity? The human condition is not a perfect one. God is not done with us yet. We will take three steps forward and two backward. This is how all children learn to walk. The greatest failure in holiness is to fear, because fear leads to panic, panic to defensiveness, defensiveness to injustice, and injustice to hell.
This was the message of John Paul II, “Do not be afraid.”
If there is no fear, the rest won’t happen.
JR
You’d have to be a darn good actor to fake that!
By the way, I’d like to apologize for helping to bring the debate about Traditionalism, ecumenism, the New Mass, etc. to this thread; it seems to be the wrong place for it. I’ve spent way too much time on the Traditional Catholicism forum, where there are quite a few people with quite a few very convincing arguments against the Church’s current position on these topics. Being a relatively uneducated lay person, I’ve had to formulate counter-arguments in my own mind with which to reassure myself that those who adhere to the SSPX and other such groups really are wrong, and I made the posts about John Paul II’s personal sanctity and Pius XII’s approach to ecumenism in part to see if my self-reassurances held any water in others’ eyes. But I’ll try to stick to reflections on saints on a personal, rather than political and canonical, level. I’m sure every one of them would tell me to worry less about Church politics, and more about my own soul
Peace and blessings to all. John Paul the Great, pray for us, and may your words resound throughout our world: “Be not afraid!”
M
Mickey_Jackson
Guest
Since I’m on the forum (I’m the head of a local human rights advocacy group and we have a big event coming up, so I haven’t had time to post in a few days), I’ll say one more thing about JPII (again, I sort of have this fixation on relatively modern saints, particularly Popes). If there is not a patron saint of human love, by which I mean the love that exists between a man and a woman, then I would think he’d be a perfect candidate for this position. His speeches and writings on the Theology of the Body will go down in history right next to the Confessions of St. Augustine and the Summa of St. Thomas Aquinas. I really think that there needs to be a much greater push to link the Church’s teaching on sexuality with the concept of true Christian love, which is of course the most important virtue of all. We, who have had the opportunity to witness the Pontificate of this great man, need to do much more to show the world that the Church does not attempt to limit the love known as eros, nor does she attempt to condemn it as evil; rather, she desires only that we use it in the way that God intends, that is to say in the service and development of that greater love known as caritas. This perspective, developed almost exclusively by John Paul II, has really helped me overcome some of my own struggles with my sexuality (his teachings on Divine Mercy have been indispensable as well). Thanks to him, I understand now that when the Church condemns the excesses of the modern world in sexual matters, it is not because the world has brought to the surface something that is evil or Satanic in nature; rather, it is because the world is *desecrating *what is sacred, what is truly Divine in nature.
Again, I’m rambling (it’s late in Tucson). Anyone have any more coherent thoughts on this matter?
Again, I’m rambling (it’s late in Tucson). Anyone have any more coherent thoughts on this matter?
J
JReducation
Guest
Thank you
My philosophy is that arguments are like alcohol, the moe you drink the less you realize how drunk you are. They next day you wake up with a headache and nothing gained.
Both hold water, for both are Peter. The problem is not between Pius XII and John Paul II. The problem is with those who seek to divide the Church by claiming “I belong to Pius” or “I belong to John Paul” does this sound familiar? I believe St. Paul spoke about this.
The devil is the great divider. Unfortunately, people are falling for it. The saints will advise you to take both Pius and John Paul and do two things.
- Find their common ground.
- Understand why they say what say, instead of why they’re different.
Obviously, the Holy Spirit does not contradict himself, so he must be saying something more or adding to what has been said. What is it that He’s adding?
The Holy Spirit does not give and then take away. He gives and then gives more later on.
Our understanding of the Church was not given to us in one dose. The Holy Spirit is still dosing it out.
Our hearts should go out to those who struggle with changes in the Church. What it really says is that they are like those who go to a wedding. While it is true that the bridal dress and cake are very important symbols in a wedding and they add to the solemnity and beauty of the celebration, the bottom line is that it is the bridal couple who makes it a wedding. The cake and the wedding garment are rich symbols that tell us what is happening. However, if you take them away and leave the bridal couple, the marriage will still happen.
So it is with those who are moarning the loss of this or that in the Church. They are afraid. Their faith is defined by the wedding cake and the dress. Somewhere in the back of their minds they remember the bridal couple, but that doesn’t seem to be in the front of their minds where it should be.
In other words, there are people for whom sanctity is represented by rituals, traditions with lower case t. If you take that way from them, their house of cards shakes.
What makes you a saint is when your faith is rooted in the bride and groom (Christ and the Church). Sanctity is achieved when there is a bond between you and the bridal couple, Christ and his Church.
The rest is important, because all of these symbols and rituals tell a story. But they can be replaced by other symbols and rituals that tell the same story, as long as you keep the same bride and groom.
What you cannot trade in is Christ and the Church. Christ and the Church will always be present through the sacraments, the scriptures, and sacred tradition. If you trade in the bridal couple, the most beautiful rituals, scripture and traditions become nihilistic.
We need everything that is the Church, in the measure and the form that the Church prescribes, not how we want it. Christ did not found a church for a group of individuals. He founded a community of saints. That’s why we profess in the creed, “I believe in the communion of saints.” Sometimes, indivdual preferences have to be put aside to be part of the communion of saints. This is called detachment.
Knowing when to put my preferences aside and when I can make good use of them is called wisdom.
The great saints knew this.
JR
A
anamchara
Guest
:crying::heaven::harp:Some of those shots where awesome! I loved it Ann! You were right about the tissue.
C
catharina
Guest
Still haven’t seen the youtube cuts but, again turning this thread into my confessional, I must admit that I still “feel” and am so aware of the presence of Pope John Paul II. For me, it’s as if he hasn’t died. How strange is that?
J
Jeanette_L
Guest
You know Catharina, I wasn’t even Catholic yet when he passed into eternity, and I too still think of him as being here. I was really struggling during that time with what I was going to do in terms of my faith, not knowing if I had to courage to leave behind my family and friends, everything I had ever known spiritually, it was excruciating for me.
But when he was dying, and the vigils had started, I was glued to him, I was waiting along with all the other Catholics. When he passed I cried like he was my own father. I couldn’t keep away from the coverage, I was truly in mourning for this man.
This was the pivotal moment for me, his death and funeral and the election of Pope Benedict the XVI, the realization that I was in my heart already Catholic, it was so clear to me at that time, and it gave me the courage to finish the process. (or start, depending on your perspective
).So, John Paul II, although I wasn’t under his leadership while he was Pope, I was a product of the spiritual graces that poured out from him in his last days and hours, he will always be present to me as well.
So I don’t think your feelings of his continued presence are strange at all.
J
Jeanette_L
Guest
Once again, so much in this post.Thank you
My philosophy is that arguments are like alcohol, the moe you drink the less you realize how drunk you are. They next day you wake up with a headache and nothing gained.
Both hold water, for both are Peter. The problem is not between Pius XII and John Paul II. The problem is with those who seek to divide the Church by claiming “I belong to Pius” or “I belong to John Paul” does this sound familiar? I believe St. Paul spoke about this.
The devil is the great divider. Unfortunately, people are falling for it. The saints will advise you to take both Pius and John Paul and do two things.
Why they’re different is not important. What is important is why they say wha they say. Their teaching is what is inspired by the Holy Spirit, not their differences. Their differences was inspired by the time in which they ruled the Church and their personalities. But the question should be, “What is the Holy Spirit saying?”
- Find their common ground.
- Understand why they say what say, instead of why they’re different.
Obviously, the Holy Spirit does not contradict himself, so he must be saying something more or adding to what has been said. What is it that He’s adding?
The Holy Spirit does not give and then take away. He gives and then gives more later on.
Our understanding of the Church was not given to us in one dose. The Holy Spirit is still dosing it out.
Our hearts should go out to those who struggle with changes in the Church. What it really says is that they are like those who go to a wedding. While it is true that the bridal dress and cake are very important symbols in a wedding and they add to the solemnity and beauty of the celebration, the bottom line is that it is the bridal couple who makes it a wedding. The cake and the wedding garment are rich symbols that tell us what is happening. However, if you take them away and leave the bridal couple, the marriage will still happen.
So it is with those who are moarning the loss of this or that in the Church. They are afraid. Their faith is defined by the wedding cake and the dress. Somewhere in the back of their minds they remember the bridal couple, but that doesn’t seem to be in the front of their minds where it should be.
In other words, there are people for whom sanctity is represented by rituals, traditions with lower case t. If you take that way from them, their house of cards shakes.
What makes you a saint is when your faith is rooted in the bride and groom (Christ and the Church). Sanctity is achieved when there is a bond between you and the bridal couple, Christ and his Church.
The rest is important, because all of these symbols and rituals tell a story. But they can be replaced by other symbols and rituals that tell the same story, as long as you keep the same bride and groom.
What you cannot trade in is Christ and the Church. Christ and the Church will always be present through the sacraments, the scriptures, and sacred tradition. If you trade in the bridal couple, the most beautiful rituals, scripture and traditions become nihilistic.
We need everything that is the Church, in the measure and the form that the Church prescribes, not how we want it. Christ did not found a church for a group of individuals. He founded a community of saints. That’s why we profess in the creed, “I believe in the communion of saints.” Sometimes, indivdual preferences have to be put aside to be part of the communion of saints. This is called detachment.
Knowing when to put my preferences aside and when I can make good use of them is called wisdom.
The great saints knew this.
JR
If we have Christ and are in communion with him and his Church, what else do we really need? Everything will pass away, except these two, they are what is truly eternal.
All these other things we are consumed with are for our comfort and reassurance, but eventually we need to look past them and see only Christ. If he gets lost in the fussing and fighting, it is all for nothing; wood, hay and stubble to be burned.
Can’t add anything to your post JR, just my own small thoughts at the moment.
J
JReducation
Guest
I want to share with all of you one my favourite mystics in Church history, John the Evangelist, also known as the Beloved Disciple. You may be wondering how do we make John’s spirituality come alive in our daily lives, he lived almost 2000 years ago? It’s a good question, but no an impossible task. Let’s take a closer look at this wonderful man through his writings.
If you begin by looking at how John organizes his gospel you can already see into his soul and how he sees the Lord. He begins with the Prologue in which he gives us a glimpse into his own mystical understanding of Christ. John begins by tell us that the Word existed before time was created and that all things were created through the Word, for the Word and that the Word became flesh and that the world rejected him.
For John, Jesus was not just a person who lived in a particular time and place; he was the embodiment of eternity. Jesus is Eternity. He exists outside of time. He reaches across the expanse of space and time to save and love all of creation which is brought into existence through him and for him. John’s faith should also be our faith. Jesus is truly present here, today, in our lives, in our world and in our space. For the day that we live and the moment that we experience all exist within Jesus and through Jesus. So that nothing we do is ever hidden from Jesus. Not a single one of our needs or our sins is a mystery to Jesus, for he is the Eternal Word of the Father who lives and works around us and within us as we move through our daily tasks. How much more beautiful can our redeemer get? John tells it all in his Prologue. He shares it with us, because it is meant for us to believe and to experience on a daily basis.
But John’s experience of the Lord doesn’t stop there. The second part of his gospel is the Book of Signs. If we remember, John wrote his gospel in Greek. There were two possible choices of words that he could use: signs and symbols. But John chose signs. Why? Because signs were proofs of truth and symbols were merely representations of truths.
John focuses on the proofs of the truth, which is Jesus Christ. Unlike the other evangelists he is not interested in repeating what has already been said about Jesus. Unlike many who go around quoting verse after verse of scripture, John goes for the heart of the matter. He wants the proof that Jesus is the Christ, that he is the Eternal Word of God. He is not interested in proselytizing. He is interested in know Christ for who he really is and sharing his knowledge of Christ, not quoting bible verses that neither prove nor deny anything.
He paints a picture with the written word. It is no coincidence that the author who calls Jesus the Word would also use words to paint a portrait of Jesus that can never be forgotten. John’s masterpiece in this section is his sixth chapter on the Bread of Life. John sees Christ not only as the one who has existed and will exist for all time, but he also sees Christ as the one whose incarnation is for all men, not just for those of his day. John realizes that Christ broke into human history by becoming human and that it was the Father’s will that Christ stay within human history longer than 33-years. It was the Father’s will that Christ remain part of our lives until the end of time. Christ was to stay with us just as he was among the Apostles, truly human and truly divine. It was not a spiritual presence. John realizes the true meaning of the Eucharist. The Eucharist is the fulfilment of the covenant. God had promised Israel to make then his people. He becomes incarnate as a Jew. He remains physically present with is people, the same Jewish son of a Nazarene carpenter remains incarnate in the world through the Eucharist.
John’s next book, of Glory begins at the Pasch. It was the last Pasch that Christ would celebrate with his Apostles before his death and resurrection. It is called by many the Book of Glory. But examine how John sees and presents the Glory of Christ. He is not a king adorned in golden robes and jewels. Ch 13 opens with Christ washing his friends’ feet at the Last Supper and continues through is passion. John realizes that true Christian glory is found in service to others. He proceeds to meditate on Jesus’ glory on the cross and finally his appearance after his resurrection. Again, John captures Jesus’ glory in the humility of Jesus. He serves by washing feet. He prays for his Church who will abandon him in a few moments, but he loves her enough to die for her and reunite her with his resurrection. John sees Jesus’ glory at the resurrection. Just as Jesus made a humble entrance into the world when he was born, he re-enters the world of the living quietly, appearing to a simple woman who was a public sinner. John captures the true meaning of Glory, to reveal God’s love and power to those who are least in society.
Finally, John closes his gospel with a quiet fourth book, The Resurrection Appearance in Galilee. Here John contemplates on Jesus’ dialogue with Peter. Peter who was a fisherman is asked by Christ three times, if he loved him. And three times Christ tells him to care for his sheep. This dialogue is not lost on John. He realizes that Peter has a unique place among them. For among all the disciples, 12 are chosen to be Apostles and their lives were changed forever. But out of the 12, one is asked to change from a fisherman to a shepherd. This had been Jesus’ title for himself, “I am the Good Shepherd.” Now Peter is asked to care for the sheep. John does not feel offended by Christ’s selection of the dumbest of the Apostles to be the Shepherd. He accepts Peter’s place as the Vicar of the Good Shepherd, despite the poor prudential judgements that Peter had made.
This is saint whom we can all learn from. Let us look at Christ, the Eucharist, service and the Church through John’s eyes.
JR
If you begin by looking at how John organizes his gospel you can already see into his soul and how he sees the Lord. He begins with the Prologue in which he gives us a glimpse into his own mystical understanding of Christ. John begins by tell us that the Word existed before time was created and that all things were created through the Word, for the Word and that the Word became flesh and that the world rejected him.
For John, Jesus was not just a person who lived in a particular time and place; he was the embodiment of eternity. Jesus is Eternity. He exists outside of time. He reaches across the expanse of space and time to save and love all of creation which is brought into existence through him and for him. John’s faith should also be our faith. Jesus is truly present here, today, in our lives, in our world and in our space. For the day that we live and the moment that we experience all exist within Jesus and through Jesus. So that nothing we do is ever hidden from Jesus. Not a single one of our needs or our sins is a mystery to Jesus, for he is the Eternal Word of the Father who lives and works around us and within us as we move through our daily tasks. How much more beautiful can our redeemer get? John tells it all in his Prologue. He shares it with us, because it is meant for us to believe and to experience on a daily basis.
But John’s experience of the Lord doesn’t stop there. The second part of his gospel is the Book of Signs. If we remember, John wrote his gospel in Greek. There were two possible choices of words that he could use: signs and symbols. But John chose signs. Why? Because signs were proofs of truth and symbols were merely representations of truths.
John focuses on the proofs of the truth, which is Jesus Christ. Unlike the other evangelists he is not interested in repeating what has already been said about Jesus. Unlike many who go around quoting verse after verse of scripture, John goes for the heart of the matter. He wants the proof that Jesus is the Christ, that he is the Eternal Word of God. He is not interested in proselytizing. He is interested in know Christ for who he really is and sharing his knowledge of Christ, not quoting bible verses that neither prove nor deny anything.
He paints a picture with the written word. It is no coincidence that the author who calls Jesus the Word would also use words to paint a portrait of Jesus that can never be forgotten. John’s masterpiece in this section is his sixth chapter on the Bread of Life. John sees Christ not only as the one who has existed and will exist for all time, but he also sees Christ as the one whose incarnation is for all men, not just for those of his day. John realizes that Christ broke into human history by becoming human and that it was the Father’s will that Christ stay within human history longer than 33-years. It was the Father’s will that Christ remain part of our lives until the end of time. Christ was to stay with us just as he was among the Apostles, truly human and truly divine. It was not a spiritual presence. John realizes the true meaning of the Eucharist. The Eucharist is the fulfilment of the covenant. God had promised Israel to make then his people. He becomes incarnate as a Jew. He remains physically present with is people, the same Jewish son of a Nazarene carpenter remains incarnate in the world through the Eucharist.
John’s next book, of Glory begins at the Pasch. It was the last Pasch that Christ would celebrate with his Apostles before his death and resurrection. It is called by many the Book of Glory. But examine how John sees and presents the Glory of Christ. He is not a king adorned in golden robes and jewels. Ch 13 opens with Christ washing his friends’ feet at the Last Supper and continues through is passion. John realizes that true Christian glory is found in service to others. He proceeds to meditate on Jesus’ glory on the cross and finally his appearance after his resurrection. Again, John captures Jesus’ glory in the humility of Jesus. He serves by washing feet. He prays for his Church who will abandon him in a few moments, but he loves her enough to die for her and reunite her with his resurrection. John sees Jesus’ glory at the resurrection. Just as Jesus made a humble entrance into the world when he was born, he re-enters the world of the living quietly, appearing to a simple woman who was a public sinner. John captures the true meaning of Glory, to reveal God’s love and power to those who are least in society.
Finally, John closes his gospel with a quiet fourth book, The Resurrection Appearance in Galilee. Here John contemplates on Jesus’ dialogue with Peter. Peter who was a fisherman is asked by Christ three times, if he loved him. And three times Christ tells him to care for his sheep. This dialogue is not lost on John. He realizes that Peter has a unique place among them. For among all the disciples, 12 are chosen to be Apostles and their lives were changed forever. But out of the 12, one is asked to change from a fisherman to a shepherd. This had been Jesus’ title for himself, “I am the Good Shepherd.” Now Peter is asked to care for the sheep. John does not feel offended by Christ’s selection of the dumbest of the Apostles to be the Shepherd. He accepts Peter’s place as the Vicar of the Good Shepherd, despite the poor prudential judgements that Peter had made.
This is saint whom we can all learn from. Let us look at Christ, the Eucharist, service and the Church through John’s eyes.
JR
M
Mickey_Jackson
Guest
**
And if you still haven’t seen the YouTube video, watch it ASAP. It really is a perfect memorial, for John Paul’s entire life was ultimately an expression of these words from Scripture: “Here I am Lord. I come to do Your Will.” May God, through his intercession, grant us the same humility and strength of will that he epitomized.
Changing the subject a bit, one other saint who is often on my mind is St. John Bosco. Like two other favorites of mine, Francis of Assisi and Philip Neri, his preeminent virtue was that of gentleness. Early in his life, the Blessed Mother appeared to him in a dream and told him that he could never instill goodness and virtue in the boys under his care through the use of harsh words and painful punishments; rather, he was instructed to use what Pope Bl. John XXIII later termed “the medicine of mercy” to show the goodness of Christ. This he did, and his love likely saved countless souls.
Applying this to our own lives, how often do we (particularly, I think, on these forums) tend to justify our harsh, sometimes even hateful words to others with the assertion that we stand for what is good and true while they stand for what is evil and false? Why do we not try to understand where others are coming from, try to see the good in others, and work from there? For ultimately, what made St. John Bosco so effective at bringing souls to Christ was his recognition of the inherent worth, the inherent value of even what appeared to be the most criminal, the most godless souls. If we treated each other with the respect with which he treated his boys, the world (and the Church) would be much better off.
It’s not strange at all. As Cardinal Ratzinger said in his homily at the Pope’s funeral Mass, we can be sure that our beloved John Paul stands at the window of the Father’s house and blesses all of us, particularly all of us who struggle with fear and doubt. He was the “spark from Poland” spoken of by St. Faustina, but during his pontificate this spark was fanned into a flame that his death could not extinguish.
And if you still haven’t seen the YouTube video, watch it ASAP. It really is a perfect memorial, for John Paul’s entire life was ultimately an expression of these words from Scripture: “Here I am Lord. I come to do Your Will.” May God, through his intercession, grant us the same humility and strength of will that he epitomized.
Changing the subject a bit, one other saint who is often on my mind is St. John Bosco. Like two other favorites of mine, Francis of Assisi and Philip Neri, his preeminent virtue was that of gentleness. Early in his life, the Blessed Mother appeared to him in a dream and told him that he could never instill goodness and virtue in the boys under his care through the use of harsh words and painful punishments; rather, he was instructed to use what Pope Bl. John XXIII later termed “the medicine of mercy” to show the goodness of Christ. This he did, and his love likely saved countless souls.
Applying this to our own lives, how often do we (particularly, I think, on these forums) tend to justify our harsh, sometimes even hateful words to others with the assertion that we stand for what is good and true while they stand for what is evil and false? Why do we not try to understand where others are coming from, try to see the good in others, and work from there? For ultimately, what made St. John Bosco so effective at bringing souls to Christ was his recognition of the inherent worth, the inherent value of even what appeared to be the most criminal, the most godless souls. If we treated each other with the respect with which he treated his boys, the world (and the Church) would be much better off.
M
Mickey_Jackson
Guest
Here’s yet another thing that I’ve been mulling over in my head: what about the Holy Family? How would Jesus, Mary, and Joseph live together in our modern world? What would their family look like to a visitor? What would their house look like? How would they interact with other families? Any thoughts?
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