David Ancell / Saturday April 02, 2005
Eternal rest, grant to Pope John Paul II, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace.
In case you didn’t see it, Pope John Paul II has been called back home. He died at 9:37 PM his time (1:37 PM in Memphis). After all the unbelievable recoveries he has made, I wondered if he might make one more. However, it appears that Our Lord was ready to bring him back home. Once, in the face of questions of resignation, he reminded us that Christ never got off the cross. The Holy Father has, thanks be to God, remained true to his word.
Honestly, I don’t know whether to pray for him or to him. It’s hard to believe he is gone. Although he is the third pope of my lifetime (Paul VI was pope when I was born; then John Paul I was there briefly), he is really the only Holy Father I have ever known. He was there when I became Catholic. He was there as I began to really study the faith later on. I can’t imagine the Church without him.
I remember my first few years as Catholic. I kind of bought into the line that he was a bitter old man who was opposed to progress. Only later as I began to study the teaching of the Church and read some of his writings did I find that this was not true. The man had a true love for each one of us under his care. His message was not of condemnation but of hope. I was saddened by those who wrote him off because of things like being against contraception without looking into it to see if he might actually be right. In time, I saw that he (and not really he, but Christ and his Church) really is right about that and much else. He was no ivory tower man. He knew well the state of this world. He strove to make a difference for Our Lord.
I think this from Catholic Exchange will describe well how many of us who love the Church are now thinking and feeling. Goodbye for now, Holy Father. I will never forget you. Please pray for me, and all of us here. May all of us saddended by your death share the joy that you are now safely home. May we all be able to join you there one day.
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