I want to share with you a picture of the late Pope John Paul the Great, which really captured for me the essence of the man. It appeared in the Newsweek magazine commemorative issue. It's the picture you see at right. Posted on 04/23/2005 4:32:56 AM PDT by Teófilo
Folks, things are almost back to "normal." Tomorrow, Pope Benedict XVI will be formally installed during a Mass at St. Peter's; it will be the end of an era and the beginning of another. I'm excited for what is to come, to see where the Lord will take his Church next.
I want to share with you a picture of the late Pope John Paul the Great, which really captured for me the essence of the man. It appeared in the Newsweek magazine commemorative issue. It's the picture you see at right.
Let me describe for you what I see. The Pope is sitting down at bench in a skiing lodge. He's dressed for the part. The skis rest against the stone wall. In his hands, he leafs through the Liturgy of the Hours, probably the midday or midafternoon prayer. Someone is speaking to him, perhaps distracting him momentarily before the onset of prayer; perhaps the Pope is telling whoever he's talking to where to find the right prayer on his own prayer book. Maybe he had just completed the prayer and they're discussing which hill to hit next. He looks too fresh and too clean, he hasn't hit the slope the yet.
Whatever it is, the scene is absolutely endearing, human. Here's a man who makes no distinction between leisure and prayer, who tests himself on his knees or on the slopes; a man for whom God is in everything he did, whether at Mass, or in sport. John Paul the Great was the example of the true Modern Man, at peace in every situation.
) which he wrote on April 14, 1966 and which I think is apropos to my mood:I walked a bit in the woods, under the pines, and again plan work, study, ideas, not to affirm myself but to give to others. Anything that I have that is good is worth sharing. What is not worth sharing is not worth bothering about. What is "mine" can be tolerated only insofar as I am willing to share it with everybody."Tomorrow is Orthodox Pascha. Let me see if I can attend the Vesper service today like I did last year, almost de incognito.
Thank you. Recall that He is Risen and walk with Him and the yoke becomes light and sweet.
Ping to Teofilo's latest. I had the honor of joining Teofilo at the Orthodox Easter Vigil Vesper service last year that he mentions here. Someday, hopefully, he'll share with us his journey from Catholicism to Orthodoxy and back. Until then, if you haven't already, please take a moment to welcome Teofilo to the Free Republic Catholic Caucus.
Tomorrow is Eastern Orthodox Palm Sunday and the beginning of Holy Week for us. All the Vesper services this week will be most worth attending. The Pascha vigil will be next Saturday April 30. All are welcome to joyfully attend.
That's right that's right! I stand corrected! Tomorrow is Orthodox Palm Sunday! Well, I made it anyway tonight...I can't synchronize the calendars right! "First Sunday after the Vernal Equinox after the Jewish Passover." What did I miss? Hey St. Johann, wanna attend next weekend again for Pascha?
Oh yeah! "First Sunday after the vernal equinox after the first full moon after the Jewish Passover."
D'uh!
Rabbi Krustofski would disapprove.
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