Posted on 04/03/2005 6:39:58 AM PDT by billorites
I believe it was sometime in 1993 when I first read the great papal encyclical " Splendor of Truth " written by Pope John Paul II. The slender book was recommended by Fr. C.John McClosky during a conversation when he was counseling me about the worst personal crisis of my life.
Alcohol and drug abuse were dragging me down, and it was a problem that got much worse in the next two years before I finally surrendered to God, literally on my knees, and began a new life of faith-- and sobriety.
I managed to read "Splendor of Truth" that year. It had no direct advice about alcohol and drugs. But, then again, as I came to realize later, it had everything to with it.For the book is about the need for spiritual and moral courage in choosing good over evil in our daily lives. About assuming personal accountablity and responsibility for our actions and behaviors. Abiding by our conscience so we may hear the voice of God and follow His directions.
As a full-fledged member of a 12-step fellowship, I later learned that the biggest problem facing all those who suffer from chronic addictions is "sickness of the soul." Exactly what the Pope talks about in "Splendor of Truth." John Paul II tells us to "be not afraid" in pursuing the life of faith. Be not afraid to trust God. Be not afraid to stand for the right values. Be not afraid to be faithful to your spouse, or helpful and unselfish to friends, or diligent in work and other duties in everyday life.
On a much grander scale the Pope tells us to pursue right values concerning the sanctity of human life, human rights, freedom,and democracy. He preaches a moral theology that applies to everything. Be not afraid in this pursuit of God's will and the teachings of Jesus Christ. It is a life that requires courage, but it is precisely this moral courage that gives our lives meaning and purpose.
John Paul II lived and applied his own teachings. He had a toughness of character in pursuit of his beliefs. His ability to dodge the Nazis, and then the Communists when he grew up in Poland is the stuff of legend.Then his rapid rise through the Church hierarchy. Then his first visit to Poland as Pope, which was surely a turning point in the Polish liberation from the evils of Soviet totalitarianism.And his working with Pres. Reagan to bring down the Iron Curtain and send the Soviet to the dustbin of history.
His recovery from the bullet of a would-be assasin is still another example of his toughness. So was the visit to Rome's Jewish synogogue, his subsequent denouncement of the Holocaust and his establishing Vatican ties with Israel. John Paul II had physical and mental toughness; he was not merely an inward-looking intellectual. But he was also unrelenting in his moral toughness. His belief structure was unyielding.
And he loved to take his show on the road to spread his gospel. Fr. George Rutler believes that " The Pope has spoken to more people than anyone in human history." It may well be so. Fr. Rutler also thinks John Paul II was the first pope in modern history to perform weddings. That may also be true according to Catholic scholar Pia de Solenni, who attributes it to the Pope's reverence for the holy sacrament of marriage between a man and a woman as the sacred building block of family and society.
It may also reflect the Pope's love of young people, among whom he had a phenomenal following. Hundreds of thousands would attend his special youth masses, much to the amazement of many in the media who never understand the Pope's appeal. Or his message. John Paul II preached that the values of fidelity and responsibility enhanced, not detracted, from an exciting and fulfilling life. " He awakened a thirst for faith among the young," says Bishop William Lori of the Bridgeport, Connecticut diocese.
Indeed, for young and old, reaching across all religious lines, John Paul was the most evangelical pope in recent memory. He was tireless in spreading his message of traditional religious faith and values to anyone who might listen, be they believer or nonbeliever, Catholic, Muslim or Jew. Surely this will be one of his most enduring legacies: You did not have to be Catholic to appreciate or be grateful for the service John Paul II rendered to all mankind.
In late 1997, I completed my instruction and was received into the Catholic Church as a convert. Actually, my instruction is still unfinished, for I have so much more to learn and read. It is a life's endeavor.
But as the journey unfolds, my life keeps getting better and better. Materially, there are always ups and downs. But it is the spiritual life of faith that sustains me each day. I have learned to be not afraid to follow this new path, for I believe that is what God wants me to do. He sent Pope John Paul II to all of us to preach this timeless message of the ages. For that we will be eternally grateful.
Lawrence Kudlow is a former Reagan economic advisor, a syndicated columnist, and the co-host of CNBC's Kudlow & Company.
Thats a good one, Has the sun in his face.
I was thinking more along when he first became pope.
I'm so glad that the pope chose this as a theme of his papacy. It's timeless and timely. It's something I constantly try to remind myself of.
Barf. I was thumbing through Malachi Martin's "Jesuits" the other day. He related the story of one of the pope's visits to South or Central America in the early '80s. The pope was greeted by a priest who wasn't a Marxist and the pope said, "it's nice to know that not all of you are Marxists!"
Liberation theology is now discredited and waning thanks to the pope.
Then I guess you didn't read Christopher Hitchens' piece on slate.com. Hitchens gave it to him pretty good on the whole pedophile Priest scandal.
(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)
I do hope that whoever ends up becoming the new Pontiff will take a much different tack towards handling corruption within the Church hierarchy though. I think that covering up for guys like Bernard Law and his underlings seriously weakens the Church's moral authority.
Things that make conservatives feel good.
The buzz for a very long time was that Larry Kudlow was influenced in his conversion to Catholicism by William F Buckley who took Larry under his wing during some very dark days when Larry was going through the aftermath of a devastating divorce.
What a great shot. Imagine what was being said between those two men.
I wouldn't be surprised if they are having a nice conversation right now.
LOVE is the Light of Christ
Thank you.
Two fine men straight tall and vital.
They molded history. They brought freedom to the oppressed.
Heaven is blessed to have them, and we were graced to have them for a while.
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