The joy and goodness of Pope John Paul I radiates from this footage, taken the very night he died. His pastoral goodness and solicitude, as well as his humble obedience were shown in the post Pope John Paul I on "this most delicate matter" . It is ironic that someone in the crowd wishes him long life, which he humbly dismisses and seems a bit embarassed by. Of his all too brief papacy it was said: "God knew we needed a smile". What a mission entrusted to such a faithful servant! The man who promised his father, a socialist activist who was somewhat at odds with the Church, in order to enter the seminary, that, as a priest, he would not forget the poor.
His beautiful prayer asking Jesus, in his humble and simple way that comes through in his teaching in the video, for what is truly the grace of a happy death, regardless the circumstances:
"I am asking you a grace, my Lord.
I would like you to be nearby me when I close my eyes on the earth.
I would like you to hold my hand in yours, as a mother with her child in the hour of danger.
Thank you, my Lord".
Blogito ergo sum! Actually, as N.T. Wright averred, "'Amor, ergo sum:' I am loved, therefore I am." Among other things, I am a Roman Catholic deacon. This is a public cyberspace in which I seek to foster Christian discipleship in the late modern milieu in the diakonia of koinonia and in the recognition that "the Eucharist is the only place of resistance to annihilation of the human subject."
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
The love open to all
Readings: Exodus 22:20-26; Psalm 18:2-4.47.51; 1 Thessalonians 1:5c-10; Matthew 22:34-40 With my graciously granted discretion, after a l...
-
It is time to introduce yet another member of my community of the heart. Yesterday I mentioned that the theology of Hans Urs von Balthasar w...
-
Recently I have been asked several times about remarriage and the permanent diaconate. In the present state-of-affairs, which may eventually...
-
The photograph is a creation of Ben Bell I was going to wait until this evening after First Vespers to post this, but in light of the mass r...
No comments:
Post a Comment