Saturday, April 02, 2005

Papa! Papa! Papa! - Rest in Peace

"This evening or this night, Christ opens the door to the pope," Angelo Comastri, the pope's vicar general for Vatican City, told a crowd at St. Peter's Square.

From Fox News earlier:

"Navarro-Valls said the pope followed the Way of the Cross prayer re-enacting Christ's final hours as he has done every Friday since he was a priest. He asked that the 14 stages be read to him — biblical texts which describe Christ's path to the cross, his crucifixion and when his body is taken down, wrapped in a linen shroud and buried in his tomb, the spokesman said. Thpope made the sign of the cross as the passages were read, he said." (Emphasis added)

We prayed at Mass yesterday and this morning for John Paul the Great - that is, Pope Saint John Paul the Great. Now, just as he has done these past years with his suffering, he will pray for us at the foot of the throne of God. He may not be formally canonized for some years, but just as in the early days of Christianity when holiness was celebrated by popular acclamation, so it will be with John Paul, (as is with Mother Teresa).

This is a day of great joy! While we mourn the loss of a great Pope, we thank God for his years and rejoice for another advocate in Heaven!

John Paul made many initiatives. He traveled the world to bring the Gospel in person. (Perhaps because he knew the bishops were not?). It will be years before his pontificate will be fully digested. He writings were prolific. He has written for those at every intellectual level. His writings touch on every subject which is important to mankind and salvation.

Woe to us who are not grateful and responsive to the words of this vicar of Christ.

INCLINA, Domine, aurem tuam ad preces nostras, quibus misericordiam tuam supplices deprecamur, ut animam famuli tui Joannes Paulus, quam de hoc saeculo migrare iussisti, in pacis ac lucis regione constituas et Sanctorum tuorum iubeas esse consortem. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.

INCLINE Thine ear, O Lord, unto our prayers, wherein we humbly pray Thee to show Thy mercy upon the soul of Thy servant John Paul, whom Thou hast commanded to pass out of this world, that Thou wouldst place him in the region of peace and light, and bid him be a partaker with Thy Saints. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

From the small holding in Bethune...

Oremus pro invicem!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

A life well lived. A job well done. Now the Pope is welcomed into the Kingdom of the Father. May he watch over us, we who are left in the valley of tears. May he protect us from evil hearts. Amen.

Jim Curley said...

Amen!

Jim