Today in Rome two, great Saints will be recognised by
the whole Church. Two saints whose lives
belong, not to a distant era, but to our own times: Saint John XXIII who died
little more than half a century ago, and Saint John Paul II who died just nine
years ago on the eve of this Divine Mercy Sunday. I am aware that much will be said this weekend
of the historic events of which they were part. However, I would like us to reflect on how
both of these men - from different times and places - responded wholeheartedly
to their calling. I want us to glimpse
in what their greatness really consisted and how we can hope to imitate the
faithfulness of these two new Saints.
I have no doubt history will
give to Saint John Paul II the title ‘John Paul the Great’ in recognition of
his part in the momentous events which shaped both the world and the mission of
the Church at the end of the last century and beginning of this Third Christian
Millennium. I am sure many miracles will
continue to flow from his prayer for us. However, one of his closest collaborators said
the greatest miracle of Pope John Paul’s life was the way he lived each day:
how he worked and used his time, his constant good humour, even during times of
stress and suffering. (Interview with Dr
Joaquin Navarro Valls, 4th April 2014.)
“We
see the saints praised for their great works,” a spiritual writer observed (Dom
Eugene Boylan) but the only greatness which mattered to them was to live
everyday in union with Christ “by faith,
by love, by humility, and by a complete abandonment to His will”. It is in such everyday faithfulness that
the “miracle” of true holiness is always to be found. The Acts of the Apostles reminds us that it
was by such daily faithfulness that the first Christians made so great an
impression on a hostile world (Acts 2: 42-47).
After Pope John XXIII’s death,
his Secretary recorded not a list of public achievements, but rather Pope
John’s
“radical humility … superhuman trust sustained by
intense prayer … unquenchable and burning faith and I came to the conclusion” he wrote, “that only with Christians, priests made in
this mould could the Second Vatican Council carry out its work, avoid the
pitfalls, recognise the voice of the Spirit and light new Pentecostal fires”. (Cardinal Loris Capovilla, ‘Reflections
on the Second Vatican Council’.)
The words of the Apostle Peter
could be repeated of both our new Saints: their faith was indeed “tested and proved like gold – only it is
more precious than gold …” (I Peter 1: 7). It was surely in the faithful living of their
vocation that we can glimpse their true greatness.
Our Lord’s words in the Gospel
have echoed down the centuries, and been heard anew in many hearts:
“As the Father sent me, so am I sending you” (John
20: 21).
Angelo Roncalli, who was to
become Pope John, could never remember a time when he did not want to give his
life in the Priesthood. Karol Wotyla,
who became Pope John Paul, had other plans; he hoped for marriage, becoming an
academic and a teacher. Gradually,
however, he recognised amidst the terrors of the Nazi occupation of Poland that God
was calling him to the Priesthood. Today
we must give thanks that these two men responded wholeheartedly to their
vocation.
This Sunday, I ask you to pray
for the priests of the future, the priests on whom the future of our Diocese
depends. I hope that in our time many
young men will - like Saint John
and Saint John Paul - be ready to respond wholeheartedly to this wonderful calling. This Easter I have sent prayer cards to all
the parishes with some words of Pope Francis and my own prayer for this
intention. I announced at the Chrism
Mass last week the plan to establish at Shrewsbury Cathedral a ‘house for
discernment’ for men considering a vocation to the priesthood. This house will open its doors in September
2015 creating a community at the heart of our Diocese where the vocation to the
Priesthood can be discerned in a year-long programme.
It is, I have been reminded, a
brave plan in present conditions. However,
it is a venture I entrust to the prayer of Our Lady, Help of Christians and of
St John Vianney. Today I also entrust
all our hopes for the new evangelisation of our country, for a new generation
of priests and for a renewed faithfulness in all our vocations to the prayer of
two Popes many of us knew and loved: Saint John XXIII and Saint John Paul II,
pray for us! Amen.
Wishing you the great joy of
Easter,
+
Mark
Bishop of Shrewsbury
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