Pope John Paul II
April 9, 2005
Homily by Bishop John T. Steinbock
Diocesan Mass in honor of Pope John Paul II
I first would like to welcome all our religious leaders here present today. We have all the major faiths represented here this evening. And it is very fitting the way Pope John Paul II reached out to every major faith, with his visits throughout the world, seeking ways to work together for the good of mankind. Our Holy Father also worked untiringly for the cause of Ecumenism, reaching out to all Christian denominations to emphasize always the major truths that unite us as Christians, and to find ways to break down misunderstanding and distrust, so that we are able to give ever-greater witness to the Truth and Love of our Lord and Savior.
+++On this eighth day of the death of the Pope John Paul II we are gathered in sadness in losing our Holy Father after so many years of his dedicated service to God and to God’s people. Yet, we are also here giving thanks to God for having blest us with his Shepherd’s role through all those years.
It is wonderful to hear so many accolades coming to the Holy Father from the leaders of every country and of every religious faith. It is incredible to have seen leaders from over 130 countries coming to his funeral as well as representatives from all those religious faiths. But it was even more incredible to see how the ordinary people of every country and every race were affected by this man of God. And this is exactly what touched so many people and especially the youth throughout the world. Pope John Paul II was a man of God, a man of prayer, a man who gave himself over totally to the will of God. This total commitment to Jesus Christ, which transformed him into another Christ filled with love for all peoples is what gave him his charismatic personality to move everyone with whom he came into contact with. He radiated Christ and Christ’s love.
+++People will be speaking about his legacy in this world for years to come. He was a voice for the voiceless, as he himself said of himself. He was a strong voice for the poor and the marginal of society, speaking unceasingly of human rights and of social justice. He was a vigorous defender of life at every stage, from the moment of conception ‘till one draws one’s last breath. He was consistent in speaking of the value and dignity of human life in relation to every area of human life, speaking out against abortion, the death penalty, war, euthanasia and against all the technologies that lower our respect for life. He won the hearts of youth throughout the world, which truly has led to a renewal and growth of the Church throughout the world. We can become very myopic here in the United States thinking of the Church only in our country. But Catholics in the United States are only 6 percent of the Catholics throughout the world. The Church has grown enormously in Africa and South America through his pontificate with the number of priests and religious growing in those countries in great proportions. This is his influence with the youth of those countries. He spoke often of the sanctity of marriage and family life, and the responsibility and joy of bringing up children. His physical suffering, that did not only encompass his life these last few years, but was very much a part of his life for most of his papacy, was an eloquent exhortation to live the Christian message no matter what our physical condition might be. When he was shot and nearly died just four years after becoming Pope we were all shocked. But what an example for the world when he visited his assailant in prison and spoke of his love and forgiveness for him. He spoke of his own suffering as a means to help every person and family and the world to know that suffering itself can be a means for spreading the Gospel, of witnessing to the presence and power of Christ in our lives. On and on we could speak of the accomplishments of this man of God including his essential role in supporting the solidarity movement in Poland which led to the chain of events leading to the breakdown of the communist regime.
Our Holy Father has led us all a little closer to each other in this world. He reached out to the world, and one could see the world reaching out to him in his death. He united us all not only during his life but also through his death.
+++In the Gospel Jesus explains to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus that the Son of Man had to suffer and be put to death in order to enter into his glory, and he explained to them the many scriptures that referred to him.
We also are meant to ponder the Holy Word of God, and open our hearts to the Lord speaking within us. We are meant to see the everyday happenings of our life in light of the mystery of Christ’s death and resurrection and realize that everything in our lives has a meaning and that we also must pass through trial and suffering so that we also come to glory.
In the breaking of the bread this evening in this liturgy, let us realize that the Lord is very much alive; he has arisen, and is with us, as he was with our Holy Father through his life. May we look to him as an example of giving our lives to the Lord seeking always to promote peace, understanding, goodwill and the dignity and sanctity of every human life in the surroundings of our lives. We know our Lord has addressed his words to John Paul II found in Matthew’s Gospel: “enter into the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” May our Holy Father now give us his blessing from heaven.
I would just like to end with a few anecdotes of my meetings with the Holy Father
--1976 when he was cardinal on a visit to Los Angeles
--4 ad limina visits as an ordinary—10 to 15 minutes personally with the Holy Father;
--always most gracious, with a concern for all. --1st visit—1988 very good health, bumped heads; --2rd visit—1993 showing poor health, broken arm. --3rd visit—1998 very poor health—off to Sarajevo the next week; --4th visit –May 2004—trapped in body, could not speak well. And in the midst of this, he wrote more encyclicals than any other pope on every topic imaginable—hard to keep up reading them; visited over 100 countries; kept a rigorous schedule and audiences almost every day. How did he do it? The Power and Love of Christ.