Ephesians 2:12-22 / Luke 12:35-38
Paul talks about our salvation: Christ has brought us closer to God.
Bill Wilson was a “high roller” in the 1920s. Then came the stock market crash. Bill lost everything. Like many other victims of the crash, Bill turned to drink. Soon he found himself addicted to drink. In the next two years, he made four attempts to break his addiction. They all failed, leaving him hopeless. The saving moment of his life came when he met Dr. Robert H. Smith. Together, in 1935, they founded the program that is now called Alcoholics Anonymous. Bill Wilson, and thousands like him, can relate to Paul’s words in today’s reading: “You, who used to be far away, have been brought near by the sacrificial death of Christ.” How have we experienced Christ’s saving power in our own personal lives?
“Amazing grace! . . . I once was lost, but now am found.” John Newton
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OCTOBER 22: POPE SAINT JOHN PAUL II
Saint John Paul II is perhaps one of the most well-known pontiffs in recent history, and is most remembered for his charismatic nature, his love of youth and his world travels, along with his role in the fall of communism in Europe during his 27-year papacy.
The Nazi occupation forces closed the university in 1939 and young Karol had to work in a quarry (1940-1944) and then in the Solvay chemical factory to earn his living and to avoid being deported to Germany.
In 1942, aware of his call to the priesthood, he began courses in the clandestine seminary of Krakow, run by Cardinal Adam Stefan Sapieha, archbishop of Krakow. At the same time, Karol Wojtyla was one of the pioneers of the “Rhapsodic Theatre,” also clandestine.
The Cardinals elected him Pope at the Conclave of 16 October 1978, and he took the name of John Paul II. On 22 October, the Lord’s Day, he solemnly inaugurated his Petrine ministry as the 263rd successor to the Apostle. His pontificate, one of the longest in the history of the Church, lasted nearly 27 years.
Driven by his pastoral solicitude for all Churches and by a sense of openness and charity to the entire human race, John Paul II exercised the Petrine ministry with a tireless missionary spirit, dedicating it all his energy. He made 104 pastoral visits outside Italy and 146 within Italy. As bishop of Rome he visited 317 of the city’s 333 parishes.
He had more meetings than any of his predecessors with the People of God and the leaders of Nations. More than 17,600,000 pilgrims participated in the General Audiences held on Wednesdays (more than 1160), not counting other special audiences and religious ceremonies [more than 8 million pilgrims during the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000 alone], and the millions of faithful he met during pastoral visits in Italy and throughout the world. We must also remember the numerous government personalities he encountered during 38 official visits, 738 audiences and meetings held with Heads of State, and 246 audiences and meetings with Prime Ministers.
His love for young people brought him to establish the World Youth Days. The 19 WYDs celebrated during his pontificate brought together millions of young people from all over the world. At the same time his care for the family was expressed in the World Meetings of Families, which he initiated in 1994.
John Paul II successfully encouraged dialogue with the Jews and with the representatives of other religions, whom he several times invited to prayer meetings for peace, especially in Assisi.
Under his guidance the Church prepared herself for the third millennium and celebrated the Great Jubilee of the year 2000 in accordance with the instructions given in the Apostolic Letter Tertio Millennio adveniente. The Church then faced the new epoch, receiving his instructions in the Apostolic Letter Novo Millennio ineunte, in which he indicated to the faithful their future path.
With the Year of the Redemption, the Marian Year and the Year of the Eucharist, he promoted the spiritual renewal of the Church.
He gave an extraordinary impetus to Canonizations and Beatifications, focusing on countless examples of holiness as an incentive for the people of our time. He celebrated 147 beatification ceremonies during which he proclaimed 1,338 Blesseds; and 51 canonizations for a total of 482 saints. He made Thérèse of the Child Jesus a Doctor of the Church.
He considerably expanded the College of Cardinals, creating 231 Cardinals (plus one in pectore) in 9 consistories. He also called six full meetings of the College of Cardinals.
His most important Documents include 14 Encyclicals, 15 Apostolic Exhortations, 11 Apostolic Constitutions, 45 Apostolic Letters.
He promulgated the Catechism of the Catholic Church in the light of Tradition as authoritatively interpreted by the Second Vatican Council. He also reformed the Eastern and Western Codes of Canon Law, created new Institutions and reorganized the Roman Curia.
On April 27, 2014 he was canonized by Pope Francis during a ceremony in St. Peter’s Square.
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We usually like to be notified in advance if someone wants to pay us a visit. Then we will tidy up our house or office and prepare something to welcome and entertain our guests. But if someone visits us without prior notice, then we may be caught in an inconvenient or untimely situation. But for those servants in the gospel passage, they knew that their master will return from the wedding feast, just that they did not know when would it be.
Jesus is telling us to be ready and alert always and He will visit us in the form of persons whom we don't usually pay much attention to or whom we don't usually have time for. We must be ready and alert and be aware that it is in such persons and situations that Jesus is paying us a gracious visit. Because whenever Jesus pays us a visit, it is always a visit that comes along with His blessings of love and peace and joy. It may be at an inconvenient and unexpected time, but it will always be a God-filled and blessed moment.
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Let us Pray: Lord our God, Jesus your Son has broken down the barriers dividing peoples and nations, but why are we still so far apart, even within our own households? He has brought us close by his blood, but why does his one body remain a dream far removed from reality? God, let us not be aliens to one another, bring us together, help us to demolish the walls of hatred and exploitation, of distrust and power that divide your people, that we may be all one in Jesus Christ our Lord.
