Voice of Youth: Blessed upon the earth

The
Catholic Weekly
Online

Sydney
26 October 2003

Meaning of life

Tuition fee jump

Award for Reservist chaplain

Outreach

Priests set priorities

Step behind the convent walls

Desire to serve others

Trial for euthanasia?

Interfaith

Seminar on self help in action for hearing impaired

Editorial: Enormous debt

Letters: Interstate appreciation

Conversation: Br Dan Stafford, chaplain to the Australian Jockey Club - A generous fraternity of 'saints and sinners'

Voice of Youth: Blessed upon the earth

‘Wonderful occasion’

Stone takes the cake

Bumper crop of students

Concert ‘journey’ by young honours Pope’s anniversary

‘My kids’ bring tears

Voice of Youth: Blessed upon the earth

By James Foster

John Paul II - what he means to me in 400 words - impossible. Two of the greatest books published - Witness to Hope by George Weigel and Reaching Out Across Borders by Reuters - cannot deliver justice to this remarkable person in hundreds of pages .

John Paul II is celebrating 25 years as Pope - our chief shepherd, our great example. The embodiment of all we stand for, the living embodiment of our faith.

For me, John Paul II is more than just the Vicar of Christ and the successor of St Peter. He is truly someone I admire perhaps more than anyone else.

Why? It is not because of his popularity and fame. It is not because he lives in the Vatican. It is not because he travels the world. It is because of his humility, simplicity, his genuine concern for others, and his inherent respect for the dignity and contribution of every human being. It is because from his childhood, this great man handed himself over to live in and according to the will of God. He answered God with a fiat, just as Our Lady did, always trusting in her divine son - raised up and exalted to lead us through some of the most difficult times for the Church.

Why do so many young people look up to him? It is not only because he is an example of hope and peace. Each person has his or her own story to tell.

For me, John Paul II embodies the essence of my faith: the Cross and the Blessed Mother. He reminds me that through suffering, by taking up the cross, we share the most intimate union with Christ. The cross merits us Heaven. In Mary, we have our greatest consolation, our model of the Christian values, particularly holy purity and humility. The co-redemptrix who wants my salvation more than I do.

John Paul II challenges us to go beyond theology, challenging us to delve more deeply than intellectual understandings.

He challenges us to make the cross and Mary the root and foundation of our lives, of the every day essence of our very being.

John Paul II challenges us to contemplate, to reflect, to pray and to act. He does not just keep the mystery of our faith to himself.

Like the first disciples, he does not just sit around in the upper room and talk about the problems and challenges confronting the Church and society today. After prayer and reflection, he ‘leaves the upper room’ of the Vatican and reaches out to the world in the great mission of evangelisation. He reaches across the divides of politics, race, gender, culture and creed to draw all people to Christ. The most effective thing that he does is be himself; when we see John Paul II we see Christ, we see one who has taken up the cross for the sake of souls.

Like so many young people, I will never meet my hero. I will never have the chance to thank him for all he has done for me. What I do have is the memory of him but passing by and giving me a blessing at the beatification of Bl Mary MacKillop, and hearing his words at World Youth Day 2002.

Holy Father, as you celebrate 25 years as Pope, I will continue to pray: “I pray for the Church upon earth,

I pray for our Holy Father, our Vicar in Rome; may the Lord preserve him and give him life, and make him blessed upon the earth, and deliver him not up to the will of his enemies.”

James Foster is a third year student at Sydney University, studying Economics (Social Sciences) (Hons)/Law with majors in political science and theory, and industrial relations.