Be Not Afraid
Probably one of the greatest themes that John Paul II is famous for is “BE NOT AFRAID.” It was these words that rang through church bells and many minds as the world celebrated a great life. With this classic phrase from Christ he called all to live it in front of a skeptical age. From the very beginning of his public ministry it was as if he dared Christians to live their faith and not be transformed. He dared the rest of the world to not notice when it was accomplished.
John Paul II’s personal witness day in and day out in the public consciences was an example to the consequences of what God does when just one person says Yes to Christ the Truth, over and over and over again. “Be not afraid” wasn’t just a pipe dream, but becomes the key to a life lived to its’ fullness. He desired to say Yes to Christ in everything and this Yes allowed God’s love and power to flow effectively through him, in such a dramatic way, that made the most secular stopped in their tracks.
The personal recollections of a life, the documentaries, the commentators lined up in a Rome square to try to understand this life that so many were touched by. What does this mean and how did this happen that the greatest of us isn’t pointing to himself, but to someone else that lived two thousand year ago? People where jumping over each other to comment regarding the largest funeral in human history and to the largest event ever watched at two billion people. What created such response?
This Polish man after all was just one man, and maybe this was the key to the mission that he was called to teach us to emulate; a true holiness and wholeness in the fragmented world. He taught man to be man again. A true modern man that has learned you have to denying the innovation that you can separate truth from living. He understood that truth is attainable and humans can only become more so through a relationship with the Divine. He demonstrated time and again that every person is made in the Image of God and is more valuable than your 401K. In a world where the battle between men and women in the West has reached the crisis point, he reminded us that it is though giving to each other that happiness is reached. The Holy Father asked us to reflect on the danger of man without God, that only leads to self-destruction and it was nations and philosophies that couldn’t stand the weight.
“Be not afraid” is what he set out to teach through Christ. He asked the Church to live up to what they have always believed for two Mililani without fear. In general, the Holy Father didn’t say anything new, just with a deeper knowledge, to help Christendom negotiate how to live it more fully in an increasingly secular age. What he did do that was unique to our time is that he refused to change Christian Truth “to fit the times.” Maybe that is why so many youth flocked to the Holy Father, answering the challenge of a new generation of Christians to reflect and pray. He put the Orthodox case before them, and after they lived and saw the values that the secular culture provided asked if they as men and women were more fulfilled? What the “world” offered didn’t satisfy, yet many did not hesitate to travel the world to meet, listen, and pray with this man. He refused to leave the youth of the Church as children and challenged them which made them love him even more. It was personal; they actually felt loved in his presents to the point of tears. The former Polish actor revealed of an interpersonal relationship with God and others on an international stage this age has not seen.
“Be not afraid” in loving each person as Christ transformed a Polish priest before our eyes as an international example of how with our Yes to Christ can transform us as well. He is great was found in again and again pointed us to Christ. The Holy Father showed us how to be human, even when afraid, especial when afraid.
Probably one of the greatest themes that John Paul II is famous for is “BE NOT AFRAID.” It was these words that rang through church bells and many minds as the world celebrated a great life. With this classic phrase from Christ he called all to live it in front of a skeptical age. From the very beginning of his public ministry it was as if he dared Christians to live their faith and not be transformed. He dared the rest of the world to not notice when it was accomplished.
John Paul II’s personal witness day in and day out in the public consciences was an example to the consequences of what God does when just one person says Yes to Christ the Truth, over and over and over again. “Be not afraid” wasn’t just a pipe dream, but becomes the key to a life lived to its’ fullness. He desired to say Yes to Christ in everything and this Yes allowed God’s love and power to flow effectively through him, in such a dramatic way, that made the most secular stopped in their tracks.
The personal recollections of a life, the documentaries, the commentators lined up in a Rome square to try to understand this life that so many were touched by. What does this mean and how did this happen that the greatest of us isn’t pointing to himself, but to someone else that lived two thousand year ago? People where jumping over each other to comment regarding the largest funeral in human history and to the largest event ever watched at two billion people. What created such response?
This Polish man after all was just one man, and maybe this was the key to the mission that he was called to teach us to emulate; a true holiness and wholeness in the fragmented world. He taught man to be man again. A true modern man that has learned you have to denying the innovation that you can separate truth from living. He understood that truth is attainable and humans can only become more so through a relationship with the Divine. He demonstrated time and again that every person is made in the Image of God and is more valuable than your 401K. In a world where the battle between men and women in the West has reached the crisis point, he reminded us that it is though giving to each other that happiness is reached. The Holy Father asked us to reflect on the danger of man without God, that only leads to self-destruction and it was nations and philosophies that couldn’t stand the weight.
“Be not afraid” is what he set out to teach through Christ. He asked the Church to live up to what they have always believed for two Mililani without fear. In general, the Holy Father didn’t say anything new, just with a deeper knowledge, to help Christendom negotiate how to live it more fully in an increasingly secular age. What he did do that was unique to our time is that he refused to change Christian Truth “to fit the times.” Maybe that is why so many youth flocked to the Holy Father, answering the challenge of a new generation of Christians to reflect and pray. He put the Orthodox case before them, and after they lived and saw the values that the secular culture provided asked if they as men and women were more fulfilled? What the “world” offered didn’t satisfy, yet many did not hesitate to travel the world to meet, listen, and pray with this man. He refused to leave the youth of the Church as children and challenged them which made them love him even more. It was personal; they actually felt loved in his presents to the point of tears. The former Polish actor revealed of an interpersonal relationship with God and others on an international stage this age has not seen.
“Be not afraid” in loving each person as Christ transformed a Polish priest before our eyes as an international example of how with our Yes to Christ can transform us as well. He is great was found in again and again pointed us to Christ. The Holy Father showed us how to be human, even when afraid, especial when afraid.
posted by Kenneth W. Michael | 10:21 AM
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