It is still hard to take on board that Pope Benedict will soon be stepping down as Pope; it is almost equally hard to realise he has been there for eight years. The Blessed John Paul II was always going to be a hard man to follow – men of that charisma come along rarely. I know he aroused a variety of views among Catholics, but for non-Catholics he was one of the first Popes to make any real impact in the sense of making Catholicism accessible to us.
Pope Benedict and the Blessed John Paul offer two complementary ways of living the Christian life – illustrating St Paul’s words about each part of the body having a different function.
John Paul bore heroic witness. His own early life could very easily have been the prelude to martyrdom, but he was spared for other things. As Pope he made an impact no Pope had ever made, and through his witness he reached out to those of us who were not born Catholic. He seemed, to me, to have something of St Paul about him – the restless travelling, the desire to preach the word to the uttermost ends of the earth was very Pauline – as was the fact that he was not to everyone’s taste.
Pope Benedict, by contrast was the scholar-monk. His learning was truly formidable; but as impressive was the way in which his intellect was not prideful and did not lead him where a similar intellect led Hans Kung. The Pope put his intellect at the service of the Holy Spirit, and his books will be remembered and read as long as the faith survives – so to the ending of days then.
The Papacy came to John Paul in the prime of his life, and he lived in the public eye long enough to bear a very different type of witness. The nobility with which he bore his suffering set an example not easily forgotten. For Benedict, by contrast, the Papacy came late in life, at a time when he sought only quietness and the seclusion of the scholar’s study. And yet when the call came, he showed his own heroism by responding to it. He also showed a different sort of heroism in the decision to stand down.
Both men have consecrated their lives to Christ, and they stand at the peak of the pyramid of those who, in different ways, attempt to live the Christian life. It is not given to everyone to devote the whole of their energies and talents to Christianity, but it is right for each of us to question what it is we do by way of living the Christian life. As Lent approaches, I find myself examining my conscience and asking in what ways I can do more to bear witness to the hope that is within me.
Lent is a time for giving things up – but it also a time for taking on new things – and I think that too often I have done the one and not the other. These two Popes provide us with insights into how the Lord calls us to witness in different ways – and how He finds us where we are.
As good an analysis as I have read, dearest friend, and much to think about as we move into Lent.
Thank you so much, dearest friend – back a bit late – but will email soon xx
Here I’ll be xx
Some catholic writer or Pope or something, cant recall his name, but he prophesied of all the popes that came after his time and gave the number of Popes befor what he calls, The Last Pope. He said something about each pontificate, which looked good to me. According to this guy, the next Pope will be the last.He said this long ago. Im sure yall know who im taling about. Im too lazy to go find his name. Anyway, the american press and readershave renewed their anger over Ratzingers failure to act against offending underlings while he was head of the Holy Office. Its as big a news as that cop killers here in so calif. We drove by a scene with a bunch of police thursday on or way to the city dump. We didnt know the news of the shooting, cause we were busy loading trash onto a trailor. And now, 3 blocks from me is a police command center, looking for the guy. They are set up in a vacant lot. Its like WW III. They think hes in our neighborhood.
Well, stay safe, Bosco, and I hope he isn’t in your neighbourhood.
In the case of the Pope, it is, I think, unfair to blame him. It was the local bishops who had the info, and those who think that somehow the Vatican had all the info on a billion Catholics might like to have a think about that myth.
Yes, I have read about this next Pope being the last one. I guess next time it happens we’ll read about it again
It was the prophecy of St. Malachy, but the whole prophecy thing is a forgery. All the documents that came about are from the 1500s–400 years after his death–and no mention of these prophecies was ever, well, mentioned during his own time.
The whole thing looks good, just as much as reading your daily horoscope looks good. There’s only vague suggestion. Though I imagine some will freak out if a person with the middle name “Peter” becomes the pope…
Breaking news. The suspect just had a shoot out with police in Big Bear mountain just minutes ago. @ officers wounded. Well, he has left my neighborhood. Big Bear isnt tht far. No word on if they caught him
Glad you are safe Bosco – take care
x
Jessica
Your comparison of Pope Benedict’s journey with that of Hans Kung is truly excellent analysis.
Hear hear!
Thank you very much Jadis
I think it’s time to think about the whole resignation thing. JP II was the first Pope that really traveled a lot. Bene XVI picked up the slack but he was much older to start with. All future Popes MUST travel. THey must use the Internet. The world has changed for them. Bene XVI has set a new norm. In the future many more Popes will resign.
I’m uneasy about the Pope’s resignation. Maybe I’m wrong, but I’ve always considered it to be a vocation for life as Pope John II so movingly demonstarted. Pope John II showed himself a much greater Pope than Benedict.
Is the Papacy is just a job like any other occupation? I don’t think it is.
Its it something you can pack in when you feel past it or no longer efficient?
I think the reason people have felt instinctively shattered this week is by the news “Pope resigns”. The majority of us, even protestants, feel that being Pope is not just a job but a holy vocation to be continued until death.
Can we consider that St Peter the first Pope would ever have resigned?
Now, the Pope’s resignation gives the impression that we may be observing a diminishing importance attached to vocation in the spiritual dimension.
The fact that even the Pope of Rome, the Vicar of Christ on earth, sucessor to St Peter, can give up and abandon his vocation, suggests that nothing is for life anymore; nothing, not even the Papacy, demands full and unstinting and lifelong earthly commitment.
You raise something there Malcolm which I think many people have thought- but not expressed as well.
Jessica, many of the comments supporting the Pope’s resigation are secular in content. Monier-William’s post is a good example. “All future popes must travel, use the internet,” etc, are secular considerations. Benedict’s resignation has imho devalued the papacy. It won’t be the same anymore. .
Malcolm, you’re right and that’s because the world has changed in a very dramatic way. I was in Rome shorty before JPII died and his public appearances were embarrassing for him and the public.
David I cannot agree with you I saw him at the Jubilee and his eyes spoke to me. The eyes were a language, one language to the children he blessed and another to the kind minders who told him to move on to the next thing. We get old and crippled and it should not be hidden. I learned much from his suffering. Christ suffered, Mary suffered, Peter suffered, I suffered, and you my friend has suffered too, we are family The world changed true, but I am not sure if we should follow the world, it looks like a spiral staircase down into the darkness to me. Dante ‘Inferno’ had the popes who resigned in the center of the lowest level of Hell. I think since the vocation is always being a priest, not a pope, and he will serve out his vocation, he is safe and blessed. The pope is just a man as I am, but the Holy Spirit speaks through him as if he was but a talking reed.
David, the world may change, but God doesn’t. Once we start trying to adapt to secular changes we’re on the downward path.
Malcolm, I’m talking about physical abilities of old men with demanding tasks way beyond that of most men who are long retired.
I realize that, but are there not a very large number of cardinals, priests and clergy who would be able to do the admin work?
There are and they do, and there is still a humungous work load together with daily official private, semi private and public duties. When none of these are going on he is locked in his apartment.
Malcolm it’s an entirely and totally different world that makes the Queen’s duties child’s play.
I was privy to knowing a doctor that attended JPII back in the late 70′s when he had stomach cancer. She was able to heal him of that. She gave me great insight as to his daily life. For instance, when she examined him the Private Sec. had to be present. She was asked to be security in an up-coming operation, to prevent any assassination attempt. The manner in which she was paid was a story all in itself.
When she was called to the Vatican from West Palm Beach Florida. A white plane landed and she went aboard …no customs no immigration. She flew back the same way. It’s a totally different world.