A Tender Love

"One must arrange one's life, so that everything praises God." These enriching words were said by Saint Pope John Paul II. He said many encouraging, beautiful and insightful words that sprung from a deep place of hope, peace and spiritual strength. Reflecting upon him and his papal legacy, as yesterday was his feast of his 100th birthday, I came to realize how profound, significant and influential he was, to those who met him in person and to those who didn't.

I realized even more so his impact and the strong and tender following he had around the world when my mom showed me the news clippings she had saved from the announcement of his death, April 2nd, 2005. I saw and read the articles written about him as pope, as a devout and loving man. I could see the deep sadness and loss on the people's faces, silent tears streaming down their faces that showed their mourning and heartache of a dear friend gone from this earth, a great leader, confidant, and a beloved and God fearing man. It became more real to me, as I was only in the 6th grade when he passed, and didn't comprehend all of his influence among the Roman Catholic realm, but also all around the world.

Contemplating this great saint, pope, priest, man, and follower of Jesus on his 100th anniversary of birth, I also came to find he has had an impact on me in various ways, like so many others could attest to in their profound experiences meeting him face to face or somewhere from a distance, or like me, who never had the gift of meeting him in person. However, his writings, words spoken, example, cheerful smile, humble demeanor, and profound wisdom and courage in the faith are what draw me to this Polish man, this first Polish pope.

A few of my siblings had the privilege of meeting Pope John Paul II at World Youth Day in the early 2000's. And most of my siblings have been able to attend these World Youth Days in different countries and with another Pope, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, but I'm sure the feeling, the experience, the excitement was all the same since it was Pope John Paul II who initially started these World Youth Days for young people of faith all around the world to come together.

A World Youth Day that I was thinking of attending was about 5 years ago in the city where Pope JPII grew up, Krakow, Poland and it would involve a lot of historic sites around the area, not to mention being in Poland and in the cities where back then Karol Wojtyla grew up. It wasn't meant to be for me, as other travel experiences and expenses came the following year for my study abroad experience and my sister's wedding abroad, but I have yet to attend and value the pilgrimage experience of a World Youth Day.

Reading about some of my favorite saints, I come across their canonizations done by JPII, and I realize how much impact he has had on our Catholic faith, not solely with beautifying and canonizing saints in the Church, but also his writings such as 'Love and Responsibility' and his teachings on the Theology of the Body to name a few. I am honored to have studied more of the Theology of the Body and do course series with my mom and sister a couple of years ago. I am very fond of this beautiful teaching full of truth and freedom, one that our world is in desperate need of.

About a year ago, I read a great and interesting read about St. Pope John Paul II written by Jason Evert. It was about and called JP II's 5 loves, and I would recommend it as a great source to his heart, his mission and his life. It's not so much a biography, but Evert does a lovely job in detailing some of Pope John Paul's personal life even before he became a priest or a great pope. I remember well that my dear sister read this book before me and recommend this book, and gave some of the examples that perhaps I could relate with, his sufferings and particularly his deep loneliness after the sudden loss of his dad that made him orphan at only the age of 21. This gave me great courage and strength in learning more about him and his trials and sufferings that God had bestowed and entrusted him with.

I was greatly inspired by Saint Pope John Paul II and the book about his 5 loves. It was what I needed to read, and to administer in my thoughts and in my life especially during the challenging time I was going through then. I wrote down some quotes from the book in a notebook of mine and would bring this notebook to work with me and read through the quotes again when there was down time at my job, and I would feel encouraged and inspired.  Here is an excerpt from the book, "There is no question that John Paul had an extraordinary work ethic. He worked between 16 and 20 hours per day, an found television and radio to be a waste of time. If he wasn't praying or studying, he had the feeling he was wasting his time." 

Pope John Paul II is well known for his first address speech in 1978 in saying "Be Not Afraid! Open wide the doors of Christ", as this is a very common phrase in the Gospels but we still need to hear it, and knowing and understanding more of his life, I'm sure there were many fears as well with Communism, and WWII to name a few. And his famous words of hope and joy pertaining to Easter the season, "We are an Easter people and Alleluia is our song."

Going back to the newspaper clipping that was saved and reading through some of the articles written, I came to learn that he was the most well traveled Pope in that he visited the most countries during his papacy, and he was fluent or at least conversational in many languages. Being a person who is intrigued and interested in other cultures and languages, this moved med with a deeper sense of connection with him. It showed how open minded he was, passionate and talented not just linguistically but sharing the good news of the Gospel.

Though I'm not studying the language now, last May I picked up some Polish. It was a side inspiration for a short while and have been interested in Slavic languages for some time. My dear sister would send me pictures of red poppies on her walks with Santiago, as its the national flower of Poland. And I found a lovely picture of a red poppy while thrift shopping right before my birthday and have it hanging on my wall.

There are so many influences and things to say about this beautiful person, a man of deep faith and conviction and a leader who has inspired us all with his joy, hope, and lasting impact. Whenever he is seen in prayer, he is in deep conversation with God. In so many ways, he has become an example to us all, how to live, how to pray and how to love. May he intercede for us, our needs and intentions.

I will end with a prayer from him to Our Lady, bestowing his love and devotion to her, entitled 'Totus Tuus':

Immaculate Conception, Mary my Mother, Live in me, Act in me, speak in me and through me, think your thoughts in my mind, Love through my heart, Give me your dispositions and feelings, Teach, lead me and guide me Jesus, correct, enlighten and expand my thoughts and behavior, possess my soul, Take over my entire personality and life, replace it with yourself, Incline me to constant adoration, pray in me and through me, Let me live in you and keep me in this union always. Amen

The Role of Mary

May is a special month. It speaks of spring but showcases the glory of summer in the late afternoon, the blooming of roses and flowers and the love birds chatting throughout the day and night. May is Mary's month, the month of the Holy Rosary and the month for Mother's Day. Mary, Mothers, flowers, they go well together.

It's the little things sometimes that can make all the difference and now in this time we are in, it's even more true and is put to the test. Last May and this May look really different but at the same time, a little similar. Last May felt hard core and super intense. The beauty of spring was intensifying, as well as my heart was burning with all of the annoyances, daily crosses and unknowns that came from my job and the demands it had. It was rough, but it makes me more confident and proud in God's grace that He was there with me through it all, in guiding and providing my needs.

It was the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe from the local church that also got me through, as my prayers became more intensified and personal. It was the tender and comforting ear of my dear sister listening to my complaints and heartache of these sufferings when we me up on warm and sunny Sunday afternoon at a Starbucks. Her gift was also tangible for Teacher Appreciation Week, and on the gift bag she had an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe with her words to Juan Diego, "Am I not here, who am your Mother?" My sister's gift lifted my spirits, and seeing these comforting words inspired me to trust more.

May was a trying month, a testing month but the beauty of the roses and other blooming flowers, radiant sunsets, daily masses and communions, quality time with my sisters, Santiago, going to cafe Roma and sipping cappuccino, designing my own t-shirts with craft paint, and helping my sister and brother-in-law move in to their new home were all ways of God showing His love, protection, and presence.

Remembering these memories helps with this May. This shelter in place and Pandemic has become harder and harder for everyone, and patience has become even more of a forefront virtue. It's about being creative, innovative and seeing everyday as a blessing, a gift. My schedule looks completely different than it did last May, the hardships and the daily grind were different too. The local parish church is the same, the same God, the same image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, but a different cross in my life. A different trust, a shifted hope, but greater confidence that God uses everything to make something great and new. It's up to me to have that patience in God's timing.

The quote for today from my 365 flip book is "You can always trust God's heart even when you can't trust His hand." And the quote from V. Fulton Sheen that I love that was also on that gift bag from my my sister is, "Patience is power. Patience is not an absence of action; rather it is timing it waits in the right time to act, for the right principles and in the right way."

May this may be full of confidence and love for Our Lady as she continues to guide us on this journey. Her beauty, peace, joy, humility, and comfort are real.