John 1:6-7
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify to the light.
In this verse of the Bible we can see how God also sent us another John to testify of the light of Christ.
Karol Wojtyla, who became popepapa John Paul the Second was a man of humble background, who struggled through life because of the oppression of the nazis during his youth. He lost his family while being very young. With enormous difficulties and studying underground he managed to become a priest.
He became the first popepapa from Poland, a very religious country that suffered under the yoke of Communism. popepapa John Paul was able to gather over three million people on his first visit to Poland as a popepapa and encouraged people to be free from their slavery.
His enthusiasm, courage and conviction, served as the catalyst for the power of the Solidarity movement. Months after his visit, Communism collapsed in Poland.
As a priest and a man consecrated to God, he took the vows of Poverty, Chastity and Obedience. His vocation is a source of encouragement for priests and people consecrated to the Religious life as well as for all the laity.
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Excerpts
CHRISTIFIDELES LAICI OF HIS HOLINESS JOHN PAUL II
ON THE VOCATION AND THE MISSION OF THE LAY FAITHFUL
IN THE CHURCH AND IN THE WORLD
"Thus the lay state of life has its distinctive feature in its secular character. It fulfills an ecclesial service in bearing witness and, in its own way recalling for priests, women and men religious, the significance of the earthly and temporal realities in the salvific plan of God. In turn, the ministerial priesthood represents in different times and places, the permanent guarantee of the sacramental presence of Christ, the Redeemer. The religious state bears witness to the eschatological character of the Church, that is, the straining towards the Kingdom of God that is prefigured and in some way anticipated and experienced even now through the vows of chastity, poverty and obedience." |
