The Passing of Pope John Paul II
April 2, 2005
John Michael Talbot

Brothers and Sisters,

Peace and Good In Christ!

Our monastery bell is tolling for Pope John Paul II's final passing to God. I am overwhelmed with a flood of mixed emotions; sorrowful and filled with appreciation and joy that he has won his crown in the grace of God in Jesus Christ. Beyond all labels, and loved universally by all, he is truly as some already call him, "John Paul the Great."

During what I called "John Paul's Passion" during Holy Week this year I was struck with the universal and far reaching effects of one man's courageous response to God. He said "yes" to God, and God used him mightily to touch the world, but in a way that made each feel as if they were being spoken to and touched personally by God. We all know of his stunning intellect, and travels to some 100 countries of our world to evangelize, not just Catholic Christians, but all peoples. He stands out as one of the great popes of history, and an architect of much of freedoms the world enjoys today.

This also calls me to reflect on how well I have personally responded to God in my own call. I am humbled when I must honestly answer that I have fallen short many times. I have done so little with the gifts God has given me. I am sure that we can all say the same thing at some level. For myself, the life of John Paul II causes me to recommit my life to Jesus Christ and the service of the Church and the world.

I am also struck that his death comes days after that of Terri Schiavo. While the health circumstances around them are quite different, I cannot help but see the contrast between the way that she died, and the way he died. If her death shows us how not for someone to die, his death shows us how to die well.

When I was last with him in Toronto for World Youth Day, he walked on the main platform despite his constant pain in each step. He said that he did so to teach westerners that just because we are sick and in pain we cannot stop doing our work for God, the Church, and the world. We must persevere and keep going even as he did.

As he died those who attended him were moved to tears because of the great serenity he exuded. Again he teaches us that if we lay down our selfish lives and egos in Christ we can have great peace even in the midst of adversity and tribulation.

These two things cause me to reflect on how easily I am sidetracked by my own encounter with adversity or trial. John Paul II teaches me to keep going with the work of the gospel, even when that work is irritating or troublesome.

This is true not just with the big and obvious things of life. It is most especially true with the little things of life; the opportunities to show God's kindness and love in the small acts of mercy and compassion with those around us. This includes those we like, and those we do not; those who like us and those who do not, those we agree with, and those who do not agree with us. This is the real test of how deeply the way of Jesus has soaked into our very soul through continual acts of letting go of selfish love through the cross, and the presence of the Holy Spirit.

Let us all pray for, and to, John Paul II; that he will be warmly received in heaven by Jesus, who he gave his own life to serve, and that we can all follow the way of the gospel of Jesus with greater enthusiasm, and with greater love, joy, and peace. I have no doubt that he is with Him now in the greatest love, joy, and peace any of us can ever know.

May God bless you in charity, joy, and peace.

In Jesus,
John Michael Talbot
Founder, Spiritual Father, and General Minister,
The Brothers and Sisters of Charity at Little Portion Hermitage