Responsible Manhood
And So a Great Man Passes
By Miss Eva B.
Apr 5, 2005 - 6:05:00 PM

No matter what they think of Catholic Doctrine, Christians from all over the world pause to give praise for Pope John Paul II and to mourn his passing. Why? Why did this man from Poland make such an impression upon the world? Political-minded people mostly recall the part he played in the downfall of communism as his greatest achievement. And yet there is more.

Pope John Paul II was a man who was undoubtedly devoted to his faith. He lived his faith until the end and was not afraid to testify of it, going against every urge of modern society. He was a gentle man with a quick laugh, great intelligence, and a great wit--a man who found great joy in the company of children, of the young, and a man who gave perhaps his greatest testimony in his old age and death.

For years the pope has been one of the world's pro-life voices--a voice that would not be silenced. He spoke out against the use of condoms and against the devaluation of sexuality to a cheapened form of pleasure, instead of a wonderful union of husband and wife from which life might spring. And he spoke incessantly about the protection of that life. With Mother Theresa, he has been a continuous voice against abortion, urging people to see children as a blessing and speaking about the murder of unborn children as one of the greatest tragedies our time has seen.

And yet his greatest testimony for me is not just found in the words he spoke, but in the life he has led--specifically in his last years of life when health was failing. With the burial aproaching and the whole world watching, many of the pictures displayed portrayed the pope in his youth or as an aging man with great vitality. It seems the pictures of the crippled man who could barely move and speak, of the man who was frail and ill and old, are less in the foreground now. For me, however, in his illness he gave the greatest testimony of all. Here we saw a man who had a life that was clearly broken in pieces; a body that did not want to listen to his command; a man handicapped bereft of speech. There might be even people who would say his was a life bereft of worth.

When asked repeatedly over the last few years if the Catholic church didn't need a younger, more vital leader and when he would retire, one of the most noted and meaningful answers was this: "I will retire the day Christ comes down from his cross." Jesus taught us so much through His suffering: how His life--any life--had worth even in what seemed the depths of despair. In our current culture, life seems to have no worth beyond the "perfection" of 25 years of age of youthful body and mind and without responsibilities to anyone.

Within his infirmity, Pope John Paul II taught many lessons. One of the most visible is that a life that is not one of great health can still be one of great worth--a lesson that was recognised clearly by the many young people at meetings all over the world when they were calling out "John Paul II, we love you!" The love of a child for a parent or a spiritual leader is a great tool, as many mothers and fathers know. How can you teach a child about the love of God if you can not love or awaken love yourself?

A second lesson he taught is one of suffering and pulling through. He could have retired, but what sort of a message would that have sent about a commitment that is intended for life: "If it gets too hard, just pull out�" It takes a commitment to God and faith to pull through the hardships of life, to not abandon duty even when the burden weighs heavy on you--something that seems so forgotten in our generation.

A third lesson I find in his visibility. He did not hide in his infirmity or his old age. There are stories of movie stars who refuse to be seen in public after the bloom of youth is gone. There are stories of actresses who say that it's time for them to step out of movies because they just can't pretend to be 25 anymore. In our culture, children and the elderly are more and more hidden from view. Everyone who may need help or may look less than what society portrays as atractive is carefully kept out of sight. John Paul II did not keep out of sight, nor was he pushed to a corner, nor was he silent. He gave guidance to a church of millions at the age of 84. And he did this not with an "I am a senior, hear me roar" attitude, but with the simple grace of a man aging and giving himself over to God's will.

In a society where the elderly are hidden and pushed aside instead of respected, in a society where commitments that are meant for life are easily abandoned at the first sign of hardship, and in a society where infirmity becomes cause to view any life as worthless, here was a man who went 100% counterculture, whose very life was a testimony of values that every Christian can embrace. That is why today many mourn the passing of a great man, hoping that many may be inspired by his life.


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