Matthew 22: 34-40
BLESSED JOHN PAUL II:Missonary Pope
In his message for World Mission Sunday 2011,Pope Benedict XVI often cites the example and writing of Pope John Paul II.The entire Church worldwide rejoiced as “JP2” was beatified by Benedict XVI on May 1,2011 at Saint Peter’s Square in Rome,Remarkable,Indeed,are the contribution of this 264th Pope of the Catholic Church whose pontificate extended over 26 years (1978-2005)
When John Paul II died on April 2, 2005 the Reuters News Fact sheet noted some remarkable statistics regarding his pontificate.He traveled a total 775,231 miles around the world; this is 3.24 times the distance from the earth to the moon.John Paul II read aloud,before audiences in the millions,more than 20,000 addresses.As Pope,he issued more than 100 maor documents,including 14 encyclicals exhortations.and 11 apostolic constitiution.John Paul II beatified 1,338 and canonized 482 people, more than all of his predecessors in the last four centuries combined.
Undoubtedly,one of the major emphasis of John Paul II was his focus on the renewal of the church in her missionary identity and commitment. When his mission encyclical Redemptoris Missio (Mission of the Redeemer:RM) was published on December 7,1990 [25th anniversary of the mission document of Vatican II,Ad Gentes],Cardinal Godfried Danneels of Brussels wrote:”This Document best exemplifies who this pope is;it is the fruit of his mission in every continent.There is nothing better to define his ponficate thean to say:he is a missionary pope.”
In RM (1) the pope described his missionary commitment:”From the beginning of my Pontificate I have have chosen to travel to th ends of the earth in order to show his missionary concern.My direct contact with peoples who do not know Christ has convinced me even more of the urgency of missionary activity…”
John Paul II emphasized his explicit pastoral choice in his messages for World Mission Sunday in 1981 [the year of his visit to the Philippines]: “My trips to latin America,Asia,and Africa have a eminently missionary purpose.”Everywhere he went John Paul II emphasized a central point:”I wish to invite the Church to renew her missionary commitment” RM 2).
The pope was concerned that “missionary activity specifically directed ‘to the nations’ (adgentes) appears to be waning… For in the Church’s History,missionary drive has always been a sign of vitality,ust as its lessening is a sign o crisis on faith” (RM 2).John Paul II made the faith-mission link very explicit when he noted:”Mission is an issue of faith, an accurate indicator of our faith in Christ and his love for us” (RM 11).
Blessed John Paul II did everything in his power to renew mission,asserting that mission is at the heart of the Church: missionary by her very nature” (AG 2).He as deeply convinced that “missionary activity renews the Church,revitalizes faith and Christian identity, and offers fresh enthusiasm and new incentive.Faith is strengthened when it is given to others!” (RM 2).
The date of the beatification (May 1,2011) was the feast of Divine Mercy.John Paul II had a deep commitment to this devotion as it was propagated by Sister Fautisina Kowalska,a fellow Pole.One can also note its intimate link with mission.Is not missionary evangelization all about proclaiming God’s abundant love,compassion,and mercy? Mission is grounded in being so filled with God’s loving mercy that one wishes to proclaim it to the world.Mission makes God’s merciful love present and contagious.
One could add many more to the “statistics” enumerated above which reflect the extraordinary mission commitment of John Paul II.He used every opportunity to spread the message and person of Jesus.You and I,as baptized Christians,have the same calling (which we renew each year on Mission Sunday).”JP2” was an extraordinary apostle of Jesus Christ.We rejoice to pray:Blessed John Paul II,rekindle our missionary fervor!
- Rev Fr. Angel Amir R. Gamboa
