Luceat!

On Saturday April 2, 2005 the poetic life of John Paul II came to an end. His life led him through many adventures, as he spoke a message of hope to the world. Anyone who knew the late Pope also knew that he was a man of the outdoors. He loved to hike, ski, and kayak down a fast flowing river as he spoke to others about the hope they had in Jesus.

He was a poet at heart, a master of words. His heart came alive by the strokes of his pen which created lyrics that spoke to all. He loved to act and even wrote some plays. This would explain his ease as he spoke to millions, conveying the truth of the human condition, which was also the central point of all his plays.

He understood his fellow men and women, as if he saw within their hearts. He had compassion for the sick, suffering, and misunderstood. He had been through much himself. He had lost his father, mother, and only brother by the time he was 21. He was almost killed 3 times before his 24^th birthday, including being hit by a truck while he studied for the priesthood.

He was shot four times in 1981, but still did not fold. He understood what it meant to suffer and because of that he related to us all. There was something about him. When one would hear him speak in the midst of a crowd of thousands, it seemed to that person that he was only speaking to him or her. As he walked or drove by tears of joy would run down the faces of the people in the crowd and hearts would be uplifted.

What a sight he was, even in his old age. His presence demanded every ear to listen, as he spoke to his children in the language of love, for there never was a time when the radiance of love did not captivate the large heart of John Paul II. It almost seems as if he glowed, becoming the light of the world in such dark times. No wonder so many looked to him, so that they could find the path of true happiness.

What an honor it is to witness such a great life, a life of a man whose stories will be told for centuries to come. A commentator on CNN put it best after they had received news of his death, “The curtain is down. Now we wait for the reviews. But in the meantime, all I can say to him is ‘great show, great show!’ ” The world lost a great man, but it has gained an even greater saint!