SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER – YEAR A

John Paul 11 RIP

3 rd April 2005

S: Good morning, on what can only be described as an emotional weekend for many, many people throughout the world and here in Limerick.

B: yes…… indeed…… This is a sad weekend when we see the passing of a great world figure in Pope John Paul 11. I have been surprisingly moved, in that through his suffering John Paul continued to speak volumes to us – even if it was not in words.

S: So many of us have memories of the visit of Pope John Paul to Ireland and to Limerick nearly 26 years ago. And so many millions of people after us from all around the world have similar memories of visits to their countries. The Pope, through these visits – in a most powerful way, brought an experience of International Church to practically every country in the world.

B: I guess in a most amazing way he also did this though the World Youth Days. And isn’t it most powerful that yesterday morning a statement was issued on his behalf saying that he knew the youth of the world were with him in prayer. John Paul 11 was the Pope who initiated these World Youth Days, and through them gave young people a chance to experience how special they are.

S: Goodness – I have so many memories

I think of Galway – “The impact of “Young people of Ireland – I love you” that phrase was to be so significant for many years to come. Making a special place for young people on that occasion was the beginning of a papacy that continued to have a special relationship with the young, right up until his last day. I have been fortunate to have been at three of the World Youth Days – all of them incredible. We wondered in Manila in 1995 if John Paul would be well enough to attend – and my – what energy he received from being with the young. I can still remember him waving his walking stick. He loved the young.

In Paris – he was not afraid to put a vision before the young – something so many of us are afraid or slow to do. He reminded them that their baptism called on them to build a civilization of love.

In Rome – He said with humour “If you live among young people – you will become young yourself – so I go home feeling young!!!!

Thanks to the young people of the world, I think John Paul 11 had gone to God feeling young!!!

B: And so, this weekend, isn’t it ironic that we see the passing of Pope John Paul 11 on the vigil of this Divine Mercy Sunday. The Divine Mercy, a movement to which he himself had great devotion – and now we pray that he may experience the Divine Mercy of God.

S: A great many of you listening this morning will have had the experience of the suffering and death of a loved one and can relate very closely with the sentiments expressed in the following poem called “When a good person dies”. And this morning we dedicate it to John Paul 11

Night is coming on.

The last birds fly hurriedly to their nests.

Slowly but surely darkness takes possession of the world.

However, no sooner has darkness fallen,

than the lights begin to come on –

below us, around us, above us,

near us and far away from us –

a candle in a window, a lamp in a cellar,

a beacon in a lighthouse, a star in the sky.

And so we take heart and find our way again.

When a good person dies darkness descends on us.

We feel lost, bereft, forlorn.

But gradually the lights begin to come on

as we recall the good deeds done by those who have died.

They spring up all over the place.

We are amazed at how much light is generated.

In this strange and beautiful light

we not only find our way,

but find the meaning of life itself.

B: And so today, let nobody feel they are alone. Go out and meet people – be with people, express how you feel. Light that candle, say that prayer – call to a church. The power of prayer is an invisible link of energy and love between all of us.

S: And so we pray: May Karol Wojtyla, John Paul 11’s soul and the souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace. Amen.

You’ve been listening to "Just a thought" with Seamus Madigan...

B: and Brenda Cribbin. We can be contacted through the Limerick Diocesan Offices at 66 O’Connell Street.

S: And on this significant weekend in the life of our church, may we remember with fondness the words spoken by John Paul to us in Limerick. “As I leave today – may I express a wish: that every home in Ireland may remain, or may begin again to be a home of daily family prayer”.

B & S: Amen !!!!!!!

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