Love is stronger than Fear

God is always on the side of the suffering. His omnipotence is manifested precisely in the fact that he freely accepted suffering. He could have chosen not to do so. He could have chosen to demonstrate his omnipotence even at the moment of the Crucifixion. In fact, it was proposed to him:

"Let the Messiah, the King of Israel come down now from the cross that we may see and believe." (Mark 15.32)

But he did not accept that challenge. The fact that he stayed on the Cross until the end, the fact that on the Cross he could say, as do all who suffer,

"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Mark 15.34)

If the agony on the Cross had not happened, the truth that God is Love would have been unfounded.

Yes! God is Love and precisely for this he gave his Son, to reveal himself completely as Love. Christ is the One who "loved...to the end." (John 13.1) "To the end" means to the last breath.

Pope John Paul II -- Crossing the Threshold of Hope


Some memories:

• Living in Switzerland, hearing at school about the passing of John Paul I and the election of a Polish Pope -- John Paul II, who started his pontificate with the angelic message: Be not afraid!
• In Anchorage , in 1981, going with my parents to see the first Pope ever to come to Alaska -- and that was my first mass. The Pope presided over my first mass! Nine years later I was confirmed into the Catholic Church.
  
• In the Jubilee Year of 2000, the opening of the door to the new millenium -- I was at the hospital with my sick sixth child. But oh, there was a jubilation too.
• April 2005 -- the Pope would not resign -- he believed that his suffering was a witness to the sacredness of life. I think so too. I will always remember an eloquent intelligent Pope who could not speak, an athletic and hard-working Pope that could not move or breathe unassisted, a handsome expressive Pope whose face was paralyzed by disease, and I see that strength and grace and beauty of mind and spirit do not need health of body.
• April 2 -- the Pope uttered his last words, in Polish: "Let me go to the Father's house." Six hours later he died.
  
• April 18th -- the Papal Conclave-- on this day, 3 of my children received the Sacrament of Confirmation in the most unlikely, wonderful circumstances -- a strong warm wind blew through the Church and the archbishop presiding was an old acquaintance of the Pope's.
• April 19th -- we drove into the Catholic college that was my oldest son's first and only choice for an alma mater, and heard on the radio "Habemus papam!" The campus was alive with excitement and students were pasting announcements of "Benedict XVI!" on the doors and walls. Benedict's first address was a brief and simple tribute to the greatness of his dear friend and a promise to carry on his work.

We miss you, John Paul II; your life was closely intertwined with ours at some very pivotal moments, and you were a witness to hope during a century of turmoil. I do not feel you are that far away. We ask for your continued intercession.

John Paul II's Divine Mercy Homily. Here is the Divine Mercy Novena which starts on Good Friday.

John Paul's Last Word to Us
Benedict XVI's homily at John Paul's funeral.