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The Rev. Dr. David M. O’Connell, C.M. “Every high priest is taken from among men and made their representative before God (Hebrews 5: 1).” Pope John Paul II was such a priest, taken from among us and made our representative before God. And although the Letter to the Hebrews, a portion of which we heard tonight, is focused upon the Lord Jesus Christ as High Priest it also reminds us of those who follow him in ministry, of those who are associated with him as pastor and shepherd of the flock, of those who share in Jesus’ own priestly life and service. And Pope John Paul II, indeed, was such a priest. My dear sisters and brothers in the Lord, what a profound honor it is to pray with you and to stand in the pulpit of this National Cathedral on the eve of the “month’s mind,” the first month that has passed since the death of the Holy Father. Bishop Chane, I thank you for this truly ecumenical privilege, so fitting and so much in keeping with his blessed memory. I have been so moved in recent weeks to hear over and over again from people of many religious traditions different from my own Catholic faith, “he was our Pope, too…he also spoke for us.” And I have been filled with renewed hope, hearing from Pope Benedict XVI, “At the beginning of my pontificate, I address to all of you and believers of the religious traditions here represented, as well as all those who seek the Truth with a sincere heart, an intense invitation to become together architects of peace in a reciprocal commitment of understanding, respect and love.” Our scripture tonight began with the Letter to the Hebrews. This “letter” is not really a letter at all but, rather, a sermon, one of the earliest on record in Christian tradition. It uses themes and notions from the Hebrew Scriptures to provide a commentary on the life and sacrifice of Jesus. This evening, it also provides for us a lens through which to view this man who walked among us in Jesus’ footsteps as Shepherd these last 27 years, Pope Jean Paul II. The key to the life of Pope John Paul II can be found in Hebrews, in the simple phrase “called by God (Hebrews 5: 4).” If ever there was a man “called by God,” if ever there was a man who believed he was “called,” it was Karol Wojtyla. He heard that “call” early in his life and he pursued it with determination and courage. He lost his mother and his brother at a very early age. By the time he was 21, his father died and he was alone in this world, living in a Poland plagued by war and nazism which, when finally defeated, was replaced by communism. An intellectual and philosopher, an actor and poet, this young man was able to use these gifts and interests to make sense out of a difficult life, because in and through them he never lost sight of the Lord Jesus’ call and, so, he made the Lord Jesus the center of his life. Because of religious persecution he studied in secret to become a priest and the Lord confirmed his “call” with priestly ordination but it did not end at that moment. Again and again through the extraordinary life that would follow, the Lord called him from among us. “In the days when he was in the flesh, he offered prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save him…and he was heard because of his reverence (Hebrews 5: 7).” As with Jesus, so with Pope John Paul II. “He learned obedience through what he suffered (Hebrews 5: 8).” And he suffered much, all the while “able to deal patiently with the ignorant and erring, for he himself is beset by weakness.” Pope John Paul II never conceded to such weakness…not weakness of the mind, of the body, of the soul, not even the weakness of the world. His suffering, in fact, his humanity from birth to death was for him, a means to an end. One of the greatest gifts he gave us in his last years and months was the witness of suffering through Christ, with Christ, in Christ, teaching us the merit of such sacrifice to the very end. What great dignity he bore as he offered “gifts and sacrifices” (Hebrews 5: 1)” to God for the Church, what personal testimony to human diginity and purpose, a living example of the meaning of his phrase, “the culture of life.” We gather tonight not to canonize Pope John Paul II; we shall leave that to God and the Church. But our purpose is to remember and to lift up this beloved man, priest and bishop, the way we would our own brother or father or grandfather…we lift up his life and memory in love and gratitude to God as we continue the Easter season. It is no coincidence that we also heard from the final chapter of the Gospel of John this evening. In fact, this same passage was chosen for Pope John Paul II’s funeral Mass by the man who would succeed him. In becoming Pope, Karol Wojtyla was called again by God to more prayers, to more loud cries and tears, to more suffering, to more obedience and to perfection and salvation. In becoming Pope, John Paul II became for Catholic Christians, “Peter,” chief and leader of the apostles, the rock upon whom Jesus would build his Church, the one to whom the Lord Jesus posed the question, not once, not twice but three times, “do you love me?” For Peter, the answer was “yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” To every man who has taken his place, to every successor of Peter in the Church, that same question is posed at the outset and throughout the papacy and when the answer “yes, Lord” is given, the command is heard “feed my sheep.” There is an intimate connection, revealed in this very Gospel, between loving God, loving the Lord Jesus Christ and caring for the flock, loving others. “Do you love me? Feed my sheep.” The ministry of Peter is a ministry of love: a love that governs with justice, a love that teaches with integrity and a love that sanctifies with its source and goal in God. So important was this dialogue between the Lord and Peter in John’s Gospel, that not only was it used for Pope John Paul II’s funeral but it was also used a few days later at the installation Mass of his successor, Pope Benedict XVI, our new “High Priest” for whom we also pray this evening. Another high priest, called from among us by God to represent and deal patiently with his own; to offer gifts and sacrifices, with prayers and tears; to learn obedience from suffering; to be a source of salvation—all these things and then some—such a priest who stands in the place of Peter must open himself to the Lord’s question “do you love me” only to shout in response “Yes, Lord,” only to hear in reply, “feed my lambs, feed my sheep.” But the message of tonight’s evensong, the reason for our remembering Pope John Paul II one month after his death, in fact, the purpose of his life and ministry would be obscured if its focus was limited to popes or bishops or priests alone. The Lord Jesus invites us all with the words “follow me.” True enough, we have different ministries within that call, true enough we even have different traditions in which those ministries are revealed and exercised. But the Lord invites us all, each in the manner “called by God,” to follow him, to feed one another, to offer loud cries and tears, to learn obedience from what we suffer, to deal patiently with one another, to be made perfect. The greatness of Pope John Paul II has that message at its core. He and his successor Pope Benedict XVI, called by God, have followed the Lord where he leads. Their memory, their witness, their Lord and Savior invites us to do the same. Listen as they did. Hear the words “Do you love me? Then feed my lambs and follow me.” Amen. |