Love and mercy go hand in hand

"Radically converted Christians such as St. John XXIII and St. John Paul II live their lives, not in fear but according to the incarnate love of God in the footsteps of Jesus Christ... Turn your life over to Christ and you will find this new freedom." Fr. Robert Barron.

"Good" Pope John Paul XXIII accomplished much which is often overlooked in his short tenure as pontiff with the label "caretaker of the church" so often ascribed to him. His local boyhood church's motto guided his life's mission and was later named his episcopal motto - Oboedientia et Pax. In that spirit, he:

1. Saved some 25,000 Jewish children during the Second World War by providing them with baptismal certificates and boat tickets to escape persecution or death, endangering his own life
   
2. Called for an Ecumenical Council which had not been convened for some 500 years. Vatican II symbolized a resurgence of ecumenical openness for the Catholic Church with non-Catholic observers in attendance and the hope of Christian unity.
3. Obtained close and official Catholic Christian influence on organizations responsible for international order and peace including the U.N. and UNESCO.
4. Contributed to the conceiving and drafting of the UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
   
5. Wrote the encyclical, "Pacem in Terris" in April 1963, which complements his witness to human justice in "Mater et Magistra."
   

Charismatic Pope Jean Paul II, whose apostolic motto was "Totus Tuus"/ "Totally Yours" will be fondly remembered for:

1. Toppling totalitarian regimes in Eastern Europe
2. Forgiving and loving the man who tried to kill him as well as seeking forgiveness for the Church
   
3. Clarifying the doctrines and teachings of Vatican II inside and beyond the Vatican
   
4. Advocating for human life at all life stages
5. Extending paternal embracing hands to young people
6. Teaching about love and family
7. His numerous writings
   
8. Suffering a debilitating disease with dignity and grace
   

We have two new saints -  Saint John XXIII and Saint John Paul II. Pope Francis chose to canonize these two recent popes on Divine Mercy Sunday, 27 April 2014. No mere co-incidence.

At the heart of this Sunday, through doubting Thomas' senses, the marks of the wounds inflicted on Jesus remind of God's enduring love for each and every one of us, his abiding mercifulness and faithfulness towards us and his patience with us. Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II, inspired by the Holy Spirit and the salvific God made man bore witness to God's covenant to humankind.

These two very courageous men exemplified vigorous and inspired energy with a keen sense of hope for our world and justice for all. Since we are all called to be saints, may they guide us to follow Jesus more closely so that we can love others more deeply in reconciliation and unity.

In his homily, Pope Francis said: "In these two men, who looked upon the wounds of Christ and bore witness to his mercy, there dwelt a living hope and an indescribable and glorious joy (1 Pet 1:3,8)... In convening the Council, Saint John XXIII showed an exquisite openness to the Holy Spirit. He let himself be led and he was for the Church a pastor, a servant-leader, guided by the Holy Spirit... In his own service to the People of God, Saint John Paul II was the pope of the family... I am particularly happy to point this out as we are in the process of journeying with families towards the Synod on the family. It is surely a journey which, from his place in heaven, he guides and sustains.
May these two new saints and shepherds of God’s people intercede for the Church, so that during this two-year journey toward the Synod she may be open to the Holy Spirit in pastoral service to the family. May both of them teach us not to be scandalized by the wounds of Christ and to enter ever more deeply into the mystery of divine mercy, which always hopes and always forgives, because it always loves."

If there is light in the soul,
there will be beauty in the person.
If there is beauty in the person,
there will be harmony in the house.
If there is harmony in the house,
there will be order in the nation.
If there is order in the nation,
there will be peace in the world."
- Chinese Proverb