The Poetry of John Paul II: Roman Triptych Meditations

by Pope John Paul II

In this trio of poems written in the summer of 2002, Pope John Paul II uses the imagery of a mountain stream, the Sistine chapel, and the story of Abraham and Isaac as he reflects on God as the origin and end point of all creation and ponders the beginning and end of his time as Pope.

Genres: Poetry, Catholic, Religion, Theology, Polish Literature, Philosophy

40 pages, Hardcover

Published September 1, 2003

About the author

Saint Pope John Paul II (Latin: Ioannes Paulus II), born Karol Józef Wojtyła was elected Pope at the Conclave of 16 October 1978, and he took the name of John Paul II. On 22 October, the Lord's Day, he solemnly inaugurated his Petrine ministry as the 263rd successor to the Apostle. His pontificate, one of the longest in the history of the Church, lasted nearly 27 years.

Driven by his pastoral solicitude for all Churches and by a sense of openness and charity to the entire human race, John Paul II exercised the Petrine ministry with a tireless missionary spirit, dedicating it all his energy. He made 104 pastoral visits outside Italy and 146 within Italy. As bishop of Rome he visited 317 of the city's 333 parishes.

He had more meetings than any of his predecessors with the People of God and the leaders of Nations. More than 17,600,000 pilgrims participated in the General Audiences held on Wednesdays (more than 1160), not counting other special audiences and religious ceremonies [more than 8 million pilgrims during the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000 alone], and the millions of faithful he met during pastoral visits in Italy and throughout the world. We must also remember the numerous government personalities he encountered during 38 official visits, 738 audiences and meetings held with Heads of State, and 246 audiences and meetings with Prime Ministers.

His love for young people brought him to establish the World Youth Days. The 19 WYDs celebrated during his pontificate brought together millions of young people from all over the world. At the same time his care for the family was expressed in the World Meetings of Families, which he initiated in 1994. John Paul II successfully encouraged dialogue with the Jews and with the representatives of other religions, whom he several times invited to prayer meetings for peace, especially in Assisi.

Under his guidance the Church prepared herself for the third millennium and celebrated the Great Jubilee of the year 2000 in accordance with the instructions given in the Apostolic Letter Tertio Millennio adveniente. The Church then faced the new epoch, receiving his instructions in the Apostolic Letter Novo Millennio ineunte, in which he indicated to the faithful their future path.

With the Year of the Redemption, the Marian Year and the Year of the Eucharist, he promoted the spiritual renewal of the Church. He gave an extraordinary impetus to Canonizations and Beatifications, focusing on countless examples of holiness as an incentive for the people of our time. He celebrated 147 beatification ceremonies during which he proclaimed 1,338 Blesseds; and 51 canonizations for a total of 482 saints. He made Thérèse of the Child Jesus a Doctor of the Church.

He considerably expanded the College of Cardinals, creating 231 Cardinals (plus one in pectore) in 9 consistories. He also called six full meetings of the College of Cardinals. His most important Documents include 14 Encyclicals, 15 Apostolic Exhortations, 11 Apostolic Constitutions, 45 Apostolic Letters. He promulgated the Catechism of the Catholic Church in the light of Tradition as authoritatively interpreted by the Second Vatican Council. He also reformed the Eastern and Western Codes of Canon Law, created new Institutions and reorganized the Roman Curia.

In the light of Christ risen from the dead, on 2 April 2005 at 9.37 p.m., while Saturday was drawing to a close and the Lord's Day was already beginning, the Octave of Easter and Divine Mercy Sunday, the Church's beloved Pastor, John Paul II, departed this world for the Father. On April 1, 2011, he was raised to the glory of the altars and on April 27, 2014 canonized.

Reviews

[Matt Ebenroth · Rating 5 out of 5]

(On God being depicted as a man in the Sistine Chapel fresco) “If, at first, we saw God beginning with man, we now learn to see the human person starting with God: a reciprocal gift of self—the human person is destined for this—if he manages to find the way to achieve this, he is a mirror of the essence of God, and so reveals the link between the beginning and the end.”

(Benedict XVI commentary) This God appears in creation and in history. He seeks us in our sufferings and in our questioning. He shows us what it means to be a human person: to give ourselves in love, which makes us like God. Through the journey of the Son to the mountain of sacrifice, there is revealed "the mystery hidden from the foundations of the world". The love that gives is the original mystery, and, in loving, we too can understand the message of creation and find the way.

These boys hard fr

[Sezgin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mickiewicz się chowa

[Raluca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprisingly good and deep. Even numinous

[Kristyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am simultaneously reading this with a book with a book of Zen poetry, I find many echoes of one in the other. The act of poetry and reflection of the infinite in nature, beauty, and the stories of humanity is not limited to any one religion.

This collection is reflective and tender, and the reflection builds to a love toward the subject of the poem, be it nature, the beauty of the Sistine Chapel, or the story of Abraham and Isaac.

[Rich · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like the Theology of the Body, this is required reading. This three part poem is TOB put in poetic form. Part I deals with creation and wonder, Part II speaks of Man, the Fall, and Judgment, aka "Historical Man", and Part III begins with speaking of Abraham, but it becomes apparent that the shift is made to the action of Christ giving himself.

Short read, but beautiful reflections!

[Ehsan Jafari]

omnia nuda et aperta sunt ante oculos eius 🌹