Daily Reflections- February 27, 2012

BE HOLY!

 

The beatification last year of Pope John Paul II was long awaited and expected by not a few of us who knew him even from afar and loved him almost up close and personal. Twenty-four of my 29 years as a priest were spent during his pontificate. He became Pope when I was only 22 years old, working as a parish pastoral assistant to an Italian priest in a then very young parish that the priest started in Calamba, Laguna.

I got to see and meet the Pope from a close vantage point: first, when I belonged to a team that covered his visit in 1980 with my reliable old double lens parallax camera; and second, as a 39-year-old priest (the last time I officially belonged to the world of the “youth”), leading a whole bunch of seminarians at the Luneta Park for the World Youth Day 1995 in Manila.

I write about him because today, we are given an important challenge from the First Reading: “Be holy, for I, the Lord your God, am holy.” It is hard for anyone who followed Pope John Paul II very closely not to associate him with holiness. The whole world sensed this. Everyone knew it, for Karol Wojtyla lived it right from the start. He was consistent and relentless in his pursuit of holiness. When he died, the whole world clamored for it. “Santo subito,” we demanded.

On closer look, this command from the Lord really sums up and gives meaning to what comes after. This is the real “word” that is the foundation of the 10 “words” or commandments (which is what Decalogue literally means).

Holiness is possible. This is what Blessed Pope John Paul II tells us. That was what he taught us when he beatified and canonized a record number of saintly men and women during his pontificate. He had a vision for himself and for the Church that he so loved and faithfully served. And despite the pain and the suffering associated with old age, he remained steadfast in that dream. Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB

 

REFLECTION QUESTION: What is your vision for your Christian life?

 

Lord, fire me up with the desire to be holy as You are holy.