A brush with Holiness, a breath of fresh air, and an answer

I have been watching all of the programs on EWTN concerning Blessed Pope John Paul II’s beatification yesterday.  There are so many people who were touched by his holiness, including me.  In the very first entry of this blog in April of 2008, I related my own personal brush with him.  It has had a very big impact on my life ever since.
 
In 1987 His Holiness Pope John Paul II visited San Francisco. I really wanted tickets and I was disappointed when I found out they were sold out almost as quickly as they became available. So I resolved to just watch the hoopla on TV and pray for those who, like me, were unable to attend. I was at work the evening before his Candlestick Park appearance when Marilyn called me. She said that some last minute tickets had become available and that our neighbor Darlene had a ticket for me if I would agree to drive her and some of her friends to the Mass at Candlestick. Evidently, one of Darlene’s friends had agreed to drive, but got ill at the last minute and she called me out of desperation. Of course I accepted the offer. I expected, since these were late-release tickets that they would be in the “nose-bleed” section of the stadium. Imagine my surprise when we were directed to the playing field, no more than about 100 feet from the Holy Father! These were prime seats. The first thought I had when I knelt down to thank God for this opportunity was (Matt 20:16) “So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.” I think I cried through most of the Mass, overwhelmed to just be in the presence of a very holy man.  I had a profound sense of his holiness—it was like I was in the presence of St. Peter himself!  It was a very personal encounter for me that I will never forget. “Il Papa” exited the stadium by walking right past me. If I had been about 5 feet closer, I would have been able to actually touch him! I remember saying a prayer right then, “Dear Jesus, thank You for sending your Vicar here, to see me.  Someday, I hope to return the favor and visit You and the Holy Father in Rome!”

I am saddened that the news of Prince William’s and Princess Kate’s wedding and the death of Osama bin Laden so overshadowed JPII’s beatification that it was relegated to a small article in the back of the local newspaper and virtually non-existent on the internet news services.  Of course, I’m not surprised, just saddened.

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I had a very moving experience yesterday when attending a holy hour and Benediction with Mom and her neighbor Rose at St. Anne’s Church.  The holy hour was held a 3:00—THE “Hour of Mercy”.  For those who are not familiar with a holy hour and Benediction service, it begins with the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament while a hymn is sung.  Then the readings—usually the New Testament reading and the Gospel of the day are read.  Yesterday’s Gospel was John 20: 19-31.  Father Joe began reading the Gospel:

"On the evening of that first day of the week,
when the doors were locked, where the disciples were,
for fear of the Jews,
Jesus came and stood in their midst
and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side.
The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you.
As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”
And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them,
“Receive the Holy Spirit.”

Right at that moment, I became very aware of a breeze coming through the door and sweeping over me.  I know.   It probably wasn’t the Holy Spirit and I definitely was not being “ordained.”  It was a semi-breezy day and the doors at either end of the church were opened to keep the church cool, but the breeze put me “in the moment” with the Apostles that evening of the first day of the week.  I took a deep breath to “catch” all the graces I could.  It was exhilarating!  I thank God for these “eternal glimpses” of His Love.
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Last night, when the news of the death of Osama bin Laden came over on the news, I was confused.  “How am I, as a Christian, supposed to react to this news?  Osama bin Laden bore the most serious responsibility for spreading divisions and hatred among populations, causing the deaths of innumerable people, and manipulating religions for this purpose. Is it OK to feel a gladness that he is gone?  No, that can’t be right.  I know I should pray for his soul, but am I strong enough to forget the horrors he was responsible for?  I am also ashamed for those who were singing “We Are the World” in front of the White House. What is the answer?”

Jesus answered my questions today through a Facebook post from Sarah.  She wrote: I’m gonna have to agree with the Vatican on this one:  “In the face of a man’s death, a Christian never rejoices, but reflects on the serious responsibilities of each person before God and before men, and hopes and works so that every event may be the occasion for the further growth of peace and not of hatred.”

To which I replied, “Amen.”