JPII on Christ’s love – Youth Day, 2000

A friend, Theresa, a Benedictine nun, had put together a prayer vigil service for her community which contained excerpts from some of JPII’s speeches. She writes this to me:

One section John Paul wrote on Eucharist was so beautiful-it was to the young people at World Youth Day in 2000. JP writes: “The Eucharist is the presence of Christ who gives himself to us because he loves us. He loves each of us in a unique way in our practical daily lives: in our families, among our friends, at study and work, in rest and relaxation. He loves us when he fills our days with freshness and also when, in times of suffering, he allows trials to weigh upon us: even in the most severe trails, he lets us hear his voice. Yes dear friends he loves us, and he loves us forever!…When you go home….live the Eucharist by testifying to God’s love for every person…” Wow. No wonder the young people love him so.

Cleaning up a few loose ends:

I meant to link to Professor Bainbridge earlier – he had an interesting post asking and answering the question, Did John Paul “cling” to life?

I also meant to link to this excellent bit of musing by Chrenkoff, and Vanderleun’s repost of The Passion of the Pope.

The Vatican’s own website is pretty nice – a good way to review a long pontificate.

We had a big storm tonight – as I went to pick the kids up from bowling, there was a lightening strike, taking out many traffic lights. The kids piled into the car and it went like this:

C: Man, this wind is ridiculous!

M: My mother says Mary comes on the wind!

Buster: And I think I see four horsemen!

:-)

It’s been a long two days. What a wonderful, sad, beautiful, terrible two days. I have already asked John Paul the Great to pray for my sons! May I extend my heartfelt thanks to all the bloggers who sent folks my way today, particularly The Corner, Instapundit, Captain Ed, Polipundit, Michelle Malkin, and so many others. Please forgive me if I’ve left anyone out. Thanks, too, to the many, many folks of all creeds – and some of NO creed – who sent lovely messages of condolence on the loss of our good Pope. God bless all. Goodnight!