Chrisandra Skipper
October 22, 2020
I was 16 years old when Pope John Paul II came to Toronto for World Youth Day. I have to admit that World Youth Day was not the most inspiring or cherished experience of my life. Sleeping on a classroom floor, showering in bathroom sinks, walking a lot in very large crowds, eating some suspect jumbalya for breakfast... it wasn't a vacation. But I will never forget the buzz in the air on the first day Pope John Paul II arrived.
We lined up along baracades and waited for him to just drive by in his little popemobile. And I saw him! His sweet little face and caring wave. As I was walking around later that day, a reporter stopped me and asked what it was like. I told them "You could feel his presence fill this whole place." Okay - that might not have been the direct quote, but they did use my quote for the Time Magazine article they published later that month. (I'm trying to find my copy and don't know where it is.)
The weekend brought the vigil and Mass with the Holy Father and we slept in a muddy field in the rain, but it was his words and presense that reminded me of the value of that pilgrimage. He was a witness to the Father's love for his children as he cared for the hundreds of thousands of young people gathered there.
That's my "I saw a Saint" story! St. John Paul II shared so many wise words with us. From his theme phrase of "Be Not Afraid" to his teaching on the body and sexuality in the Theology of the Body. His 26 years as pope gave us a lot of quotables, but here are some of my favourites:
- “The more ready you are to give yourself to God and to others, the more you discover the authentic meaning of life.”
- “Never, ever give up on hope, never doubt, never tire, and never become discouraged. Be not afraid.”
- “It is Jesus who stirs in you the desire to do something great with your lives, the will to follow an ideal, the refusal to allow yourselves to be ground down by mediocrity, the courage to commit yourselves humbly and patiently to improving yourselves and society, making the whole world more human and more fraternal.”
- “The future is in your hearts and in your hands. God is entrusting to you the task, at once difficult and uplifting, of working with Him in the building of the civilization of love.”
- “The most beautiful and stirring adventure that can happen to you is the personal meeting with Jesus, who is the only one who gives real meaning to our lives.”
- “When a young man or woman recognizes that authentic love is a precious treasure, they are also enabled to live their sexuality in accordance with the divine plan, rejecting the false models which are, unfortunately, all too frequently publicized and very widespread.”
- “Jesus does not say ‘no’ to the authentic demands of the heart, but only a clear, loud ‘yes’ to life, to love, to freedom, to peace and to hope. With Him no goal is impossible and even a small act of generosity grows and can lead to change.”
- “Today Christ is asking each of you the same question: do you love Me? He is not asking you whether you know how to speak to crowds, whether you can direct an organization or manage an estate. He is asking you to love Him. All the rest will ensue.”
- “Dear friends, if you learn to discover Jesus in the Eucharist, you will also know how to discover Him in your brothers and sisters, particularly the very poor.”
- “Courageously follow the path of personal holiness and diligently nourish yourselves with the word of God and the Eucharist. The holier you are, the more you can contribute to building up the Church and society.”