After the Mercy Sunday Service in our parish, I took a photo of the Divine Mercy image which was on display at the altar. To the left of the image was the late Holy Father’s photo which, the night before, Msgr David Forde (our parish priest) put there after hearing news of the pope’s death.
Once I have the film developed, I couldn’t help but gaze intently at my shot. I never thought that I would have taken a shot too of the altar, tabernacle, and that lovely mosaic of the Last Supper.
When a loved one dies, we often think of their legacy. Looking seriously at that photo, I could see our departed pope leaving and entrusting to all of us two treasures he held so dearly: the Holy Eucharist and the Divine Mercy.
When he was still alive, Pope John Paul II declared a Year of the Eucharist beginning October 2004. The Eucharist has always taken centre stage in the life of the Church. In the Philippines we have numerous churches where Masses are offered and where people congregate to celebrate. This scenario is truly missed by Filipino Catholics abroad. That’s why when I visited our country early this year, I was so happy to participate in the Sunday Mass in Kawit, Cavite and at the Manila Cathedral. You could really feel the people’s fervour towards God. It is a pity that Europe, where we received the faith centuries ago, has radically changed. The number of churchgoers has declined and so is the number of priestly vocations.
This same pontiff was responsible for the spreading of the Divine Mercy devotion. The world of today tends to be in despair. Yet the Church calls upon us never to let go of that hope and trust in God who is rich in mercy. When did we last receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation? It’s never too late to go back to the Lord. Let’s trust him and be a sign for the world of His love like John Paul II.
Life has been a pilgrimage for us Christians. Our late pope has already finished his journey, while we must keep going. We can sometimes experience fear for we don’t have a clue of where we are heading for. However we must take courage. If we value his legacy, we are in safe hands. We won’t be lost.
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