John Paul II — one who saw every man as Christ

Fr. Peter Armenio
Evening of Recollection talk

Kevin”s take: Fr. Peter tells the story from some years ago, when the great nephew of the personal cook of Pope John Paul II was invited to a visit with His Holiness during the 1993 World Youth Day in Denver. The plan was for him, his grandmother and great aunt to meet with the pontiff.

And yet, this humble man just didn”t feel like going. What would the Pope want with me? was the thought running through his head. The man was a practicing Catholic, and worked for the Archdiocese of Denver. But you can”t say no to Polish women, so the man went. During the visit, the man was impressed by how personal and informal the late Holy Father was.

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The pontiff joked to the group, “You came to see the Pope, but you didn”t bring me any pastries.” The Pope talked with the three of them, gave them his full attention, and the man felt as if he had known this famous man for years. They enjoyed each others” company. The man could tell that he was in the presence of God. The Pope was a man who saw every person who knocked on his door as Christ.

This story of the man”s meeting with the Pope was told during a men”s evening of recollection in the Chicago area. Fr. Peter”s talk was on charity. Charity is not so much giving, as understanding, he said. Jesus said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you.”

I can just image the Pope chumming it up in this way. That same week, I saw the Holy Father in Denver, too, but in a large field with some 750,000 other pilgrims. He teased the crowd a bit, calling out each groups” country by name and waiting for the applause.

“On a natural level, our Lord commands the impossible,” Fr. Peter said. Our Lord had just washed the disciples” feet when He said this. The Gospel has to be alive and transmitted into sacrificial love, Father said.

St. Josemaria Escriva said, “We have to turn the clock back, not to the 40s or 50s, but to the first, second, and third centuries.”

Do others think of us with affection, kindness, Fr. Peter asked. Charity is the little things, little deeds in our lives.