Book Review: Man of the Century: The Life and Times of Pope John Paul II

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Book Review: Man of the Century: The Life and Times of Pope John Paul II






article by Darris McNeely





Man of the Century: The Life and Times of Pope John Paul II by Jonathan Kwitney Henry Holt and Company, New York, 1997



Jonathan Kwitney's Man of the Century: The Life and Times of Pope John Paul II,is a sympathetic treatment of the life of the former Bishop of Krakow, Karol Wojtyla. This 678-page biography traces the present Pope's life from his birth in 1920 in Wadowice, Poland. His story is told within the context of Cold War Poland and its struggle against Communism. John Paul is presented as a key player in the overthrow of Communism in Eastern Europe and Russia.



This book offers a review of the major issues that have concerned the Roman Catholic Church in the past 50 years. The issues of Communism, birth control, ecumenicalism, and attacks upon the centuries old authority of the papacy and church tradition, are all treated in this book. You are introduced to the themes of Polish cultural history, basic Catholic theology, and Vatican politics. The book seems well researched. The author delves into many issues covered by previous books on the papacy and refutes previously held ideas.



A strong case is made that this Slavic Pope was largely responsible for the peaceful overthrow of Communism. His support for Poland's Solidarity movement along with his visits to the country helped galvanize resistance to the Moscow backed regime. Indeed, he did employ nonviolent methods as effectively as anyone, but the influence of his role will be analyzed and debated for some time.



Fascinating Personal Insights



Kwitney offers fascinating insights into the personal life of Karol Wojtyla. By age 21 he was orphaned and alone. After working in a factory and dabbling in the theater he decided to enter the priesthood. This decision is presented as a natural step for an introspective and private individual who was not known for forming any romantic relationships with the opposite sex. His personal habits reveal a man of simple tastes who has collected few material goods through his life. Repeatedly he would give away the gifts of clothing from friends and continue wearing the used items to which he was accustomed. He has never had an interest in money or the things money can buy. A bishop once told a supporter not to hand then Cardinal Wojtyla any money, which would have gone to some other cause, because he would not know what to do with it.



His ability to do two things at once is legendary. While listening to lectures or after dinner conversation his habit would be to read a book or sort through a pile of correspondence. Afterwards, he would always be able to sum up what was said around him.



Pope John Paul II has a reputation of being a mystic. This is well known and documented. Following the attempt on his life in 1981 he attributed his safety to the Virgin Mary, whom he has always venerated with special regard. Interestingly, the date of this shooting came on the anniversary, May 13, of the 1917 appearance of the virgin to three shepherd girls in Fatima. An early influence in this area came from a monk named Padre Pio whose stories claimed personal contact with God and the devil. He claimed supernatural powers that included exorcism and healing of disease.



At the height of his fame a multi-million dollar tourist industry sprung up around his home monastery, San Giovanni Rotondo, near the city of Foggia. Pio claimed to literally wrestle in the night with demons that would strip him naked and beat him. In 1947, as a seminary student in Rome, Karol Wojtyla began to visit this strange monk. He became a devoted adherent and formed with the monk the "strangest relationship of his life." Wojtyla even asked him to pray for a friend who had been diagnosed with cancer. The friend was "instantaneously cured" according to the future Pope. To a fellow Cardinal he confided that "Padre Pio told him he would gain the highest post in the Church" (page 101). Wojtyla thought it meant he might one day be a cardinal.



Impressions of America



In 1969 he made his first visit to North America, visiting most major cities. His opinion was that "the U.S. was greedy and overly commercial, and had come loose from its spiritual moorings" (page 227). John Paul II has always viewed Western, and particularly American culture, as greedy, self-centered, and inherently inhumane. His early trips to the U.S. left him amazed at the wealth of America compared to what he was accustomed to in Poland. His reaction was conditioned by his formative years under both Nazi and Communist rule. His native Poland has suffered great depravation during his lifetime. He has called American society a "culture of death" and thereby alienated himself from a potential audience. It appears he has not been able to fully grasp the nature of American democracy.



In 1976 as Cardinal of Krakow, Wojtyla led Pope Paul VI and other Vatican officials on a spiritual retreat. He gave 22 lectures grouped under the heading "Sign of Contradiction." Among the themes he developed were the birth of the new man, and talks about science as a common ground for all religions. He introduced an idea he would pursue into his papacy. He said the Bible was "the key to understanding today's world.... I think it is true that today one cannot understand either Sartre or Marx without having first read and pondered very deeply the first three chapters of Genesis." He dwelt on the temptations of Adam and Eve by the serpent, which for him became a real devil. These are interesting concepts for a future Pope to be teaching a sitting Pope.



His Vision for the Future



Particular attention is paid to the Pope's efforts at ecumenism. In December 1983 he became the first Pope to preach in a Lutheran church. In his sermon he took a giant step toward rehabilitating the monk who broke with Rome. He said, "He could see from afar the dawn of the restoration of our unity." John Paul hopes to live to the year 2000, during which he plans to visit the places on the road taken by the people of God of the Old Covenant, starting from the places associated with Abraham and Moses, through Egypt as far as Damascus, the city that witnessed the conversion of Paul. He dreams of convening a meeting of leaders of the major world faiths on Mount Sinai "to work together to give our world a more metaphysical dimension" (page 673).



This Pope has gone to extraordinary lengths to promote the unity of all faiths. While not all his overtures have been reciprocated, he has persisted in establishing dialogue and holding meetings with other faiths in an attempt to heal the breaches. In the encyclical Ut Unum Sint(That All May Be One), he called ecumenism "a dialogue of conversion, and went on to hint at a desire to "find a way of exercising the primacy [referring to the papal office] while in no way renouncing what is essential to its mission, [but] nonetheless [be] open to a new situation" (page 673).



The book concludes with a bleak perspective of the church and the world. Statistics on abortion and morality and a declining aging leadership within Catholicism have the pope "praying that the year 2000 will bring a second miracle." WNP

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Mary A Woman of Faith

From http://el-paso.ucg.org/  or call 1-888-886-8632.


Mary A Woman of Faith


article by Robert Berendt





There are many remarkable events that have taken place in the history of mankind—and many remarkable people involved in these events.



Perhaps the greatest events in human history were the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. One of the most remarkable people involved was a young woman named Mary. God chose this young woman to bear His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. He chose carefully and wisely. Mary had the qualities of character and genetic background that God was seeking. She had the highest standards of personal behavior and of devotion to God and His way of life.



Mary was most likely a teenager when she was engaged to Joseph. Both of them were descendants of King David, though they were not considered among the aristocrats of Israel. Mary was related to Elizabeth, the wife of the priest, Zacharias. Very little is said about Mary’s childhood or outlook on religion. She appears suddenly in scripture as the one God selected to bear and give birth to Jesus Christ.



Luke:1:26-28[26]And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,[27]To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.[28]And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. records that Mary was a virgin who was betrothed to Joseph. Unlike our custom of an engagement, a betrothal was a legally binding commitment to marriage, confirmed by an oath. The angel addressed Mary as “highly favored” and said, “the Lord is with you.” The angel went on to explain what was to happen—Mary knowing that if she was found to be pregnant before marriage, she could be put to death. Her answer is an inspiration to us all. Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word” (Luke:1:38And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.). She did not just remain silent as though she had no control. Mary said, “Yes!”



Her answer reflected unconditional faith towards God. It reflected the complete trust that God requires of those He chooses. It was similar to the trust Abraham showed when God tested him with the requested sacrifice of Isaac (Genesis:22:2And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.). God did not reveal all that He had in mind for Abraham, and He did not reveal the future in all its detail to Mary. At the presentation of Jesus before God, a righteous old man was inspired to tell Mary that Jesus had a great destiny to fulfill and that a sword would pierce her soul (Luke:2:25And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him., 35). What could all of this mean? Mary and Joseph “marveled” (Luke:2:33And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him.) at these words. Mary treasured each event and word in her heart (Luke:2:51And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.), but did not question what God had planned.



Trusting in God

Mary likely did not expect that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem, or that she and Joseph would have to flee to Egypt. She experienced some wonderful things during the pregnancy and birth, but the true purpose of Jesus’ life and the events that would change the course of the world were hidden from her. She did not expect to be standing at the foot of the cross and watching her Son die a horrible death. It was only later that she, too, knew Jesus’ true identity and purpose. God did not have to ask Mary for her continued obedience; He knew she was committed and the answer would always be, “Yes.”



Mary and Joseph continued on with their lives. Joseph was the father of their other children. God made all the necessary arrangements for the birth of Jesus and the flight to Egypt. He brought the Magi to visit and bring the gifts for Joseph and Mary. Matthew:2:13-15[13]And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.[14]When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:[15]And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son. are revealing verses. Here we see that Joseph too was obedient to God and aware that something from God was happening in his life. God sent an angel during a vision or dream Joseph had—and gave the instructions to go to Egypt. Mary was part of the complete plan and package. Their attitude of obedience to God was impressive. There was no jealousy when God gave the visions to Joseph. Mary accepted that and had no doubts. Matthew:2:19-23[19]But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,[20]Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life.[21]And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.[22]But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee:[23]And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene. tells of God once again giving Joseph instructions as to when to leave Egypt and where to live in Judea. Nazareth was in God’s plan, not theirs.



Following Christ

John:2:1-11[1]And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there:[2]And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage.[3]And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine.[4]Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.[5]His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.[6]And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece.[7]Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim.[8]And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it.[9]When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom,[10]And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.[11]This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him. helps us understand the relationship between Jesus and Mary. It is obvious that Jesus loved His mother, and she respected Him. When there was a shortage of wine and Mary asked her son to do something about it, Jesus replied, “My hour has not yet come” (John:2:4Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.). Mary knew Jesus was more than just a little unusual, but God did not show Mary every detail of the future. By now, Mary too had been strengthened in her continued trust in God. Now she realized that the scriptures were being fulfilled by Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem and their life in Nazareth. As time passed and Jesus became more visible in Judea, Mary remained involved.



John:2:12-13[12]After this he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, and his brethren, and his disciples: and they continued there not many days.[13]And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. show that Mary and Jesus’ brothers traveled from Cana to Capernaum with Jesus and the disciples. There was nothing unusual about this. Luke:8:1And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him, reveals that Jesus traveled from town to town. When we see Mary and Jesus’ brothers coming to see Him, we need to realize that at a time when communication was long and slow compared to today, it would have been difficult to find out where Jesus was unless He kept in constant contact with His family. (Joseph is not mentioned at all—it is possible that he had died by this time.) When Jesus was informed that his mother and brothers were outside, He continued to do the work of God. Jesus said, “My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put in into practice” (Luke:8:21And he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it., New International Version). That was not a criticism of Mary or of His brothers. Mary was one who showed, through all of her actions, that she served God gladly and willingly.



John:19:25Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. begins to record the final events of Jesus’ life. This was the moment that Mary had known was coming—when the metaphorical sword would pierce her, as Simeon had prophesied (Luke:2:35(Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.). The fact that Mary was there attests to her frequent presence at all Jesus did. She was devoted to God and growing in the comprehension of the greatness of the moment. Indeed, only a parent can feel the pain Mary felt for her son in those final hours. This too was an event for which she was not prepared. As all unfolded, it would become clear that this too was in the plan of God. Mary accepted that part of the plan just as she had accepted her role from that moment when God first reached out to her. The words of Jesus reflect care and tenderness.



All the mysterious sayings she had treasured in her memory over the years were becoming clearer. There can be little doubt that Jesus’ mother was involved in the burial of her Son, and that she was among the women who came to the tomb early that morning long ago (Luke:24:9-10[9]And returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest.[10]It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles.). John was the disciple who was destined to live the longest, and the one to whom Jesus entrusted His mother (John:19:26-27[26]When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son![27]Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.). God looked after every facet and part of the life of His chosen and highly favored vessel, Mary. Her attitude was, “Thy will be done.” Although Mary then fades from the pages of the Bible, she will not fade from God’s favor—or the future He will give to her.



Further reading

To learn more about the life of Jesus, read our booklet, Jesus Christ: The Real Story.

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