Two men who suffered under the jackboot of totalitarianism and the disregard for human life and human dignity.
Both media geniuses.
One taught only what he had learned.
The other taught how to transcend it.
“Do not be afraid…open wide the doors to Christ.”
In this “Year of the Priest,” let us ask Karol Wojtyla to pray for the soul of his countryman, who is perhaps, now feeling very, very afraid. And for the very confused people who seem not to understand why that might be.
Or we can go directly to the Big Guy. Raised Protestant, I do that a lot.
UPDATE: Just as a reminder: I’m not interested in having the Reformation played out all over again in my comments section, so let’s be a bit respectful of each other. Okay?
Please remember, also, that 1) there is a Roman Catholic tradition of communication with the “saints”—that is to say, all members of the Christian fellowship—even after death. 2) Communication with those who have died is on occasion referred to as “prayer,” a word that in the Protestant mind means “talking to God,” but to many Roman Catholics means “talking to someone in another dimension.” Not that The Anchoress used that nomenclature here, but it’s a point to keep in mind.
Protestants are a lot less inclined to think that their loved ones—and prominent spiritual figures—might be in a place where they could hear such requests, or have any special “pull” with God, but these are cultural matters more than they are pivotal questions of doctrine. ‘Kay? We mustn’t beat each other up over the minor issue of cell phone reception among the saved/departed.
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Whatever else he became Karol Wojtyla was a man first. A man in ways that Polaski never grew into.
Men do not diddle children. Men protect children. It’s just about number one on the lists of jobs for a man. My child, your (hypothetical) child, the child of that guy down the street that I never did like, it doesn’t matter.
There is one mediator between God and Man: The man Jesus Christ.
Praying to any other man is counter-productive.
Praying to any other man is counter-productive.
So you never ask your friends to keep you in their prayers?
There is one mediator between God and Man: The man Jesus Christ.
Praying to any other man is counter-productive.
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Notice the anchoress specifically said, “ask JPII to pray for him…”
She did not say Pray to JPII.
It’s called intercessory prayer in the communion of saints, and yes, it’s like asking a friend to join you in prayer. Communiont of saints is in the apostles creed.