7 Lessons from Pope John Paul II

Narrowing down the lessons taught by Saint John Paul the Great to a mere 7 is a nearly impossible task. These are the 7 things that have most touched me – please feel free to share how he has impacted your life in the comments below!— 1 —Do not be afraid.”Brothers and sisters, do not be afraid to welcome Christ and accept his power….Do not be afraid! Open wide the doors to Christ.” These words, spoken by Pope John Paul II during his inaugural homily on October 22, 1978, are perhaps the most well-known words of his entire pontificate. They resonate deeply in the heart of each of us because they challenge us to overcome a nearly universal fear – the fear of the Lord’s demands. I am not referring to the gift of a holy fear of the Lord – that is a virtue which enables us to experience awe and wonder at the majesty of God. I am speaking about the fear in our heart of what surrender to the Lord Jesus will require of us.What habits will I have to give up to follow Jesus? What changes will I need to make in my day to day life? What challenges will I face if I truly submit to the Lordship of Jesus? What hurts will I have to forgive? Will I be persecuted? These are some of  the questions that I have asked myself over and over again. Pope John Paul II, through his constant repetition of this theme, has provided me with the fatherly “push” that I needed both to begin and to persevere in my spiritual journey. His exhortation urges all of  us to throw open the doors of our heart and mind in complete and total surrender to Christ. Most of all, the witness of the