John Paul II: Apostle to Families

By Leif Arvidson
FOR THE CATHOLIC HERALD

As the Catholic Church ushers in a new era with Pope Benedict XVI, the more prominent moments in the passing of Pope John Paul II still echo in my mind.

As I recall the throngs of the faithful who flocked to St. Peter's Square in Rome to celebrate the life of John Paul II, certain individuals stand out in my memory: young children, beaming with manifest joy, accompanied by their mothers and fathers. John Paul surely looked down from heaven with his ever-present smile, pleased to see those beautiful families celebrating life in Christ.

Love for families

As a young father, I have recently contemplated the influence of John Paul II's teachings on my own family life. The late pope had a particular love for families, and his writings have provided guidance for my wife and I as we have endeavored to raise a family of our own.

To John Paul, the model for Christian marriage is the relationship between Christ and His bride, the Church (see Ephesians 5:25). Christ's love for the Church was so intense that he was willing to sacrifice His life for her. His life was characterized by a spirit of service: "For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45).

As married individuals, we are called to develop an interior spirit of service and give ourselves as a gift to our spouse. In practical terms, that means being the one to awake early with the children, clean the house, change the diapers; all in a spirit of giving.

In the ultimate act of giving to our spouse, we are able to take part in the creation of new life. John Paul II taught that one of the primary ends of marriage is the procreation and education of children, recalling God's command to Adam and Eve: "Be fruitful and multiply . . . " (Genesis 1:28). John Paul encouraged couples to rejoice in the gift of new children and welcome them into the family. He saw contraception as a holding back, a refusal to totally give oneself to the spouse. He bemoaned modern society's view of children as a burden to be avoided; he insisted that they are a blessing, a gift from God.

Christ's promise

Christ promised to bless faithful parents. If you do not recall his promise, review the great judgment scene, Matthew 25:31-46, with the work of parents in mind:

When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne, and all the nations will be assembled before him. And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the king will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.'

Then the righteous will answer him and say, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?' And the king will say to them in reply, 'Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.'

At the final judgment, Christ may simply begin by saying, "All committed parents, come stand at my right side." After all, dedicated parents spend a lifetime feeding the hungry, welcoming new members, and providing clothing and care to those in need.

God's grace

Family life is a high and noble calling. Where are we to find the strength to live a life of giving, in service to our spouse and children, with openness to the gift of new life, and with a firm dedication to raising our children well? John Paul knew the simple answer: through the grace of God. God does not ask us to do anything without providing the means with which to do it.

Through God's grace acting in our lives, we are empowered to serve, to forgive, to abandon our self-centeredness, and love unconditionally. John Paul II admonished families to frequent the sacraments, in which they would find the strength to live Christian life to the fullest. In the Eucharistic celebration, we recall Christ's sacrifice of His life for the sake of our salvation: "This is my body, which will be given for you; do this in memory of me" (Luke 22:19). In receiving Christ, we receive the grace to live life in Him (see John 6), a life modeled on His life of love and service.

Through the sacrament of Reconciliation, we receive God's forgiveness (see John 20:22-23). In forgiving us, He teaches us how to forgive, and in fact requires that we forgive others - "seventy times seven times" (see Matthew 18:21-35). Without forgiveness, how could families survive?

Life as gift

Marriage itself is a beautiful sacrament. In marriage, the husband and wife are joined in Christ; as Christ promised, "[W]here two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in their midst" (Matthew 18:20). The Christian couple is sealed in God, who has made the two become "one flesh" (Genesis 2:24), and, as such, inseparable (see Mark 10:8-9). God acts in, with, and through the spouses, who administer sacramental grace to each other not only at the marriage ceremony, but throughout their lives.

	The following publications of John Paul II which deal with the family may be purchased from The Catholic Company at www.catholiccompany.com: Letter to Families From John Paul II, Familiaris Consortio (The Role of the Christian Family in the Modern World), and Evangelium Vitae (The Gospel of Life).

John Paul II had a glorious vision for families. He was willing to proclaim the truth regarding the family in a time of uncertainty. And what a beautiful message to hear in the midst of a society which seeks to find "freedom" through contraception, abortion, divorce, homosexuality, and similar moral vices. He exposed the root of all such vices: focus on the self above all others. He also offered the remedy: freely offering one's life as a gift to others, in a spirit of service and love. John Paul refused to give in to modern trends; he proclaimed the truth "in season and out of season." He foresaw a new season, a new springtime for Christianity, and he made every effort to usher in a new era of faith.

In St. Peter's Square, the gleeful children and their parents seemed to express their gratitude for his life and message. They expressed their thanks, on behalf of all of us, to John Paul II, the Apostle to Families.

Leif Arvidson, a graduate of Franciscan University of Steubenville, practices law in Reedsburg. He resides there with his wife, Karen, and their six children (number six will be arriving shortly). They are members of Sacred Heart Parish in Reedsburg. Leif may be contacted at leifarvidson@yahoo.com