Pope John XXIII: Who's that other guy getting cannonized?

Allow me to take a moment to be a Catholic hipster. I've known about Pope John XXIII since last year when I found "Journal of a Soul: Pope John XXIII" at my church and decided that I liked this jolly looking man who was pope in the late 50's/early 60's.


I was really excited when I found out he would be canonized along with the beloved Pope John Paul II on Divine Mercy Sunday because, unlike a regular hipster, I wanted everyone else to know how awesome John XXIII was. As the canonization draws closer, I've heard a few people ask, "Who is Pope John the...(*pause for trying to read Roman numerals*) twenty third?"

He was a humble and simple man, always conscious of his prayer and relationship with Jesus. He wrote beautiful things about purity during his time in the seminary. He helped save around 24,000 Jewish people during World War II.  He opened the Second Vatican Council in 1962:

"Illuminated by the light of this Council, the Church -- we confidently trust
-- will become greater in spiritual riches and gaining the strength of new
energies therefrom, she will look to the future without fear. In fact, by
bringing herself up to date where required, and by the wise organization of
mutual co-operation, the Church will make men, families, and peoples really
turn their minds to heavenly things."

-From Pope John XXII'I's opening speech to the Second Vatican Council

(I would like to take this opportunity to point out that the Church does in fact "keep with the times" and look toward the future. Just because she doesn't change her views on today's hot topics and truth doesn't mean she is "stuck in the past.")

 

As pope, John XXIII traveled freely throughout Rome, not wanting to appear as a "prisoner of the Vatican." He also tried to downplay his role as "ruler" and emphasized his role of servant to the church....He visited a prison, saying, "since you could not come to me, I came to you!" Sounds familiar doesn't it?

Hi Pope Francis!

I have not finished John XXIII's writing yet, but I have read enough to catch a small glimpse of his beautiful and holy heart...you don't need to read much to see it:

 

"In fact, what use would it be for us to possess even all the gold in the world at the price of losing our souls? Keep this truth firmly fixed in your minds and never forget it. We must never feel saddened by the very straightened circumstances in which we live. We must be patient, look above and think of paradise...we shall find our rest there, do you understand?  There we shall suffer no more; we shall receive the reward of our works and our sufferings, if we have borne them with patience."

-From a Letter to his parents, 1901, when he was rector of the Roman seminary. (Journal of a Soul)



This speaks to my heart. I hope it speaks to yours too.
He was very aware of his interior life, as any good and holy person should be. In Journal of A Soul, he makes a list while he is in the seminary of resolutions and goals for himself. He talks about prayer, meditation, not giving in to distractions, devotion to Mary and to the Blessed Sacrament...even being a student:

"As regards to my studies, I will apply myself to them with love and enthusiasm to the best of my powers, taking care to give due attention to all subjects without any distraction, never proffering the excuse that I do not like any of them."

-Journal of a Soul

 

I feel like I need to hang this over my desk and write in on the cover of my notebook. ;)

 

He also wrote about the importance of and his commitment to purity, especially as it pertained to him as a seminarian and future priest. He tried to keep conversations away from topics that would jeopardize his thoughts, and depended on the aid and intercession of God, Mary and his Guardian Angel to help him remain in holy purity. (Pope John XXIII--pray for us that we may follow this example!) 

 

This post is just the tip of the iceberg, but I wanted to raise a little bit of awareness for this awesome, holy, loving man. He reminds me a lot of Pope Francis and JPII. Toward the end of his life, he wrote:

 

"So I must hold myself ready for this last phase of my life, in which restrictions and sacrifices will await me, until the sacrifice of my bodily existence and the opening of eternal life. O Jesus, I am ready to stretch out my hands, now weak and trembling, and allow others to dress me and support me along the way."

Such humility and human dignity.

 

So now you should be DOUBLE excited for April 27th because TWO great men will be canonized! Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II, Pray for us!



http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/Saints/saint.aspx?id=1165
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/304923/John-XXIII/3724/Assessment



Making a comeback: 20 things I've learned since 1994

Its been a while. I guess I did become one of those people who starts a blog, uses it for a little while, and then abandons ship—or so I thought. I thought Kaki Does Things was pretty much done for until I did something that was so worth blogging about, I couldn’t not blog about it. Something so life-changing and once-in-a-lifetime: I turned twenty. I know that turning 20 was inevitable, but after reflecting on my two awesome decades of being on this earth, I realized that I've learned a thing or two. I wanted to write and post this on my actual birthday, which was March 14^th (Pi day!), but I was so busy having a fabulous spring break that I never really got around to it. But better late than never! And as a shiny new twenty year old, I decided that I’m going to start blogging again. So stay tuned, I have big things in store!
So like I said, I’ve been on this earth for twenty glorious years. 2011 might have been more awkward than glorious, but still glorious in its own short-haired “I’m discovering who I am” type of way.

 

 

Okay, still pretty glorious. Nice phone.

 

 Here is a list I have compiled, in chronological(ish) order, of the 20 greatest things I’ve learned in the past 20 years.

1. The “popular” girls at pre-school may not let you play Spice Girls with them…that’s when you have the best opportunity to do your own thing and totally rock at it. For me, it was learning how to fill up a water gun so I could squirt them.

2. Every extrovert needs an introvert best friend to keep them grounded. I met mine in kindergarten when I was fascinated by how long she could go without talking. I love you Nea.

3. If you want to play soccer with the boys, all you have to do is ask. This translates to adult life too—if you ask for something, people will usually lend a hand.

4. You can start a fire at recess with a magnifying glass and a piece of mulch. Again—I love you Nea.

5. You shouldn’t walk dog while wearing roller blades. Especially if your dog likes to chase birds.

6. Grandma will let you eat what you want, when you want.

7. You’ll never regret reaching out to someone.

8. No matter how badly you want to be the middle school mascot, you should probably be tall enough to wear the costume…wait, no. Be the middle school mascot because it’s so much fun.

9. If you’re too nervous around him to eat anything other than a granola bar for lunch, he’s probably not the one.

10. When you realize he’s not the one, don’t change who you are in order to make him the one. You deserve to eat more than just a granola bar.

11. The weirdest things happen at the back of the marching band bus on the way to football games.

12. Your true friends are the ones who still hang out with you when your hair looks like someone’s mom cut it in the 70’s. (see above)

13. If you actually study the material, you’ll do well on the test. I've learned this and its opposite quite a few times.

14. Everyone sees things differently: I thought 11^th grade physics was the worst thing to ever happen to me, but my teacher loved physics because he loved understanding how God’s world works. Talk about a different perspective. I was still terrible at physics, but it changed the way I saw it.
14a. God is present in everything

15. We can’t read people’s minds, the technology just isn’t there. You’ll never know what people really think about you, so don’t let that stop you from just being as YOU as possible. Who cares what other people think? (again, see above photos.)

16. God is real. I didn’t know where to put this on the list because I learn it every single day.

17. Jesus is truly present in the poor. When we serve them, we serve Him.

18. College is like an alternate universe. It’s weird and its crazy and it’s awesome. Your friends become your family. A Kurig coffee maker is sometimes the fountain of life. You might go to the hospital a few times or bring home a spare dog.  But somehow, these are our glory days.

19. Don’t be afraid to apologize and ask for forgiveness.

20. The best and most exciting place to be is just outside your comfort zone. Even if it makes you feel like this:

I love myself.

 

I feel like I've just written an article in Chicken Soup  for the Teenager's Soul. Hopefully this is more like a chipotle burrito for your soul though. New and exciting things coming soon on my blog that I can't wait to share with you! Happy Friday!

"To choose doubt as a philosophy of life is akin to choosing immobility as a means of transportation." -Life of Pi by Yan Martel