Tomorrow is being called The Day of the Four Popes, because in Vatican City will take place the canonization of Pope John Paul II and Pope John XXIII. Pope Francis I will preside over the canonization, and Pope Benedict XVI will also be in attendance. This is going to be a very special day, and a very holy day. My mind began to consider what other instances of the number four occur in the Catholic Church, and they came, with no surprise, to the Four Evangelists. Whats more, I think there is divine synchronicity at work with these four and those four. Francis, I think, is Luke. Saint Luke pays special attention to the poor and the downtrodden in his Gospel, just as Francis does in his ministry. Francis has also called for the church to be a hospital for the sick, fitting for Luke the physician. Benedict, with his short tenure and gruff demeanor, seems like Saint Mark, who has the shortest, sharpest Gospel. There is also much mystery in Marks Gospel, a good match for Benedicts piercing intellect and keen appreciation of the Churchs theology. John Paul, by contrast, had the longest tenure of any pope ever, and so he fits with Matthew, the longest of the Gospels. John Paul was also deeply interested in the traditions of the Church, just as Saint Matthew is highly concerned with the history of the Jewish people. Both of them took the magnificence of their beliefs and radiated them outward. And lastly, Good Pope John can be connected with the Evangelist of the same name. Saint Johns Gospel is concerned above all else with the mystical divinity of Christ. Saint John wishes to convey that Christ is God and Christ is risen. This need to communicate the goodness of God is reflected in Johns calling of the Second Vatican Council, where the Churchs teachings were brought into the light and shared openly throughout the world. These are my thoughts, at least.
Posted on: Sat, 26 Apr 2014 17:51:23 +0000
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