Cook On Concord
Published:
There is a theory in the study of history called the “Great Man Theory.” (It probably should be the “Great Person” to be politically correct, but I’ll risk it.) According to this theory, history is shaped by the actions of pivotal people at critical times — changing the course of history. Pope John Paul II, Bishop of Rome, was to be historic if he had done nothing other than accept his election. A Pole, he was the first pope elected from outside Italy for centuries. But he was far more. Living through Nazi and then Soviet domination, he knew how to resist totalitarian rule and how to contrast the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the tyranny of Hitler and Stalin and his successors. Standing up to the communist leaders of Poland from the time of his election, Pope John Paul II promised to return to his homeland if the Solidarity movement was threatened. He apparently helped fund the effort as well. Coupled with the efforts of Ronald Reagan, another unlikely Great Man, communism could not stand up to their assertions of freedom and the dignity of the individual inherent in western thought and Christian doctrine. Roman Catholic leaders and Christians of other denominations, Jewish and Muslim leaders and other moral teachers all honored him as his death drew near, and in doing so, indicated the fact that the Bishop of Rome is the central religious leader in the world, regardless of doctrinal beliefs about his role. Many speculated that this was a final use God made of his remarkable life to spread His message. John Paul II never strayed from the constancy of his message of the sanctity of life, from the womb to opposition to assisted suicide and capital punishment. He stuck to doctrines and customs, such as a celibate clergy and opposition to birth control, along with others many believed to be passé. That did not bother him, apparently. In his final days, John Paul II also taught people how to die, as he had taught them how to live. He did not ask for extraordinary medical measures, but he accepted help with nutrition and breathing. He surrounded himself with those close to him and reportedly wrote a note, saying, “I am happy; you should be, too.” For those glued to the television, watching the drama of the death and funeral of the great man who was, for many, the only pope they remember and who feel a great loss and recognize his contributions, one wonders whether they listen to his teaching about the wrongs of the materialism of the West as well as the evils of the communism of the East, whether they go to his or another church to honor his example of worshiping God and searching for His wisdom. Also significant, watching the actions of the local legislature acting on issues affecting the poor, the old, the infirm and the rest in the face of assertions of what we, as a remarkably blessed corner of the world can “afford” and how those costs should be assessed, it is tempting to ask, “What would Pope John Paul II think.”
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