Posted on 06/06/2004 11:58:33 AM PDT by Notwithstanding
BERN, Switzerland - Pope John Paul II paid tribute Sunday to former President Ronald Reagan, recalling his efforts to bring down communism that "changed the lives of millions of people," a Vatican spokesman said. On the second-day of a 32-hour pilgrimage to Switzerland, John Paul learned of Reagan's death with "sadness" and immediately prayed for the "eternal rest of his soul," said papal spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls.
The pope and the Reagan White House worked closely in the 1980s in efforts to promote the Solidarity labor movement in the pope's native Poland and to end the Soviet grip on eastern Europe. Although the Vatican has denied there was a formal alliance, it said a few years ago that the two men were committed to fighting totalitarianism
(Excerpt) Read more at newsmax.com ...
With compassion, as usual.
Long week for the Pope.
Little did Lenin and Stalin know that the system that they murdered 30+ million people to enslave would be brought down by a former movie actor and Polish priest. God does work in mysterious ways.
How long before this turns in a Pope-bash???
One gathers that the AP writer was unable to twist the Pope's remarks into an anti-American rant (as the AP likes to do...)
So this may actually NOT start another know-nothing attack.
Some people can't seem to help themselves though. They see the word Pope, or Catholic, and lose their minds.
But, hopefully not.
Give it another 20 posts or so.
I happened to be thinking along those lines today. That God chose a young guy in the US, calling games on the radio, and a young guy in Poland, ducking commies, to bring down the Evil Empire. No hint of future greatness in either of them, but God knew the gifts He had given them, and raised them up to save the world.
Amazing!
(BTW, great tag line, re the swimmer! LOL!)
However, I think it's appropriate, especially this weekend, to ask, "WWRD?" That is, what would Reagan do? Certainly not get sucked in.
Try posting a simple "God bless you," and move on. Remember the source of their anger's being stirred up, and ask God for self-control not to take the bait.
"They say the world has become too complex for simple answers. They are wrong. There are no easy answers, but there are simple answers. We must have the courage to do what we know is morally right." - Ronald Reagan
In *all* places, including the internet. I'm sure President Reagan would agree. If we want Christian threads to be blessed places to post, discuss, learn, teach, IMO, this is what we must do. And not swerve to right or left, but push forward, just as Ronald Reagan did.
My thanks to His Holiness for his prayers and kind words.
I will spend many hours in mournful contemplation as this week passes by.
God chose a young guy in the US, calling games on the radio, and a young guy in Poland, ducking commies, to bring down the Evil Empire. No hint of future greatness in either of them, but God knew the gifts He had given them, and raised them up to save the world.
:o) Thank you.
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