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Following the Pope’s death, reflections about him continue to arrive from the Focolares all over the world. The way in which our Jewish, Muslim and Buddhist friends have shared closely in this moment, expressing their gratitude towards John Paul II, has been particularly significant. Below are some extracts:
The Jewish world
Thoughts from our Jewish friends in Argentina and Uruguay
– “The Pope’s approach built bridges” (Rabbi Daniel Goldman – Buenos Aires)
– “There will be a “before and after” in history thanks to John Paul II” (Rabbi Arian Herbst – Buenos Aires)
– “The Pope was the one who most worked for Judaeo-Christian dialogue. His greatness lays in asking forgiveness for the errors committed in the past and since he defined us “older brothers”, today we can say that “our older brother John Paul II is dying” (Abraham Kaul, the President of AIMA, the Mutual Jewish Argentinean Association)
– “The Jewish people have never had such strong feelings for a Pope and for what he has done for us” (a Jewish friend from the Commission of Women Jewish Associations, Uruguay).
The Muslim world
Thoughts from Turkey, Algeria and the United States
Our Muslim friends were the first ones to contact the focolare of Istanbul in Turkey.
– A woman who was very moved said: “It seems that my soul, part of me, has left”.
– A student: “I pray to God not to leave us bereft of people like Him…Like all the people in the world I too am close to you in this suffering and I pray with all my Christian friends”.
From Algeria: A Muslim couple remembered that the Pope had been to Morocco and that he had struck people because of his openness in front of 10,000 young people in Casablanca. This morning they said to us: “The Pope is a saint! He has done so much for the world and he had so much courage. He did what God wanted. He was against divisions and wars. He has been a Father to us”.
Reflections have reached us from some Imams in the United States with whom the local focolares are in contact:
– “The “essence” of Christ lived in John Paul II. He served all people, not only Catholics, extending his hand to all so that they could live a better life. He knocked on the doors of the consciences of world leaders so that they could acknowledge their duty to do more for people suffering in every part of the globe. This really appealed to me and I have communicated it to my followers” (Imam W.D. Mohammed – leader of 2 million Afro-American Muslims.
– “I felt that I had a personal relationship with this Pope. I especially appreciated his words to the world after September 11th when he said that what had happened had nothing to do with religion. This was very encouraging and moving. I looked on him as a brother, a friend, a member of the family. I will miss him, but I know that what he has started will live forever”. (Imam Sultan Salahuddin, Chicago)
– “I cannot think of a person in recent history who was so great and made such an impact on society and the world. He worked to draw the best out of humanity”. (Imam Bilal Muhammed, Kansas City)
– “His life, what he accomplished and his actions have changed the way that the world looks on the different ethnic groups. I have been observing him for years and I have seen the changes that occurred have been like a chain reaction in the whole of humanity. I appreciated the fact that he embraced Islam during a time when it was not very acceptable to approach us”. (Ijlal Munir, a Muslim and manager of a firm of W.D. Mohammed, Chicago)
– “John Paul had a spiritual strength which went beyond religious barriers. He had a phenomenal, spiritual influence which touched everyone” (Dr Imam Mikal Ramadam, Chicago)
– “Pope John Paul II is one of the great marvellous signs in history of the love for humanity of the Great Merciful, Great Benefactor. With his courageous defence of liberty, justice and equality among the members of the human family, John Paul II helped us recall our individual and collective responsibility to use the resources which God has given us for the service of humanity”. (Imam Malik Shabazz, Imam of the Beacon mosque – New York):
The Buddhist world
Thoughts from Japan and Thailand:
From the focolare of Tokyo: “Our Buddhist friends are living this experience with us in such a warm and intense way”.
– “Now the whole world is praying for John Paul II, a very great figure in history, an exceptional leader for peace because in him they see God” (Rev. Nissho Takeuchi, of Nichirensu, Myokenkakuji Temple – Osaka)
– A Buddhist who has been to Rome and met the Pope: “My little girl is 9 years old now and when she was tiny the Pope caressed her head. I can still see before my eyes the figure of John Paul II who made us feel his warmth even if we were not Christians. As a man, me too I want to live my life following the heart of the Pope. The only words that come to me are “thank you”. And may he rest in peace.” (Koichi Kawamoto, of the Risso Kosei Kai Movement)
– “The figure of the Pope has been a model of life for me. I saw the Pope during a public audience in St Peter’s Square. He greeted the sick people first or those in wheelchairs and he seemed to have all the time in the world for them. I saw that he did this with such love that I realised the existence of these people was something “precious” for the Pope. When I got back to Japan I wanted to do the same thing and follow his example: I called the disabled or sick people of the Buddhist temples who were entrusted to me to greet them and get to know them”. (Rev. Yasuo Koike – responsible of the Rissho Kosei Kai of Chiba, near Tokyo)
Our Buddhist friends of the Focolare Movement in Thailand are united to the Christian world in praying for the Pope with affection and deep respect and they make us aware of their spiritual closeness.
– In the hall of the Grand Master Ajhan Thong, in Chiang Mai, there is a huge photograph of him together with the Holy Father during an audience in the Vatican. Since that moment he has often spoken to his followers of the spiritual greatness of the Pope for the whole world. He prayed for the Pope in a special way over the last few days.
– In a telephone call, the monk Phramaha Thongrat said to us: “The Pope is not just a big brother, he is my Father!” (The Thai Buddhists call people of great spirituality who are important guides for their lives “father” or mother”). And he wanted to dedicate a poem to him:
My father left for Paradise
During the long years when my father dwelled in the Vatican
Beauty shone and joy reigned.
Today without him the city is empty.
Dismay, pain and tears: everything speaks of his immense love.
Yes, love is the word, which he proclaimed to the whole world.
His message has changed the course of every man.
His inheritance will endure for all time, reaching the ends of the earth:
The foundation for true peace, for a world, which will never know evil again.
Today my father left for Paradise;
he finished his earthly journey and he has gone away.
But his heart will always be full of overflowing joy.
My father has shown us the way of the wise that leads to eternal wisdom.
Phramaha Thongrat, Buddhist monk
