How Lives Intertwine
So many memories have come flooding back through my mind this past weekend: Twenty-six years worth of memories. It is funny how life is, how lives intertwine:
In 1979 the new Pope of the Catholic Church came to Boston. At the time, I was a young Theology student at Berkshire Christian College. This was also when the movie, “Life of Brian” opened in the Boston area theaters, and a time of much controversy.
Although 1979 was but 26 years ago, society was much more conservative. The movie, “Life of Brian” although very tame, was a parody of Jesus, and also featured “full frontal nudity.” What happened was that just prior to the Pope arriving, all advertisement in the papers, on radio, and on television seemed to disappear. The government (state and city) had decided that it would be in poor taste to allow that movie to be advertised while the Pope was visiting. This was the cause of great debate at school.
Dave, a schoolmate, and I made our way to Boston to see the cause of all of this, the little man from Poland dressed in gold and white, Pope John Paul II. Then we went and watched the movie. We enjoyed both experiences (although the movie was a bit over-rated).
The next year, while still at school, President Reagan was shot. This upset us severely. He was our president, our leader! I was very young when Kennedy was shot, but that day, I knew what they had felt. A few weeks later, we hear that Pope John Paul II had been shot. What was going on with this crazy world? Both men recovered, and our world prospered. And I became a little more focused.
Over the next 20 years or so, the Pope kept showing up every time something in my life occurred. I graduated with a BA in Theology, and JPII was Time Man of the Year (June 1983). 1984, my daughter is born, and he is a hit movie on TV. In 1987 my son was born, and I earn my Doctorate in Theology at Liberty Bible College in Waco Texas. Guess who decides to visit San Antonio, Texas? Yes, my old friend, JPII. It seems like every time something was going on with me, he was around.
I respected the man; he was a very spiritual man. I agreed with some of his theology, and much of it I did not. And I could not help but love the man. He steadfastly held on to the archaic roles of men and women in his church, but made the proclamation that it was not the Jews who killed Christ. He was a secret political architect who helped change the political face of the world, but would not allow his priests to practice politics. There is much one could say about the contradictory man, he was one of a kind.
The announcement that John Paul II passed away was made this past Saturday. It appears that my friend has gone and left me to make my own path in this world. So today I purchased my airfare. I’m off to Rome to say good-bye to an old friend.
It sure is funny how life is, how lives intertwine…
In 1979 the new Pope of the Catholic Church came to Boston. At the time, I was a young Theology student at Berkshire Christian College. This was also when the movie, “Life of Brian” opened in the Boston area theaters, and a time of much controversy.
Although 1979 was but 26 years ago, society was much more conservative. The movie, “Life of Brian” although very tame, was a parody of Jesus, and also featured “full frontal nudity.” What happened was that just prior to the Pope arriving, all advertisement in the papers, on radio, and on television seemed to disappear. The government (state and city) had decided that it would be in poor taste to allow that movie to be advertised while the Pope was visiting. This was the cause of great debate at school.
Dave, a schoolmate, and I made our way to Boston to see the cause of all of this, the little man from Poland dressed in gold and white, Pope John Paul II. Then we went and watched the movie. We enjoyed both experiences (although the movie was a bit over-rated).
The next year, while still at school, President Reagan was shot. This upset us severely. He was our president, our leader! I was very young when Kennedy was shot, but that day, I knew what they had felt. A few weeks later, we hear that Pope John Paul II had been shot. What was going on with this crazy world? Both men recovered, and our world prospered. And I became a little more focused.
Over the next 20 years or so, the Pope kept showing up every time something in my life occurred. I graduated with a BA in Theology, and JPII was Time Man of the Year (June 1983). 1984, my daughter is born, and he is a hit movie on TV. In 1987 my son was born, and I earn my Doctorate in Theology at Liberty Bible College in Waco Texas. Guess who decides to visit San Antonio, Texas? Yes, my old friend, JPII. It seems like every time something was going on with me, he was around.
I respected the man; he was a very spiritual man. I agreed with some of his theology, and much of it I did not. And I could not help but love the man. He steadfastly held on to the archaic roles of men and women in his church, but made the proclamation that it was not the Jews who killed Christ. He was a secret political architect who helped change the political face of the world, but would not allow his priests to practice politics. There is much one could say about the contradictory man, he was one of a kind.
The announcement that John Paul II passed away was made this past Saturday. It appears that my friend has gone and left me to make my own path in this world. So today I purchased my airfare. I’m off to Rome to say good-bye to an old friend.
It sure is funny how life is, how lives intertwine…
posted by Tony Eye @ 3:23 PM
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