Florida Catholic | Bishop Barbarito's Column

‘Where I am you also may be’

Published: 04.04.08

April 2 marked the third anniversary of the death of Pope John Paul II.

In my last column, the homily for the chrism Mass at St. Ignatius Cathedral, I made reference to Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz’s book, “A Life with Karol.” It is a reflection of Cardinal Dziwisz on his close 40-year relationship with the great Pope John II as his personal secretary. Perhaps one of the most moving parts of the book is the conclusion. Here Cardinal Dziwisz recalls the pope’s funeral and his final farewell to Pope John Paul II on April 8, 2005, three years ago.

He writes: “At the end of his homily, Cardinal Ratzinger pointed to the window and said that John Paul II was surely there watching and blessing us. I turned around, too, I couldn’t not turn around. But looking up would have been too much for me. At the end, when they came to the portico of the basilica, the pallbearers slowly turned the coffin around. It was as if they wanted to give him one last chance to look out on the square and bid his final farewell to the world and its inhabitants. But was it his final farewell to me, too? No, I don’t think so. At that moment, I wasn’t thinking of myself. I was just living the moment with everyone else. And everyone was shaken and upset. For me, though, it was an unforgettable event.

“Meanwhile, the procession was filing into the basilica. It was time to take the bier down to the tomb. And just then, I had a thought. I had accompanied him for almost 40 years: 12 in Krakow and then 27 in Rome. I was always with him, always at his side. Now, in the moment of death, he’d gone on alone. I had accompanied him to a certain point, but then he’d gone on alone from there. And the fact that this time I wasn’t able to accompany him hit me like a ton of bricks. Of course he hasn’t left us. We feel his presence and we experience all the many graces obtained by his intercession. And, of course, I did accompany him through an important stage of the church’s journey. But now he’s gone on alone. And now? Who is accompanying him on the other side?”

Cardinal Dziwisz’s words give us the basis for a good reflection during this Easter season. Pope John Paul II, like everyone else, had to go through the doorway of death with no human person to accompany him. As much as Cardinal Dziwisz had been by his side and an integral part of the pope’s life for 40 years, he could not accompany him at that final moment. No human being, no matter how close to the pope during his earthy life, could do that.

And yet while the pope went through the passage of death with no companion from this life, his closest companion was with him — Christ the Lord. For all of his life, Pope John Paul II had given himself in an exemplary manner to Christ, who was closer to him than any other person could be in this life. Christ was the pope’s closest companion to the point of death and, at the hour of death, only Christ could be with him and accompany him to the other side as he will all of us. Cardinal Dziwisz knew this and that is why he asks the rhetorical question, “And now? Who is accompanying him on the other side?” It is most obviously Christ.

Jesus experienced going through the doorway of death unaccompanied so he could accompany us through this passage. On the cross, he even allowed himself to feel as if he had been abandoned by his Father, that we might know he is always with us.

A close look at Christ’s words at the Last Supper reveals this reality. After Judas betrayed Jesus and went his way, the Lord knew how much he was by himself. He said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. God will also glorify him in himself and he will glorify him once. My children, I will be with you only a little while longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, where I am going, you cannot come” (Jn 13:31-33). Jesus knew no one could go through the doorway of death with him. No one would be able to go with him.

Peter protested and insisted that he would accompany Christ no matter what. The Gospel account tells us, “Simon Peter said to him, ‘Master, where are you going?’ Jesus answered, ‘Where I am going, you cannot follow me now, though you will follow me later.’ Peter said to him, ‘Master why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.’ Jesus answered, ‘Will you lay down your life for me? Amen, Amen I say to you, the cock will not crow before you deny me three times’” (Jn 13:36-38).

How true Jesus’ words were for Peter, who betrayed the Lord by denying him and insisting that he never knew him when questioned about his relationship to Christ. And yet, the Lord’s going through the doorway of death by himself in his terrible agony became the means by which Peter would be able not only to face Christ again, but to be forgiven by him.

At the Last Supper Jesus told us, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be” (Jn 14:1-3).

Indeed, the Lord has prepared a place for us. No matter what difficulties we may face in this life, we are not alone. Christ is with us. He experienced our deepest pain and allowed himself to feel the depths of abandonment so he could be with us in our darkest moments. His resurrection from the dead is our assurance that he is with us and brings us the fullness of life.

Cardinal Dziwisz recounts a common human experience we all face. However, God took our human nature to himself to lead us beyond what human experience on its own can endure. Through Christ’s death and resurrection, he accompanies us most closely during this life. He will accompany us through the door of death and on the other side in the fullness of life. Cardinal Dziwisz lived closely with Pope John Paul II who was convinced of this reality throughout his life and ministry. We are grateful to the cardinal for sharing his personal experience of the faith of John Paul II. As we commemorate the third anniversary of the pope’s death, may his legacy point us more to his Lord who reminds us that we are never alone.

Return to the Diocese of Palm Beach Front Page

‘Where I am you also may be’

Other Stories