As we continue to hear from the first letter of Peter today, we hear about what it means to live out our Christian faith in a hostile world and advice to those who face persecution. Peter tells us to love each other intensely, to be good stewards of the graces that God bestows upon us, to be hospitable and welcoming to one another, and to be true to God’s word when we preach. All very good advice.
Today, we celebrate one of the great leaders of the Church from the 20th century, Pope Paul VI. With the death of John XXIII, Paul become pope in 1963, in the middle of the Second Vatican Council. His papacy lasted until his death in 1978. His papacy has left a lasting legacy in the Church and in the modern world. Being Pope at the height of the Cold War and in the midst of the Vietnam War, he addressed the United Nations in New York City in 1965 with these famous words: "No more war, never again war. Peace, it is peace that must guide the destinies of people and of all mankind.” To foster common bonds with all persons of good will, he decreed an annual day of prayer for peace, celebrated on January 1 each year. Pope Paul VI is famous for this statement which has become a cornerstone of Catholic Social Teaching: “If you want peace, work for justice.” This message of peace and justice is what I remember most about Pope Paul VI. His initial implementation of the reforms of the Second Vatican Council have had a huge impact on the Church. He was canonized in 2018 by Pope Francis. Along with the canonization of Pope John Paul II and Pope John XXIII, we remember these great pope from the modern era who had made a huge impact on our practice of Catholicism.
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