The first time I saw Pope John Paul II in person was at Living History Farms near Des Moines, Iowa, in 1979. The Holy Father celebrated Mass and preached on a hillside altar.
In his homily, Pope John Paul II reminded us that the land is God’s gift entrusted to his people “as a means of sustaining the life he created.” He called on farmers to be generous with food to help feed the millions who are hungry.
I was in the presence of Pope John Paul II four other times in Rome, but none impressed me as much as that first time in Iowa. Perhaps it was because the Holy Father’s presence reminded me so much of Christ’s Sermon on the Mount, which gives us a blueprint for Christian living.
Pope John Paul II lived that blueprint in his own life. While he devoted many hours a day to prayer, he also reached out to people throughout the world with a message of hope and love.
As he is beatified on May 1, let us pray that his life will continue to provide a model for us all now and in years to come.