Religion is a divisive issue. It has the power to unite and to divide, and that is true even on such an apathetic campus as RPI. This campus is as varied as any other when it comes to its assorted religious organizations. From Catholics to Muslims to Buddhists to Protestants to atheists to agnostics, all are equally represented and equally active on campus. But no matter which faith you practice, if you practice at all, it would be difficult to argue that the late Pope John Paul II has had anything but a positive impact on a world so full of conflict.
Pope John Paul II, elected to the papacy on October 16, 1978, had served the Catholic Church for over 26 years when he slowly left this world on Saturday, April 2, at approximately 2:37 pm. The Pope presented all of mankind with a way to truly live one’s life. He displayed a love and passion for Catholics and non-Catholics that is truly unmatched in modern society. This man has touched more lives than any previous Pope—17,600,000, to be exact, excluding 738 audiences with heads of state and 246 meetings with prime ministers. He wept when millions gathered to greet him at the 2003 World Youth Day in Toronto, Ont. He fought his illness just to bless crowds that had gathered outside his hospital windows in his final days.
This Pope showed how to live with love and compassion toward every individual, even one’s own enemies. An assassination attempt in 1981 by a young Turk named Mehmet Alì Agca left John Paul II in surgery for six hours and very nearly took his life. The Pope recovered, and a few years later visited the cell of Ali Agca, who had been arrested and jailed for his plot. In an act of ultimate forgiveness, the Pope extended his arms and embraced his attempted killer. Are we, as humans, capable of such compassion? Apparently so; the Pope was living proof of this.
After John Paul II’s death, Ali Agca said that he had lost a brother. We have all lost a brother and a leader. Regardless of our religious views we can all agree that compassion is lacking in this world, as the media clearly portrays. The Pope, however, demonstrated to the world the true meaning of brotherhood, kindness, and mercy. Now it is up to us to act on his example. Can we extend our hand in friendship to our adversaries, lend our hand to the needy, and embrace those who hurt us dearly? These are the challenges the Pope has left for us. He gave us reason to celebrate; he illustrated they could be accomplished without regard for race, religion, or political affiliation. Simply put: he reminded us how to love. The Pope served this world. He has been born again; the question is: Will we, in this world and beyond?
