Let Your Spirit descend…
These words he repeated many times. Poles remember this one the most: the first pilgrimage of John Paul II to Poland, Victory Square in Warsaw and the Holy Spirit, which descends, renews this land, the Polish land. The spring of freedom was coming. The Pope believes in this spring; just as he believed in the spring of the Church. Therefore, every Sunday of the Pentecost was for him an opportunity to meet with charismatic movements. This enthusiasm filled him with hope. After these meetings, he thanked God for the spring of the Church. Spring awakened by the renewing power of the Holy Spirit. He said so in 1998 during liturgical reflections. The Archbishop tells us what these meetings looked like, so different from anything that has ever happened in the Vatican before. Singers, ballet, art came, and also very contemporary ones. First there was a religious-entertainment program. Prayer interspersed with artistic shows. The Holy Father has always been happy to watch these shows. After all, he was an actor himself, a man of culture. When he did not feel good, he only came to see a part of the concert with a blessing, sometimes with a holy Mass. This happened on the eve of Pentecost. This evening belonged to the youth. In it, as in charismatic movements, John Paul II placed great hope. Not everyone liked this style of meetings with Neocatechumenate people or the Movement of Renewal in the Holy Spirit. Sometimes, there was criticism that the Holy Father was involved in such things. But, he knew it was needed. Young people wanted to speak to him in their language. And, they did. And, he watched, listened, and admired them sincerely. And, most importantly, he understood them well. They felt it, and that’s why they loved him so much. He said of charismatic movements that they were laboratories of faith. And, he cheered very much on these laboratories. After each such meeting, he returned home fortified. It was like Pentecost at the Papal’s fingertip.
With the permission of Archbishop Mieczysław Mokrzycki –“He liked Tuesdays the most”
M Publishing House, Krakow 2008
