Archbishop Mokrzycki is convinced that John Paul II liked Christmas not only because of sentimental memories from his childhood. Not only because he missed the Christmas tree and the nativity scene, or because he liked to sing carols. But, because the Holy Father liked to waste time with Christ – he says. “He liked to be close to Him. And, he felt a bond with Him that made him particularly moved at the thought of God becoming man and crying in a manger because they did not want Him anywhere. He loved, he felt sorry for Him, he wanted to hug little Jesus to his heart. Like any child. Especially the one who has not experienced love, who suffers. That is why in the Letter to Children the Pope wrote that in the events connected with Christmas one can recognize the fate of children all over the world. (…) “Heaven is for those who are as simple as children – John Paul II wrote to his little friends – as full of entrustment as they are, so full of goodness and purity. Only such can find their Father in God and become, through Jesus, also children of God.” The Pope pointed to the enormous power of the child’s prayer, which should be a model for adults. Simple and trusting. “Totus Tuus”. John Paul II was like a child in his prayer – says Archbishop Mokrzycki. – He trusted and trusted to the end. To Jesus and His Mother. Maybe that’s why his joy also had something of a child. And, we say today that at Christmas he was happy like a child. He had such a laughing, playful look of a little boy who had only aged a little on the outside. And, who only waits for the Christmas tree to appear in the house, until he can look into the nativity scene, until he eats all those delicacies prepared by the sisters for the Christmas Eve supper.
With the consent of Archbishop Mieczysław Mokrzycki – “Place for everyone”
Znak Publishing House, Kraków 2013.
