Someone who noted down the Pope’s thoughts saw closely how carefully John Paul II was preparing for Christmas. He wrote all the texts much earlier – recalls Prelate Paweł Ptasznik. I saw that he worked on them with great care. So that they not only bring people the truth about Christ, but also be well received. By everyone. Not only by believers. In particular, the homily for the Midnight Mass and the Urbi et Orbi message at Christmas. That was really important to him. Therefore, as Father Ptasznik says, no one could have expected what happened on Christmas Eve 1999. The text of the homily for the Midnight Mass was ready a long time in advance – he says. For several weeks. And, here in the morning the Holy Father called me to see him. And, he said that everything has to be rewritten. I was very surprised. Nothing like this has ever happened before. John Paul II decided that the homily he had prepared was good but ordinary. Not up to the measure of the beginning of the Great Jubilee. He wanted the text he would deliver at the turn of the millennium to be truly unique. That is what he told the Prelate. He used to say that this old text could have been preached during any other Midnight Mass – Father Ptasznik recalls. And, this is a special Midnight Mass and people need to know that something new is beginning. And so, based on his previous reflections, he actually dictated a new homily. And, then it had to be quickly translated into Italian and other languages. Work in the sections lasted until late in the evening, although the afternoon and evening of that day were of course free for everyone in the Vatican. However, I did not hear any complaints. We all worked until the evening, with the conviction that it was important and necessary.
With the consent of Archbishop Mieczysław Mokrzycki – “Place for everyone”
