Mysticism of John Paul Ii
WORLD OF THE TEXT
INTRODUCTION
Pope John Paul II was a mystic. His poetry reveals to us some glimpse of his mystical personality. He composed poetry when he was a young man and even when he was already a priest. Many of these poems are fruits of his contemplation about the stormy events in his life, of his nation, and of humanity. Nevertheless, what separates him from the pessimists of his time was that he sees things, good or bad; in the light of God’s love for him.
With that background, we now explore the poem that concerns us in this work, and take a glimpse of the young John Paul II who wrote it while in the midst of an explosive event in church history. The newly ordained priest, “Lolek”, assigned as students’ chaplain in St. Florian’s Parish in Krakow (March 17, 1949) composed a poem-cycle entitled “Song of the Brightness of Water” Piesn o blasku wody (May 7, 1950) using the pen name Andrzej Jawien. The late Pope’s mysticism can be perceived in a part of this poem-cycle entitled “Later Recollection of the Meeting” (Pozniejsze rozpamietywanie spotkania). When this poem was written, his native Poland was in the transition stage from Nazi occupation into a communist government. This transition was not easy, since both powers claiming the land were threatening to decimate Poland’s national identity, imposing an entirely new ideology. The people of Poland struggled and risked their lives to combat their worst nightmare. Hosts of human lives were wasted. The Polish people shed their blood to preserve their nation’s identity and their freedom. John Paul II lived this world in his youth. The strength inside his people is the same strength that was in him. And this hidden fountain of vigor manifests in his poetry. (LATER RECOLLECTION OF THE MEETING)
He saw me in himself, possessed me in himself
He suffused me with ease,
Burst my shame in me and the thoughts
I’d suppressed for so long.
As if he—touching a rhythm in
INTRODUCTION
Pope John Paul II was a mystic. His poetry reveals to us some glimpse of his mystical personality. He composed poetry when he was a young man and even when he was already a priest. Many of these poems are fruits of his contemplation about the stormy events in his life, of his nation, and of humanity. Nevertheless, what separates him from the pessimists of his time was that he sees things, good or bad; in the light of God’s love for him.
With that background, we now explore the poem that concerns us in this work, and take a glimpse of the young John Paul II who wrote it while in the midst of an explosive event in church history. The newly ordained priest, “Lolek”, assigned as students’ chaplain in St. Florian’s Parish in Krakow (March 17, 1949) composed a poem-cycle entitled “Song of the Brightness of Water” Piesn o blasku wody (May 7, 1950) using the pen name Andrzej Jawien. The late Pope’s mysticism can be perceived in a part of this poem-cycle entitled “Later Recollection of the Meeting” (Pozniejsze rozpamietywanie spotkania). When this poem was written, his native Poland was in the transition stage from Nazi occupation into a communist government. This transition was not easy, since both powers claiming the land were threatening to decimate Poland’s national identity, imposing an entirely new ideology. The people of Poland struggled and risked their lives to combat their worst nightmare. Hosts of human lives were wasted. The Polish people shed their blood to preserve their nation’s identity and their freedom. John Paul II lived this world in his youth. The strength inside his people is the same strength that was in him. And this hidden fountain of vigor manifests in his poetry. (LATER RECOLLECTION OF THE MEETING)
He saw me in himself, possessed me in himself
He suffused me with ease,
Burst my shame in me and the thoughts
I’d suppressed for so long.
As if he—touching a rhythm in