No, We’re Not Going to Rome
I received a few text messages on my cell phone similar to this one:
Stay away… An enormous influx, from Wednesday 10 p.m. access to the line to view the Pope will be closed. Friday all traffic will be stopped for the funeral. Saint Peter’s is full. There are screens in the piazza for viewing. It’s hot during the day and cold at night. Take public, collective transport if en route to Rome. — Civil Protection.
We’ve had many emails and calls wondering if we were going to Rome. But the police were kind enough to write to us and ask us not to come.
To many Italians (and news media personnel for that matter), the Pope was Jesus Christ. We just celebrated Christ’s resurrection the week before, but it was as if Jesus died all over again - five days later. This Jesus is the Jesus of Rome, not of Nazareth.
What many outside of Europe may not consider is that many people were praying “for the Pope” as they passed by. And, undoubtedly, many were probably praying “to the Pope” as well. The follow-up interviews of the multitudes on Italian television revealed that point clearly. None of this praying is in line with the Bible, of course. John Paul 2 can never receive or mediate prayers. He, nor any other man, can lay no claim on the delightful duty of Christ to mediate, intercede daily, and advocate with the Heavenly Father. Jesus Christ alone is Mediator, Atonement, Propitiation, & High Priest for His children.
While watching Italian news, the cries from around St. Peter’s were “Santo, Santo, Santo…” The word santo is the cry to make GP2 a saint in the Roman system. But the word santo also means “Holy” in Italian. As I heard the chants here on Earth, I couldn’t help but look to Heaven and cry “Santo, Santo, Santo.” Hannah cried it in 1 Samuel 2:2, “For there is none santo as the Lord, neither is there any rock like our God.” And the Bible tells us that the angels are incessant in their glorious praise crying before the Lamb of God, Christ Jesus, “Santo, Santo, Santo.” One day, I will join them. And while here on Earth, I’ll never cry that horizontally.
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Continue to pray for you guys. Thanks for the updates.
Comment by Pearson — 4/19/2005 @ 9:57 pm