Did you know that Pope John Paul II was the first reigning pope to visit the National Shrine? Known as the “Pilgrim Pope,” he travelled around the world to share the Gospel in over 120 countries throughout his papacy. Not only was he a tireless advocate for the oppressed during the Cold War, but he also wrote extensively on the sanctity of life and the dignity of the human person. Today, his wisdom continues to inspire the faithful around the world.
As we celebrate the Memorial of Saint John Paul II on October 22, we invite you to reflect on 10 of his most insightful quotes.
On Hope
“Christ’s word is the only one that can give a response to the questions which trouble our spirit. Even if the forces of darkness appear to prevail, those who believe in God know that evil and death do not have the final say. Christian hope is based on this truth.”
— From his General Audience on September 12, 2001
On Christian Living
“Do not be afraid to break out of comfortable and routine modes of living, in order to take up the challenge of making Christ known in the modern ‘metropolis’… The Gospel must not be kept hidden because of fear or indifference… It has to be put on a stand so that people may see its light and give praise to our heavenly Father.” — From his Homily on World Youth Day, 1993
“The human being has a deep-rooted tendency to ‘think only of self,’ to regard one’s own person as the center of interest and to see oneself as the standard against which to gauge everything. One who chooses to follow Christ, on the other hand, avoids being wrapped up in himself and does not evaluate things according to self interest. He looks on life in terms of gift and gratuitousness, not in terms of conquest and possession. Life in its fullness is only lived in self-giving, and that is the fruit of the grace of Christ: an existence that is free and in communion with God and neighbor.”
— From his Message on World Youth Day, 2001
On the Source of True Happiness
“There is perhaps no darkness deeper than the darkness that enters young people’s souls when false prophets extinguish in them the light of faith and hope and love. The greatest deception, and the deepest source of unhappiness, is the illusion of finding life by excluding God, of finding freedom by excluding moral truths and personal responsibility.” — From his Homily on World Youth Day, 2002
“It is Jesus in fact that you seek when you dream of happiness; He is waiting for you when nothing else you find satisfies you; He is the beauty to which you are so attracted… It is Jesus who stirs in you the desire to do something great with your lives, the will to follow an ideal, the refusal to allow yourselves to be grounded down by mediocrity, the courage to commit yourselves humbly and patiently to improving yourselves and society, making the world more human and more fraternal.” — From his Vigil of Prayer Address on World Youth Day, 2001
On Creating Art
“The Church in fact needs art, literature, music, painting, sculpture and architecture, because she ‘must make perceptible, and as far as possible attractive, the world of the spirit, of the invisible, of God,’ and because artistic beauty, as a sort of echo of the Spirit of God, is a symbol pointing to the mystery, an invitation to seek out the face of God made visible in Jesus of Nazareth.” — From his Ecclesia in Europa, 2003
“Through his ‘artistic creativity’ man appears more than ever ‘in the image of God’ … With loving regard, the divine Artist passes on to the human artist a spark of His own surpassing wisdom, calling him to share in His creative power.” — From his Letter to Artists, 1999
On Love
“[T]o experience sincere love, you must open the door of your heart to Jesus and take the way He marked out with His own life: the way of self-giving. This is the secret to the success of any real call to love.” — From his Letter to the Young People of Rome, 1997
“[W]hat really matters in life is that we are loved by Christ, and that we love him in return. In comparison to the love of Jesus, everything else is secondary. And without the love of Jesus, everything else is useless.” — From his Address During His Visit to the Tomb of St. John Neumann, 1979
On Your Role in the World
“When you wonder about the mystery of yourself, look to Christ who gives you the meaning of life.
When you wonder what it means to be a mature person, look to Christ who is the fullness of humanity.
And when you wonder about your role in the future of the world… look to Christ. Only in Christ will you fulfill your potential.” — From his Address to High School Students in New York, October 3, 1979
