Colossians 3:23-24:
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not
for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a
reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
One of the greatest joys in a pilgrimage is the surprise
that awaits you in unexpected ways. When I heard that we were headed to the
Tatra Mountains and the town of Zakopane nestled there, I envisioned a day of
hiking the trails that Blessed John Paul II used for his relaxation and
meditation. To begin with, the day was very cold and wet. I felt a bit
disappointed as I realized we would be touring churches instead. Don’t get me
wrong, I truly loved all the churches we had seen, but I had my heart set on my
picture of how my pilgrimage should go. I learned a valuable lesson. Never underestimate
the surprises Our Lord has for us, and the lessons we can learn from them.
We began the tour with a visit to the amazingly beautiful
Holy Heart of Jesus Chapel, built entirely of wood and containing two marvelous
stain glass windows of the Black Madonna and Our Lady of the Dawn. A young
seminarian explained how John Paul II visited this chapel and loved to hike on
the trails which surround it. It was built by the Highland people as their gift
to God and His mother. Taking the abundant wood and using their skills as craftsmen,
they fashioned a church where every inch of architecture, furnishings, and
lighting fixtures are made of wood and tooled to a beautiful work of art and
love. After a good lunch and stroll on
the famous Krupowki Street, known for its colorful bazaar, we headed to the
Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fatima, in Krzeptowki.
The Sanctuary was created in gratitude for saving Pope
John Paul II’s life in the unsuccessful assassination attempt on 13th of
May 1981. Built by local people between 1987 and 1992, the Sanctuary was
consecrated by John Paul II on June 7, 1997 during his 6th pilgrimage to
Poland. The woodwork is an amazing gift of love to Our Lady of Fatima for
sparing the life of Pope John Paul II. The pews, altars, confessionals, and
even the chandeliers are all made of wood and carved with intricate, delicate
designs. We saw the beautiful statue of Our Lady of Fatima and the stain glass window
depicting the assassination attempt on the late Pope’s life. We were able to
venerate a relic of John Paul II, and had Mass in a side chapel which housed an
image of John Paul as well as the Divine Mercy. Although the entire day was
rainy and dismal, our hearts were filled with the light and joy of sharing in
the love of the Polish people for their special Pope. As Pope John Paul II said
at the dedication of this shrine:
This shrine of
yours, which today is being consecrated to God, must serve the Church - the
community, living men and women… the Apostle speaks of the Church as a house
built of living stones. We ourselves are this house; we ourselves are these
living stones which make up the whole spiritual temple. Its cornerstone is
Christ: Christ Crucified and Risen. He himself became the cornerstone of
the Church, as the great community of the People of God in the New Covenant. Looking
at your church, so beautifully decorated, I have before my eyes those
wooden churches - increasingly rare nowadays - which used to rise
throughout Poland…authentic treasures of popular architecture. All of them,
like your own, were built with the cooperation of the pastors and faithful of
the individual parishes. They were built by a common effort, so that the Holy
Sacrifice could be celebrated there, so that Christ in the Eucharist would be
together with his people day and night, at times of great joy and elation, and
at times of trial, suffering and humiliation, and even on plain grey days. CONSECRATION
OF THE CHURCH OF OUR LADY OF FATIMA HOMILY OF JOHN PAUL IIZakopane - 7 June 1997.
Saturday found us in the Salt Mines of Wieliczka, one of
the best known tourist attractions in Poland. For us pilgrims, however, it was
a place of great spiritual wealth. Deep underground (as far as 1000 feet),
miners risked their lives every day, and placing their trust in God, they built
underground chapels where they heard Mass every morning. These magnificent
structures are all made of salt, carved into walls of salt, and contain statues
and reliefs composed entirely of salt.
The most opulent and impressive of these
chapels is St. Kinga’s Chapel, which is two levels high, houses an altar,
statues, and a beautiful cross made of various types of salt from all over
Poland. There is even a statue of John Paul II carved out of salt (Salt was
mined in Wieliczka from the Middle Ages until 1996). Again, the miners were not afraid, and spread
their faith by having it come alive in the walls of their work. In this
particular chapel, Mass is still said every Sunday morning.
(Salt sculpture of John Paul II and Our Lady of Fatima)
So what was my
lesson? I learned that all talents, all gifts and all efforts, directed to the
glory of God, will inspire and evangelize humankind for many years to come.
Never underestimate the talents God has given to each of us. They are
different, and they are necessary to spread His word and love among His people.
Salt sculpted into altars and statues, wood tooled into chapels and shrines,
trails not traveled but churches visited, all combined to teach me that the
glory of God is found in the ordinary, everyday lives we lead, and in the
surprises He has for us in our disappointments. They may just hold the lessons
we need to advance in our faith!!
Visit this website for
more information on the chapel made in salt: http://oedg.niu.edu/GVFT/Joanna%20Edelman's%20Virtual%20Field%20Trip/Wieliczka%20Salt%20Mines/St._Kinga's_Chapel.htm
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