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Good morning.

On this day in 1978 a practically unknown Polish man stepped out onto the balcony of Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome and on to the world stage. A man from behind the officially atheist Iron Curtain had become the spiritual leader of over 1 billion souls.

In the 26 years of his reign, Pope John Paul saw the liberation of his beloved Poland and the collapse of the Soviet Union and Communism in Eastern Europe; he witnessed the dawning of the 3rd Millennium of the Christian era and the 21st Century and he tackled some of the fundamental issues affecting the lives of Catholics in this new century and millennium.

He followed Pope John Paul I who, when he was elected, seemed to be a breath of fresh air but who died after just 33 days in office; all the hopes that many people had with his election came to a sudden end.

Perhaps the suddenness, the shock of his predecessor’s death was in his mind when John Paul II said, ‘the future begins today, not tomorrow’. And that is true; if we are to effect any change then we must begin today, if we put it off it may never be done so my suggestion is make today the day – be it clearing out that cupboard or front room or something much more serious make today the day!

God of my life I welcome this new day, it is your gift to me, the first day of the rest of my life. I thank You for the gift of being alive this morning. I thank You for the sleep which has refreshed me. I thank You for the chance to begin my life all over again. Lord, bless this day for all of us. Amen