Święci polscy „znakami czasu” dla Kościoła w Polsce w przepowiadaniu Jana Pawła II w czasie jego pielgrzymek do ojczyzny

Abstract

Numerous beatifications and canonizations are undoubtedly a phenomenon in John Paul II’s pontificate. When elevating someone to the altar the Pope perceived in his sainthood what was most characteristic of him – with what he may put today’s Catholics to shame or to rouse their admiration. Moreover, in each of the saints the Pope saw a definite sign of the time appealing for a proper response. The very sainthood is a very clear sign of the time, when many people live as if God did not exist; the sainthood that reminds everybody of universal calling to sainthood. Polish saints in John Paul II’s preaching during his pilgrimages to his Homeland are also signs for our nation that say that all Poles are called to victory – to sainthood; that talk about being faithful to the Church and loyal to the earthly homeland, about being faithful to the end – both to the Church and to one’s own vocation; about the woman’s dignity and vocation. They also say that the one moral law that is in force for everybody is the foundation of moral order; that authority and obedience gives strength of the spirit, and that social involvement should be enlivened with the spirit of service and sensitivity to all wrongs. Moreover, saints as signs call for apostolic activity, for proper use of the gift of freedom, for defeating evil with good, for reconciliation of nations, for ecumenism; and they are signs of protest against the civilisation of death. All these signs of the time represented by the Polish saints are at the same time questions put to us that ask if we are properly making use of this great heritage and if we live with the “tradition of the apostles, mission of prophets and martyrs’ blood”.