More Divine “Coincidence”?

Many folks have commented on the interesting coincidences that surrounded the death of John Paul II (e.g., in connection with Divine Mercy Sunday). My Benedictine priest friend has noticed a possible coincidence with the electino of the new pope. He writes:

We have what seems to be a striking arrangement of God’s provident care this very year.

Saturday, April 16, is the final day of official ceremonial mourning for Pope John Paul II (the Vatican began the nine days with April 8, the day of burial itself).

The day after is the fourth Sunday of Easter, the papally-designated annual "World Day of Prayer for Vocations". The fourth Sunday of Easter always has a section from the Gospel of the Good Shepherd, John 10, no matter which year of the "triennium" we may be in. However, this particular year of 2005, year A of the triennium, has as the first reading on this Sunday Acts 2 in which Pope Saint Peter calls 3,000 to repentance and baptizes them.

The responsorial psalm is "The Lord is my shepherd." The second reading is from the first letter of Pope Saint Peter saying, "For you had gone astray like sheep, but you have now returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls."

Monday, April 18, is the beginning of the election to discern who has the vocation to serve as the next pope. John 10 continues to be proclaimed at Mass on this Monday and and also on Tuesday.

Next Sunday, given that recent conclaves have lasted less than a week, we may already have a new pope. If so, it is possible the new pope might choose that Sunday for the inauguration Mass of his pontificate.

In the first reading for next Sunday (Acts 6), Pope Saint Peter and the other apostles will ordain the first deacons. In the second reading, the first letter of Pope Saint Peter, the first pope exhorts the Church to come to Christ, to be built up as a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, for we are "’a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may announce the praises’ of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light." In the Gospel, Christ the Divine Cornerstone speaks to us of his "Father’s House" that has "many dwelling places."

God is building up the Church indeed!

Author: Jimmy Akin

Jimmy was born in Texas, grew up nominally Protestant, but at age 20 experienced a profound conversion to Christ. Planning on becoming a Protestant seminary professor, he started an intensive study of the Bible. But the more he immersed himself in Scripture the more he found to support the Catholic faith, and in 1992 he entered the Catholic Church. His conversion story, "A Triumph and a Tragedy," is published in Surprised by Truth. Besides being an author, Jimmy is the Senior Apologist at Catholic Answers, a contributing editor to Catholic Answers Magazine, and a weekly guest on "Catholic Answers Live." View all posts by Jimmy Akin