Rise, Let Us Be On Our Way

Rating:
Summary: "Rise, Let Us Be On Our Way" - A Disappointment
Review:
Before reading Pope John Paul II's new work "Rise, Let Us Be On Our Way", I have familiarized myself with tons of reviews. It was repetitively assured to the readers that this book is a great gift to people with faiths of all kinds. Although I am a person with no religion, I am with great faith, the source of which comes from my internal believes, rather than an external tool or belief system such as religion. Therefore, I was convinced that this was going to be a wonderful book that could shed light upon faithful people of all kinds, including people like me.

However, after finishing this book, not only I felt very disappointed, but I also felt incredibly stupid. Have you ever tried to read a technical book on a topic that you have no knowledge of, and in the middle of your reading, you just feel so confused and lost as if you are reading a book in another language? That is how I felt while reading this book.

Maybe it was because I had a false impression on this book. Before reading this book, I thought this was a book similar to books written by Dalai Lama. I used to read Dalai Lama's books that used philosophical and religious beliefs to inspire readers to seek faiths and happiness in daily life. I was hoping that Pope John Paul II's book would have a similar content and inspiration but with the basis of a different religion. However, I was wrong. This book was written to reveal the religious journey of Pope John Paul II when he was a bishop. A great amount of verses were drawn from Bible, and a lot of historical religious events were referred to. If you have not read the Bible or do not have a profound understanding of the history of Christianity, it is likely that you will not feel much inspired when reading this book.

I guess this book is a great gift to people with great faiths, but only those with certain great faiths.



Rating:
Summary: Inspiration and Instruction
Review: I think that it is incumbent on me to preface this review by admitting that it would be extremely difficult for me to award a book written by the Holy Father anything less than five stars. The very high regard I feel for the Papacy and the current occupant of that office may very well cloud my judgment and anyone who reads this review should keep that in mind.

That said, I found this to be a very well written and interesting little book. John Paul II wrote this book for the most part as a book of instruction for his Bishops. Within it's pages he lays out in a very clear way what he thinks the duties of a Bishop are and he does this by telling the story of his years as a Bishop in Poland. The Pope makes it very clear that while the first priority of a Bishop is to preach the Gospel, he must also be a shepherd to his flock. Again and again His Holiness hammers on this point and makes it very clear that he expects his Bishops to get out of their office and be among the people. He is very proud of the fact that even with his Pontifical duties he has visited almost every Parish under his official care as Bishop of Rome.

This book would never have been published in this manner however if it were only useful to Bishops and there is indeed much information here for everyone else. Many people of all faiths are fascinated by the Pope's struggle with the Communist authorities in Poland and many of the stories in this book deal with that subject. There are also a fair number of accounts of the Nazi occupation and the brave efforts of the Polish people to rid themselves of this curse. There is little doubt that the writings of this Pope will be invaluable to future historians as they delve into 20th century Europe. These stories of a courageous people who risked so much in the pursuit of freedom, not only to worship but also the freedom to live their lives in a free and open society are truly inspiring.

Finally, this book although written for the Bishops is not written in a way that will put off the average reader. With the exception of a few references to Church documents that bear their titles in Latin there is little here that will be out of reach to almost any reader. Catholics will of course find this book to be more interesting than will other faiths but people of almost any religious inclination will be able to find inspiration here. This book may be small but it packs a huge punch.

Rating:
Summary: Prophetic Pope Points the Way to Renewal
Review: In this small book, John Paul has one biblical citation for about every two and one half pages of text. The Bible permeates the Pope's thinking. John Paul also emphasizes the value of heartfelt ancient traditions of Catholic devotion. He especially emphasizes devotion to Mary and prayer and contemplation before the Eucharist. These themes of Scripture, of the emotional pull of traditional forms of piety, of Marian devotion, and of Eucharistic contemplation point the way to renewing the Church here in the United States.


Rating:
Summary: A Poignant Autobiographical Meditation
Review: Pope John Paul II provides a thoughtful meditation combining autobiography with matters of faith and devotion. Although addressed in many respects to his brother bishops, he reminds everyone of the importance of vocation and fidelity and the book speaks to all who seek a more intimate relationship with God. RISE, LET US BE ON OUR WAY begins where his previous book, GIFT AND MYSTERY, leaves off with his ordination as a bishop in the late 1950's. He chronicles the challenges of ministering in then communist Poland. Later, he addresses his participation in Vatican II, a pivotal moment of his spiritual and ministerial life.

The integration of scripture and personal history provides a unique glimpse of not only the pontiff, but of the man who has served as spiritual head of the Catholic Church for many years. He reminds all, clerics and laity alike, of the need for openness and communication with all people. The importance of the pastoral role of bishops, and indeed all people, cannot be minimized.

The book, written in the Pope's unique style, often requires a little effort and rereading in order to fully grasp the richness of his thought, but the richness and scriptural fidelity of his prose make this a valuable addition to anyone's library. It is a book that can speak not only to Catholics, but to anyone who seeks to gain a greater intimacy with God.

Rating:
Summary: Hey Pope, why don't you kick out the pedophile priests?
Review: Rise, Let Us Be On Our Way is a quaint book, but my question to the Pope is why does he not kick out the pedophile priests?

Isn't that much more important than writing a book like this?


Rating:
Summary: A Life Hard to Imagine
Review: When Jesus was taken from the Garden of Gethsemane he said to his followers: 'Rise, Let us be on our way." From this theme, Pope John Paul II tells the story of his life dating from the year 1958 when he became a bishop at 38 years of age after only 12 years of being a priest.

Remember 1958 in Poland. This was ten years before the Russian invasion to put down the brief attempt to overthrow the communist regime. This was a time when the Government was avidly anti-church but the people were devoutly Catholic. Walking a very narrow line, this book covers a period, a life not well knows by those of us on this side of the iron curtain.

Brilliantly written, the utter peacefulness of the man behind the vestments comes through.