"My pilgrimage ends here"

How long can a man go on, traveling and bringing words of hope to his faithful, when he is riddled by disease?

Yesterday, Pope John Paul II made a pilgrimage to Lourdes, and spoke to the crowds who gathered to hear and see the man they believe to be God's representative on earth. There, visibly ill and weak, he said "my pilgrimage ends here." So today, I read another story with a headline "Pope Near End of His Life." And he very well may be. Based on his words at Lourdes, he may feel his body finally giving out, after years of hard schedules, an attempt on his life, and a struggle with Parkinson's Disease.

But every time Pope John Paul II is mentioned as 'frail,' I disagree. His physical health may be waning, but his will and his spirit are as strong now as ever.

I haven't always agreed with the Vatican, but I can take a moment to appreciate the essential goodness of this man. Whether his end is today or (if he surprises us again) next year, I can say a prayer of thanks that God gave this Polish priest as an example to the world.