I was relieved to learn yesterday of the death of Pope John Paul II. Relieved that his suffering wasn't long and drawn out.
I was watching a soccer game yesterday afternoon on ESPN. The announced kept saying, "This game was originally scheduled for ABC but was moved to ESPN because of the tragic death of the pope."
He repeatedly referred to the pope's death as tragic. I'm sure the announcer was just trying to be respectful, but he was wrong.
It was sad and unfortunate. It wasn't tragic. Karol Wojtyla lived for 84 years and served as pope for 27 years. Neither his life nor his papacy was tragically short or unfulfilled. He certainly had plenty of time in both to accomplish what he wanted to accomplish. His death was not an unexpected surprise.
Death is a part of life. Our culture is so enamored with youth that it can't accept the times when death is a normal, natural conclusion to a long, fully-lived life. Death, in such circumstances, is not tragic.
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