In 1978 Karol Józef Wojty?a became Pope. He was born this day in 1920, and 58 years later became the first non-Italian pope in 455 years. The odds were stacked against Karol becoming pope as he was also from a Slavic country, a country that has never delivered a pope before.
When someone becomes pope they take on a new name. For Karol, he took the name of his immediate predecessor. The pope before Karol has reigned for only several weeks. But Karol was inspired by the one who had come before and, in honour, and to lead himself to achieve even greater things, he took on that name.
The rest, they say, is history. Karol became Pope John Paul II. And Pope John Paul II, became a pope who far surpassed his predecessor. Karol was inspired to do greater things than had been done before. What are you being inspired to do today?