Mario Enzler beautifully draws upon his everyday encounters with Pope St. John Paul II, both in the public eye and in private, to reflect upon the virtue, faithfulness, dedication to prayer, and witness that were not only central to the life of John Paul II, but also fundamental to the universal call to holiness of every baptized Christian – the call for us all to be nothing short of saints!
"Modern man listens more willingly to witnesses than to teachers, and if he does listen to teachers, it is because they are witnesses." These words of St. Paul VI (Evangelii nuntiandi, n. 1) have become something of an axiom for all those dedicated to great mission of the New Evangelization. Professor Mario Enzler’s book is a vindication of this principle of Gospel grace. He testifies eloquently to the power in his life that was unleashed through the witness of the exemplary disciples of Christ he came to know during his service in the Swiss Guard, especially St. John Paul II. And in offering his personal witness and reflections on what he saw and felt, he give us his own testimony to the power of the Holy Spirit at work in his life. I have been edified by Mario’s words. May they bear much good fruit in the hearts of all who read them.
Mario Enzler has written a book about faith and virtue that leads us through the lives of saints and friends, and indeed the life of the author who gave himself to the Church by serving Saint John Paul II, Servant of the Servants of God. The men and women he encountered over the years led this young man to a life of service as a means of growing in virtue. May readers be inspired to find fulfillment and happiness in serving others through the examples presented in Enzler’s book.
St. John Paul II told us on several occasions that to be able to truly know him, we had to know him from within, to know his heart. I believe that Mario was given the gift to be so close to the person of St. John Paul II that he can share anecdotes of their time together, but most importantly, by being so close to him, he learned to know him from within. What he saw and learned, deeply shaped Mario\U000000b4s heart.
Indirect light is appreciated for its subtlety, its softness, its quiet, its nuance. Direct light, while appreciated for its own brilliance and illuminating faculty, is often all the more appreciated as reflected against other media. In this volume, Mario Enzler is that other medium. The brilliant light of a great man and saint, St. John Paul II, shown on the mind, heart, and consciousness of a simple servant, a Swiss guard, named Mario. In this volume we see the profound effects in and lessons learned by Mario through his proximity to a saint.