A Saint of a Man in Life and Death

Throughout the ages, God has given us leaders, examples of what it means to be a person of God. A true follower of Christ. Today we have hundreds if not thousands of examples from teachings and writings. We have even more.

We have the media in the form of news, social networking, film and television. While it’s very satisfying and inspiring to study great persons of God throughout the chronicles of history, we’ve also been blessed to have examples within our lifetime. Examples that are known worldwide almost immediately. For me no other Pope exemplified Christ’s Vicar more than Pope John Paul II, now Saint John Paul II. His was the second-longest pontificate in modern times as he lead the Catholic Church for 27 years. Not since the Dutch Pope Adrian IV in 1523 has there been a non-Italian pontiff. I suppose in many ways he broke through barriers and made it possible for the Church to elect an American Pope, something I never thought I’d witness in my lifetime.

Pope John Paul II led not only in his words but in his actions. He visited the man who attempted to assassinate him, and forgave him. He suffered greatly in the final days of his life, yet stood as an example of what it means to die with grace and dignity.

He beatified and canonized more saints than any predecessor. In so doing he made holiness more accessible to ordinary people. After all, Catholics are called to be Christ-like in our lives, and in so doing strive for sainthood. It is not to glorify ourselves, but to the glory of God.

Like others before him, the Pope authored encyclicals, apostolic exhortations, constitutions and letters. His writings are so massive, it will take time for the Church to unpack all that he has given. I could go on and on about what an amazing man he was not only as Pope, as a leader on the world stage, but as a human being. When it comes down to it, the person we truly are is all we take with us when we stand before the Lord. While most of us have a keen sense of right and wrong, it is nice to have examples to draw from and imitate until that sense of always choosing goodness becomes a part of our very fabric.

It was common knowledge that John Paul II was known to have a sweet tooth. Today as we celebrate his Memorial Feast Day, it seems only fitting that we enjoy a coffee cake that is truly a cake. You can have it for breakfast or even in the evening with a cup of decaf while you watch the sun fade from view.

May your day be blessed by the Lord. May He strengthen you in all you do, protect you and guide you until you make that final journey home.

Caramel Streusel Glazed Coffee Cake
Coffee Cake
1 box Yellow Cake Mix
1 (3.4 oz) box Instant vanilla Pudding
3/4 cup Vegetable Oil
3/4 cup Water
4 Eggs
1 tablespoon Butter Extract (Butter Flavoring)
1 tablespoon Vanilla Extract
1/4 cup Caramel Sauce

Make sure oven rack is in the center of the oven. Heat oven to 350-degrees. Spray a GLASS 9-inch by 13-inch baking pan with cooking spray, set aside.

Mix together the yellow cake mix, pudding, vegetable oil, water and eggs in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle. Beat mixture at medium speed for 8 minutes.

Add butter and vanilla extracts, blend. Pour batter into the prepared GLASS baking pan. Set aside.

Next warm the caramel sauce and make the streusel.

Streusel Mix
4 tablespoons Butter
1/4 cup Sugar
1/4 cup Brown Sugar
1/2 tablespoon Cinnamon
1/3 cup Bisquick Mix

With a knife cut butter into small pieces. Wrap in plastic wrap, taking care not to press the pieces together. Place in the freezer to get hard.

In a bowl mix both kinds of sugar, the cinnamon and Bisquick mix. Once the butter is frozen, cut into the dry ingredients to create a crumbled mixture. Sprinkle the streusel mixture over the top of the coffee cake.

Warm the caramel sauce in the microwave for about 20 seconds, to a drizzling consistancy. Drizzle the warmed caramel topping over the streusel mixture. With a knife or bamboo skewer swirl the streusel and caramel throughout the top of the batter, taking care only to get no more than an inch deep swirling motion. Place coffee cake in the center of the heated oven; bake for 40 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Remove cake from oven; let cool for about 5 minutes on a wire rack. While the coffee cake cools, makde the glaze.

Glaze
2 tablespoons Heavy Cream
1 tablespoon Butter
1/3 cup soft Cream Cheese
3/4 cup Powdered Sugar
1/4 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Warm the cream with the butter in a microwave safe bowl. Set aside.

Whip the cream cheese, then add the warmed cream-butter mixture, whip for about 30 seconds. Sift the powdered sugar into the cream cheese mixture, continue to whip while adding the vanilla extract.

While the coffee cake is still warm to the touch, drizzle glaze over the top. Allow the cake to further cool and the glaze to set before serving.

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Our help is in the name of the Lord.