Memory as theological space in Karol Wojtyła’s poem entitled “Thought – strange space”

Literary works by Karol Wojtyła are marked with specific references to the issue of memory. It is apparent not only in the individual titles of his excellent works, which directly refer to the people of the past and distant times, but most of all in the poet’s original thinking immersed in biblical thought. An excellent example of this is provided in a poem entitled “Thought – Strange Space”, which was written by Karol Wojtyła in 1952 and published twice in “Tygodnik Powszechny” under the pen name of Andrzej Jawień. The text is an exceptionally interesting poetic meditation on the struggle of Jacob with the Angel, described in the Holy Bible (cf. Gen 32, 25–33). What needs to be stressed is the emphasis of this meditative poem on empathising with Jacob, one of Isaac and Rebecca’s twin sons, and his experience. Thanks to this, the poem becomes a clear testimony of a deep sensitivity to the mystery of the Holy Spirit’s presence in all areas of human existence. The motif of a spiritual battle constitutes an excellent way to present the space of human memory as a place where one can encounter the thought of God himself. For Patriarch Jacob, the struggle was a liberating experience, which led him to discover that in the deepest part of his existence he was surrounded by God’s love and constantly and affirmatively called to a new life. It can be proven by the fact that Jacob, stigmatised as a liar, has become a new, internally complete man, to whom God was willing to give a new name. From this point of view, the internal struggle in Wojtyła’s poem can be perceived as a decisive battle for truth. The struggle takes place mainly within the sphere of human spirit, where people have access to the deepest aspects of their identity. Therefore, it would seem that Karol Wojtyła’s poem shows, in its most universal sense, a peculiar spiritual route towards ontological unity, which can become the experience of every human being, created in the image and likeness of God (cf. Gen 1, 26–27).Dorota Hawryluk – stopień doktora nauk teologicznych z zakresu teologii moralnej uzyskany w 2004 roku w UKSW na podstawie dysertacji nt. Koncepcja apostolstwa katolickiego św. Teresy z Lisieux; wieloletni nauczyciel, wychowawca młodzieży, doradca życia rodzinnego w założonej przez siebie Poradni Życia Rodzinnego; posiada specjalizacje z wychowania przedszkolnego, poradnictwa rodzinnego, teologii apostolstwa, zarządzania oświatą i filologii polskiej; obecnie kontynuuje literaturoznawcze studia doktoranckie w Katedrze Teorii i Antropologii Literatury Instytutu Filologii Polskiej KUL i pod kierunkiem dr hab. Andrzeja Tyszczyka, prof. KUL prowadzi badania z problematyki aksjologicznej w twórczości literackiej Karola Wojtyły-Jana Pawła II.Katolicki Uniwersytet Lubelski Jana Pawła II517