Pope John Paul Whipped Himself

Pope John Paul II was offering penance/sacrifice to God for:

A) the "conversion of sinners"

B) and as an "act of reparation for the sins" that offend God


The use of penance and prayer for the above two reasons is an integral part of the message of the Apparitions at Fatima Portugal(1917) of which the Pope was a great believer in. Whether the message is true or not is another matter.


So why did Jesus fast for 40 days?

Do what we all do these days.
Ask Google.

www.orthodox.net...

The Messiah would fulfill all the commandments, which were not followed all too often in Israel&sq;s history. Their wandering for forty years in the wilderness was because of their disobedience and sins, but our Lord spent forty days in the wilderness in complete obedience to the commandments, and in particular, fasting without complaint, whilst the Jews in the wilderness incessantly complained about the food they ate.

Its one of those numbers things.
So after 40 years the land of milk and honey awaited Moses.
After 40 days the preparation for hereafter to be granted was ready.