Are we willing to sacrifice for the Holy Sacrifice?
The weekend before Christmas, the Washington area was hit by 20 inches of snow. When I went to Mass that weekend, attendance was down considerably, probably only about 20-30% of a usual Sunday Mass.
I’m sure that many people could not make it out of their streets that day, but I couldn’t help but think of that low attendance when I read this story:
Heavy snows do not deter China’s Christians
Despite its being a working day in China and even with the obstacles created by heavy snowfall in recent days, it was with great devotion that Chinese Catholics celebrated Epiphany on January 6. The heavy snowfalls in recent days have not yet ceased and in some areas it continues to snow. The condition of roads is still very critical, but yesterday morning, very early, churches, chapels and other places of habitual prayers were filled with faithful attending the Mass of the Epiphany.
The pastors of Beijing had recommended for older people to remain at home and pray, because of snow, but they found the church full of older people for the first Mass in the morning, at 6 am, as usual.
In the early Church, going to Mass was a subversive action – attendance could be a death sentence. Yet if those courageous first Christians had not gone, we would not have the Faith today. It appears that believers in China are continuing this tradition.
It seems to be a truism that the more one must suffer for his faith, the more sacrifices he will willingly make for it. Let us pray that we in America recognize what a great gift the Mass is and will be willing to make sacrifices to participate in the Holy Sacrifice.
May Jesus grant the same fortitude, love, zeal, hope, and joy to every soul, especially those in most need.
It didn’t help that the local dioceses in the Washington area (Washington, Arlington, Baltimore) were falling all over themselves reminding people that they didn’t have to go.
Wow, this article was great and really hit home regarding what we sacrifice or rather do not here in the US. May our Lord protect the faithful in China. They have underground Catholic Church there because the real Church is persecuted.
While I applaud our Chinese brothers & sisters, sometimes walking on broken & unshoveled sidewalks to my city parish church is too much for my 60-plus arthritis. If I knew every Sunday might be my last chance to attend Mass, I might rise to heroic levels, even if it was guaranteed as now that I’d skid & fall on ice! Bless them.
For the Chinese, attendance at Mass is still a subversive act.
We in the West take the availability of Mass for granted. If the number of ordained priests continues to decline, more parishes will have mass weekly or less frequently. Prayer, fervent and frequent prayer for vocations (and graces on those who have answered the call) is needed. We may otherwise follow Western Europe down the path of “many are nominally Catholic, but few practice the Faith.”
TeaPot562