We began our cross country trip one week ago and in that time we've attended Mass at Sacred Heart in Winchester, VA; St. Joseph's in Marblehead, OH, the Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help in Champion, WI; and St. Mary's in Bangor, WI. Today being at Sunday Mass I had a sense of the one-ness of the Catholic Church. Larry and I sat in the middle of the congregation and joined in the rosary before Mass. As people came in they entered their pews and knelt to join in the prayers. There were elderly and senior folks like us, families with children and some singles, new babies, small children, and teens. All of us were joined together in the Holy Sacrifice as one human family praying for our loved ones, our neighbors and friends, and for those we'll never meet. We listened to the same gospel reading about the unjust steward that Catholics everywhere heard today. We prayed for the victims of 9/11 and for those who committed the atrocities. There in that little country church we shared in the one-ness of the Catholic Church obeying God's command to "keep holy the Sabbath."
Larry and I were blessed at every church we visited this week to experience a sense of unity in the faith. Of course, there is disunity in the Church as well coming from those who reject Church teachings and foment dissent, but we didn't see them this week. We saw and heard priests teaching the authentic faith and preaching the gospel as Jesus instructed when he sent them out to claim the whole world for himself.
And it gave me hope! Seeing these good country folk praying together and greeting each other after Mass, I am confident that evil will never overcome good. Praised be Jesus Christ!
Mary Ann,
ReplyDeleteI will say a prayer to St. Christopher for you and yours on your journey. :)
I cannot tell you how much I appreciate this post. It is so edifying and gives me so much hope.
I mean, I read Fr. Zs blog every day. The horror stories that are told by "pew Catholics" and the abuses/irreverence at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass can be so depressing...even to the point of wishing that I would simply stop reading it. (or, I consider cancelling my membership to Adoremus)
Then! Boom! Your post today, well, yesterday. To think I read it on the Memorial of the Most Holy Name of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Thank you.
Catechist Kevin
PS: Would you please say a prayer for your old friend Donna Steichen? We are collaborating on a project and she is in the stages of tidying it up. :)
Will certainly pray for your project and thanks for your prayers. We're trying to decide whether to cancel our camping reservations at yellowstone b/c it's in an active bear area. We have a hardsided camper, but I'm a little nervous it will look like sardine can to the bears with me and Larry the sardines.
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