A buddy of mine who fought over in Iraq tells me of visiting a Catholic Church there. He said you’d hardly notice the church but on Sundays a number of Catholics would bravely arrive at Mass, knowing that their mere attendance could be a death sentence.
It affected him greatly. It made him think how he took for granted the ease with which he could attend Mass back in America with his wife and children. And I’ll admit that just hearing him speak of it, affected me. Not many Sundays go by without me thinking of those brave Christians who proclaim their love of Jesus at the risk of their own lives.
I know that growing up I always heard or read of the martyrs being put to death for their faith and at the time I was just so stupidly thankful that the world had moved beyond lions eating Christians in togas. But, of course, as I grew up I realized that the world hadn’t moved beyond that. It just got better at it. More efficient. Instead of lions, it’s bombs. Jesus is still the most reviled figure in history. Two thousand years later, His followers are still put to death all around the world.
Yesterday’s news of a series of bombings that included one outside a Catholic Church following Christmas Mass that killed at least 35 people in Nigeria is a horrific reminder of that. It is a horror. My heart breaks for the families of the victims. I am horrified that the celebration of the birth of Christ still inspires violence just as it did in Herod all those years ago.
December 26, 2011 at 12:22 pm
Just like the abortionists, they think that they OWN the person who loves Jesus Christ, and they think that they are the only one to be loved, worshipped and paid tribute. The only thing they have in common with humanity is the others thinking the same way. Abraham Lincoln said: "One person cannot own another person." Give thanks then, too, that we do live in America. abd God bless.
December 26, 2011 at 6:34 pm
Catholics receive Holy Communion on nine First Fridays and five First Saturdays to be able to die with the Holy Eucharist in their breasts. These victims, martyrs to the Faith, are given this gift of being able to die with Jesus Christ in their hearts. God does not abide bloodlust. God does not command bloodlust. This terrorist attack is not about religion. This terrorist attack is about human rights. All too easily is the death of these good persons is written off as a religious war, when, it is all about human and civil rights. The civil rights of a person to be free, to peaceably assemble and speak, one to another, whenever and wherever they so choose is being attacked and destroyed by hatred, (because they can) jealousy, infantile lust, greed and tyranny. This terrorism is about freedom. The terrorists are prevented from learning that his freedom ends where another person’s freedom begins. That, when a Catholic chooses to be Catholic, that is his free will choice, because free will is one of the endowed, unalienable civil rights given to persons. All other men must respect this free will ordained by God. (A will to evil is not free)If any man disrespects another person, he too will be disrespected. Are there any terrorists who are respected?