I remember the first time I saw a story about brutal attacks on Christians, which happened in my lifetime, and I was sure that it must be mistaken. Those are things that happened in the first couple centuries of the Church, but civilization must have progressed beyond that by now!
In fact, I’m sure that for the first three decades or more of my life, I felt so grateful to be living after all of that was over. Then I found out that my good fortune isn’t about when I am living but where. That was a rude awakening for me.
Several months ago I heard someone talk about prayers for persecuted Christians around the world, and I think we should definitely commit to at least that. He proposed that every Catholic Church in the world should have at least one petition for persecuted Christians every week at Sunday mass. I do hear that from time to time at my parish, but not every week. I should really speak up about that, so what’s stopping me?
But then this morning, I came upon this article: “Two Churches in Washington State Burn in Apparent Arson Attacks” at www.ncregister.com (The National Catholic Register). In addition to reporting on these two events, the article goes on to recount a huge list of similar incidents all around our country, and just in 2020.
We are still so fortunate that these attacks are not the gruesome killings that are seen in other parts of the world, but we have to face the fact that our culture is growing increasingly anti-Christian. I don’t expect that any of us really has an answer to this problem …I certainly do not. But let’s start praying that the Holy Spirit will guide us to find our roles.
I’m just an everyday Catholic, but I consider that quite a blessing. And I know that “I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). So, my prayer tonight is for the strength to make a difference. Join me?