Are We Willing To Die For The Mass?

[Fidei Defensor]

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/blog/are-we-willing-to-die-for-the-mass/

 

In a brief, two-and-a-half minute YouTube video entitled “Mass”, the well-known Catholic public speaker paints a powerful picture of what a privilege it is to attend Mass in freedom and how this can be so easily taken for granted.

On one hand, Stefanick recalls a recent text from a friend of his in Irag: “Please pray for our church, where all the people are held captive by terrorists.”

A few hours later, another text followed: “Lord have mercy.” Shortly thereafter, everyone in that Catholic Church – men, women and children – were gunned down and killed.

On the other hand, at Mass that same weekend back in the States, grateful for his safety and freedom to worship, Stefanick couldn’t help but notice a kid in the back pew playing video games the whole time.

“It really struck me that 7,000 miles away from us, a whole Church load of people had given their lives to be where he was.”

Amid beautiful footage of a Eucharistic procession and intense music, Stefanick poses the question: “What did they see that he was missing?”

It’s something Meriam Ibrahim, a Catholic Sudanese woman who faces a death sentence for allegedly abandoning Islam and not denouncing her Catholic faith, has seen.

It’s something the persecuted Catholics in Syria, Jordan, Kenya and a host of other Middle Eastern and African countries have seen and witnessed with their lives.

It’s something that Catholics around the globe have seen throughout the centuries; something they have been willing to risk their lives for “since the birth of the Church,” Stefanick says.

“What are all these people seeing at Mass?” Stefanick asks.

“If you’re not seeing it, you’re missing something pretty amazing.”

Although Stefanick never says it explicitly, he is prodding the viewer to consider the Eucharist. The video concludes with a bible verse from Luke 22:19 – “He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them saying, ‘This is my body given for you do this is remembrance of me.’”

Catholic doctrine teaches that the bread and wine, once consecrated at Mass, actually become the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ. This radical belief has been worth the cost of everything for countless Catholics throughout history.

Stefanick’s short video calls us out as Catholics: What do we see at Mass? And are we willing to die for it?

Edited June 19, 2014 by tardis ad astra

[fides' Jack]

A time will come when God will ask us to make that same choice.  We will see who answers then.

[Perigrina]

In the West we have been safe from persecution for a while now and it has made us complacent.  There are signs that this could change soon.   We may face martyrdom and we need to practice our faith in a way that prepares us for this.

[Ice_nine]

I don't think it will happen in my lifetime in the US to be entirely candid. However, I could be wrong, in which case I hope I am given the grace to respond appropriately. Although I sure do enjoy breathing.

Edited June 20, 2014 by Ice_nine

[CatherineM]

You won't know how you will respond until that moment happens. I have very few heirlooms from my Dad's side. They mostly all died young. One thing I did inherit was a set of very old patterns for making chasubles that look like bed rolls or quilts. They were used by Irish priests. I'm ready to start sewing them and building hidden rooms to hide priests if necessary. I hope it won't be.

[John Ryan]

In the West we have been safe from persecution for a while now and it has made us complacent.  There are signs that this could change soon.   We may face martyrdom and we need to practice our faith in a way that prepares us for this.

 

What evidence is there to suggest that Catholic will be murdered?

[Ash Wednesday]

I have a hard time grappling with the idea of the Church being persecuted as a visible group in the West the way things are right now, because so much of the Church itself is so fractured and so many Catholics don't actually adhere to the beliefs of the Church -- the identity that we used to call "Catholic" has more or less disappeared.

 

I suppose in the future if Catholics regain a distinct identity as a group in the west (and I expect it would be a much smaller Church), they may face some persecution. But I see it as a social persecution and being ostracized moreso than one of violence. For the future I see future members of the Church faithful as just being called "extremists" and lumped in with other fringe groups. Even now, if you agree with all of the teachings of the Church, you get called a "fundamentalist." Many Catholics get branded this even from members within their own Church.

 

That said, as things are now -- many Catholics and Christians in the west do forget that many worldwide die for their faith all the time so it's important to appreciate what freedoms we do have and it's a thought provoking question for us to ask ourselves.

Edited June 20, 2014 by Ash Wednesday

[HisChildForever]

But I see it as a social persecution and being ostracized moreso than one of violence. 

 

I agree with this 100%. I don't foresee myself being gunned down in the street because I'm Catholic.

[Perigrina]

What evidence is there to suggest that Catholic will be murdered?

 

I am evaluating current events in light of the "stages of genocide".  Here is an article by Genocide Watch that uses this system for discussing the stages: http://genocidewatch.org/genocide/tenstagesofgenocide.html

Classification Symbolization Discrimination Dehumanization Organization Polarization Preparation Persecution Extermination Denial 

Classification and symbolization do not in themselves lead to genocide.  However I think there is evidence that we are more and more often objects of discrimination and dehumanization.

[Perigrina]

I have a hard time grappling with the idea of the Church being persecuted as a visible group in the West the way things are right now, because so much of the Church itself is so fractured and so many Catholics don't actually adhere to the beliefs of the Church -- the identity that we used to call "Catholic" has more or less disappeared.

 

I suppose in the future if Catholics regain a distinct identity as a group in the west (and I expect it would be a much smaller Church), they may face some persecution. But I see it as a social persecution and being ostracized moreso than one of violence. For the future I see future members of the Church faithful as just being called "extremists" and lumped in with other fringe groups. Even now, if you agree with all of the teachings of the Church, you get called a "fundamentalist." Many Catholics get branded this even from members within their own Church.

 

That said, as things are now -- many Catholics and Christians in the west do forget that many worldwide die for their faith all the time so it's important to appreciate what freedoms we do have and it's a thought provoking question for us to ask ourselves.

 

I think it could work the other way around.  When there is more persecution, when there is a price to pay for calling oneself Catholic, I expect people who are unwilling to accept Church teaching will not often call themselves Catholic as many do now.

 

Pope Benedict predicted a smaller purer Church in the future.

[Ash Wednesday]

I think it could work the other way around.  When there is more persecution, when there is a price to pay for calling oneself Catholic, I expect people who are unwilling to accept Church teaching will not often call themselves Catholic as many do now.

 

Pope Benedict predicted a smaller purer Church in the future.

 

True...the two scenarios are not mutually exclusive.

[CrossCuT]

I think a majority of christian who tout the "we are going to be murdered" stuff generally confuse the secular governments attempts to extend the freedoms we enjoy to all people as a direct assault on their religious liberties. Which is not the case. 

 

Yes people you dont agree with can now get the same things as you such as the gay marriage thing...or making birth control available to all etc....those are not intended as affronts for the sole purpose of pissing off Christians; its intended to give the people what they want. Not ALL people of course, but still people want these things. So as a good government, they try to achieve this.

 

What makes Christians targets of ridicule is when they run around crying that these circumstances are all about them; that the world is revolting against them etc. No. It just makes us seem like cry babies so people are now telling us to stfu the world doesnt revolve around us.

 

I love my dad to death, but he is a "huge dooms day christian". 

 

I think we are just very used to having christian has the majority ruling is most all cases in the US, but as time has gone on people are like "Hey now, lets let other people have the same freedoms etc etc etc" and Christians are confusing equality with oppression. 

 

I know Im the minority in my thinking here, but its just my thoughts. People will disagree with me and thats fine.

[Perigrina]

The sort of discrimination against Catholics that does not allow us to follow our conscience in regard to same-sex marriage, birth-control, abortion, etc. is only one piece of evidence to consider.  I think that media portrayal of Catholics is more significant.

[CrossCuT]

Disagree.

[Lilllabettt]

Option 1: Everyone should have free, easy access to birth control and abortion, gay couples should have the same rights and benefits of heterosexual married people, no one should be denied services because they are a class of human being.

 

Option 2: Catholics must pay for birth control, pharmacists must sell the morning after pill, all doctors must be trained to perform abortions, bakers should be punished for refusing to bake cake for gay weddings (even if they would happily bake a cake for a gay person's birthday party), meeting halls should be punished for refusing to rent space for gay weddings (even if they would happily rent space for a gay person to lead a business conference). 

 

One of these options persecutes Catholics and other conscientious objectors.

 

Guess which one is the new vanguard of the political left.