Our Lady of Guadalupe

The Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of the Americas, came and it was decided it was too cold "for the little ones" to have our procession through town. So we had our mass and rosary in the church, and the children put on a play in the hall afterwards, followed by a delicious feast. It is interesting to note, that on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of our Blessed Mother Mary on Monday of the same week, a Holy Day of Obligation (Immaculate Conception is also patroness of the Americas), Mass was attended by a very few. And although the church was packed for the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, not a Holy Day of Obligation, a very few went to communion. Our Lady's purpose in each of her apparitions has been to draw us closer to her Son. Yet of those attending the mass for Our Lady of Guadalupe, a very few showed up on Sunday for Mass.

Where is our teaching going wrong? Somehow we've got them coming for the cake and passing on the meat and potatoes. We pass out Baptism, First Holy Communion and Confirmation like it's an inherent right, not an outward sign of inwardly embracing the faith. We try to "collect" as many people as possibe, but then we don't continue to welcome and feed them once they're here. Is this the fault of our clergy?

Much as I would like to evade responsibility, I think the fault resides in ourselves as Christ's body. Here's my take on it. Priests say mass and dispense the sacraments. They guide and direct us. Nuns pray for all and teach, or whatever their particular ministry includes. We, the church, are the teachers. We are the ones responsible for reaching our brothers and sisters in the faith, in their daily lives, through our daily lives. It is our responsibility to seek them out and care for them. Especially the ones that only show up on Christmas and Easter. Not to preach at them, but by including them in our daily lives, to be able to witness by our very lives what joy there is in living our Catholic faith. To share the grace and healing we receive in the Sacrament of Penance. To show our joy and inspiration from worshipping at mass. To shamelessly turn to Jesus in prayer, to Our Blessed Mother and all the saints in intercession, through all our joys and sorrows, hardships, confusion and prosperity. And only in this way to get them back to Sunday Mass, confession and Holy Communion.

Now having said that, I can think of one friend in particular, that I have neglected because she has stopped going to church. Sure, I don't want to slide back down the path of worldly temptations, but it's not like I have to be her shadow. Just call and chat once in awhile, maybe get together for a playdate with the kids. Just the reaching out to touch those God puts in our paths occasionally. We are not one person's saviour. Jesus was that for all of us. But we are called to love, and as Mother Theresa so sensibly explained it, some of the poorest of the poor are the very rich, for they are dying from lack of love.