The cross endures

The year past was a testing time for the Christian community, writes Paul Keenan

What time is it where you are? It’s New Year’s Day, of course, but, by your watch, what is the exact time?

This morning in Ireland, sunrise came at 8.40am and, no doubt, found individuals and families already on their way to parish churches across the country for the first Masses of 2015. In doing so, perhaps they will pray for a happy 2015, adding to prayers that have been whispered for the past number of hours across the globe.

Eight hours before sunrise here, dawn celebrations began in the Philippines. Battered by the recent typhoon Hagupit, worshippers cleared debris to allow for Christmas services at the city’s various churches, many named in honour of Our Lady, to give praise for having endured once again in the face of nature.

Rebuilding works following last year’s typhoon Haiyan have been set back or washed away but, still, among people who have little to be thankful for, the gatherings are the same as 2014 and the prayers just as hopeful.

The sun also crept over the Chinese capital, Beijing, eight hours ago, finding the Catholic community there and across the huge country ready to celebrate. With recent news that Catholics in China now number at least 12 million in a surging Christian population of 100 million, there is indeed much to celebrate this morning.

Divided nation

At the same time, however, the community continues to exist within a deeply divided nation. Despite friendly gestures to the Vatican, the Communist Party of China still maintains the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association at the expense of Catholic churches loyal to Rome. Church and cross demolitions have not ceased. Priests and bishops of the underground Church continued to operate under surveillance or house arrest in 2014. And still they celebrate.

Seven hours ago, Indonesia’s Catholics assembled for their first services. They keep a wary eye on the activities of Muslim fundamentalists opposed to any Christian presence across the nation. Muslim actions in 2014 have included obstructing the construction of Catholic churches and preventing (in November) Catholics from celebrating Mass. Overall, the year has been one of increasing intolerance and attacks, and still the Catholics of Indonesia celebrate.

Five hours ago, the rising sun crossed Pakistan and found Asia Bibi in her cell, still confined by the country’s blasphemy laws and under threat of execution as her appeals against a most questionable conviction continue.

No official word has yet emerged but, based on reports of her actions last Easter, Bibi celebrated her Christmas Day in prayer. This morning, she perhaps repeated her prayer not just to be free, but ultimately to meet Pope Francis in Rome.

A slight turning of the world brought the sun to Iraq three hours ago where Christians rose to celebrate, many not in their home city of Mosul, but in the camps of Erbil where they continue to shelter from the Islamic State onslaught. Their celebrations were buoyed, perhaps,  by Pope Francis’ pre-Christmas message to them that “you have the strength to carry forth your faith, which is a testimony to us. You are God’s reed today! The reeds that bend under this ferocious wind, but then rise up again”.

Two hours ago, the few remaining Christians in the Syrian city of Aleppo emerged from the ruins of that city to greet the sunrise. Perceiving no end to the war that has engulfed them, haunted by international indifference to their plight, they came together in celebration, the act a symbolic joining with fellow Christian Syrians likewise at prayer in the camps of Turkey, Lebanon, Iraq and Jordan this morning.

Refugees

Barely an hour ago, sunrise began to spread across the expanse of the Mediterranean, finding the tiny island of Lampedusa and its multitude of boat-borne refugees. Among those driven to desperate measures by conflicts and poverty in their homelands, Christians took time to worship and be thankful, their prayers heightened perhaps by having survived the terrors of the arduous crossing to find themselves behind wire but safe.

To their prayers will be added those of other desperate migrants along the North African coast who will perhaps undertake the same journey in the coming days in the knowledge they may not see much of 2015.

Also on the move, forced to flight by the ongoing conflict, are the Christians of the Central African Republic, who paused one hour ago to offer prayers of thanks for having endured this most terrible of years.

They remain, according to the country’s Catholic bishops, “held hostage by armed groups” struggling for dominance.

So, too, in Nigeria, where Christians must endure the threat of imminent violence on their places of worship by Boko Haram, only too keen to  target its enemies in massed settings. Yet, still they gathered to worship and give thanks.

And then, at 8.40am the sun crossed Ireland and its churches to touch finally on the peak of Carauntoohil in Co. Kerry, revealing that a cross still stands. Undermined, hacked and toppled, the cross was reset in time for another Christmas morning and as strong as ever in the face of a new year and the blasts of nature and man.

The cross has endured, and perhaps that is reason enough to celebrate.

A very happy new year.