Behold His Sacred Heart that Desires All to be Saved

Recently, we have heard of those parishioners in Nigeria who were gunned down during the Pentecost Mass at their parish. No matter what the media tries to ignore, they were Catholics who were at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, worshiping the Triune God. This is a sad moment in our bloody history as Catholics (anyone who denies we don’t have a bloody history; they should read any story of any Catholic martyr that has ever existed), but this is also a joyful moment as well. Now, before I get burned at the stake or whatever tortures wait for making such a statement, hear me out.

What happens when we go to the Divine Liturgy? We are at the place where Heaven and earth kiss and when you cannot tell the difference between the visible and invisible realities. What is seen becomes unseen, while what is unseen becomes seen to the senses. This is, on an off note, while a reverent liturgy is essential to Catholic worship.

These parishioners, who did not know that their last day would be spent literally viewing Heaven, were allowed to enter into Heaven as our new martyrs. We hear, around social media, that people are asking us to pray for their souls. No, we should be asking for them to pray for us. For, it seems to me, anyone who dies as a martyr while assisting at Mass is a good candidate for a high seat in the Heavenly Court.

To those who doubt we do not have martyrs in this day and age, look to our brethren in Nigeria.

They are our new martyrs now.

Martyrs of Nigeria,
Ora pro nobis!