Thursday 16th September – Faith.

As I now moved ( for work) to the northern part of my country in a town bordering a famous national park for Tiger reserves and surrounded by mountains, I started checking google maps for a church for Sunday mass. To my dismay, the only one I could trace was around 2 hours away… seemed way to far for traveling the one day I get off work, so I decided to stick to online mass …I happened to mention this another christian doctor working here , he managed to find a nurse who knew where the catholic mass is held and lo and behold I did find it…

As I embarked this sunday to church, I was reminded of all the sunday masses I attended through these years at various locations in my country and outside. While I am most comfortable with English Latin rite mass, I have been a devotee at the Malabar rite mass at Southern India, mass in Kannada, Malyalam, Tamil ( all southern India languages) and now in North India I attend them in Hindi.

While every church adds a few of their embellishments to the mass format as compared to the one I know as a child, I am fascinated how beautifully the priests and nuns incorporate the local culture and spread faith. While the mass began with adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and everyone on the floor sitting cross legged in a small but beautiful chapel, I was just thinking how I saw thousands of faithful say that the traditional latin mass is the best and were posting on youtube ( the only social media I follow) about Pope Francis and issues related, I personally have seen many versions and embellishments added to the regular latin mass but never once did it diminish my faith nor did I have any issues following it.

Our faith is a feeling of total submission to the higher power of the Lord Almighty with things we cannot control and guidance for those that we can. I am blessed to be born in a family and region where being a catholic is not a rarity and I have never had to translate prayers or Gospel in my head (which I do now). I am even more blessed to witness the faith in people who have found Jesus for the first time in their lives and have way more enthusiasm when they sing and play hymns during the mass than I did often..

Like todays gospel the sinful woman came and wept at the feet of Jesus, I have seen people of all occupations and social class sit on a floor praising and thanking the Lord as a group of faith filled Christ loving humans and irrespective if there is incense burning or sitting arrangement on wooden pews or the priest is sitting cross legged with a plate of flowers with agarbatti being used to do an aarti of the Blessed Sacrament, i realised my faith is in HIM! and as long as I have faith — complete and submissive, nothing else should matter…NOTHING!

“Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

PRAYER:

Lord as I kneel before you, I thank you for being in my life, I ask you for the strengthening of my faith and believe in your path. lord I uplift my sinfulness like the woman in the Gospel and ask for your forgiveness. Help me Lord and guide me to do your will every day!!

AMEN.

About the Author

Hello! I’m Dr Analise Maria D’ Mello, (MBBS, MS obgyn, DNB) from the beautiful state of Goa in India. I was born and raised in a Roman Catholic family, learning my prayers, catechism and Catholic values from my parents and grandmothers. I am currently practicing as an obstetrician and gynecologist for 3 years since my residency. I often speak on anti-abortion to college students and married couples, and counsel distressed pregnant women with appropriate medical advice. I am part of the St Luke's Medical Guild of Catholic Doctors in my state providing services in prisons, and Lenten and advent retreats for medical professionals and their families.

Author Archive Page

11 Comments

  4. Dr. Analise,
    I so look forward to your reflections. I bid you peace and success in your environment. As an American, I never envisioned people sitting cross legged on a floor during Mass! How limited my mind. While participating in medical and humanitarian missions in Mexico, I have attended Mass in huts made of wood palates and crude tin roofs while sitting on cinder blocks and I loved it. Growing up in NY, I’ve attended famous St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Opulent but we all love and worship the Lord who loves us. I too pray for us for faith for things we can’t control and guidance for things we can. Bless you.

  5. Your description of the faithful gathering in a different setting is beautiful. If we have faith we improvise…that is the key no matter where we are. Peace sister Analise.

  6. Thank you again for sharing your culture in your reflections. May Good continue to bless your and all of the CM community.

  7. While traveling, my husband and I attended Mass in a town that was within a Native American reservation. The Host was kept in a container shaped like a tepee. That experience widened my understanding of what catholic means. I am so grateful for that moment of growth.

  8. Thank you Analise. The way Christ is sacrificed and worshipped in the Mass is universal. So is our love for Him. God bless you.

  9. Thank you for sharing how worship incorporates culture. I always appreciate and look forward to your reflections.

  10. Dear Dr. Analise,
    I appreciate your reflection, thank you.
    Regarding the “scuttlebutt” surrounding the Latin mass. Some of the far right feel our pope is dividing the church when he claims he’s trying to unite.
    Some far right theologians, bishops and priest’s are saying Pope Francis is an illegitimate pope and he’s all about one world order and he is disrespectful to the church and the Eucharist by letting parishes having “frou-frah” going on during Mass, such as the music, instruments used, the clothing, and the mannerisms, Etc. Etc….
    My brother got sucked into this cult type of belief and has sent me links to pod casts he listens to.
    I respectfully disagree with my brother and he feels I’m “sticking my head into the sand”.
    I don’t know what you or the readers here at ACM know about what I am talking about but believe me – it’s out there here in the United States.
    Peace to all

  11. Dr. Analise, peace and hope in Christ our Risen Lord..
    Once again I can only “ditto” /totally agree with all the above comments.
    for your Sept. 15th scripture reflection. You do speak from your heart,
    your faith, and hopes, and always your Spirit-filled relationship to Jesus.

    Some years ago, I was able and blessed to help celebrate the Eucharist for
    some weeks, at an Ojebwa native American parish, with the altar ware on a blessed bearskin on the floor, and so I knelt on the floor for parts of the liturgy…
    with the Blessed Sacrament kept in a sacred lodge structure,
    with colored ribbons, and an Entrance rite sage smoke smudge ceremony,
    and kinic-inic incense for the Offertory, and the Our Father, and other prayers
    in Ojebwa, as well.
    So, no matter where and how we celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass,
    – as you said – our “faith is in HIM,” in Christ Jesus, our living, eternally loving,
    Lord and Savior. Thank you for the reminder, gratefully, – blessings, Fr. Leon

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