Mid-Autumn Festival: Time for the Church in China to learn from Pope Francis
Beijing (AsiaNews) - A seminarian from northern China, anonymous for security reasons, reflects on the meaning of the celebration of Mid-Autumn Festival for the Chinese Church as he continues his journey towards the priesthood. This year the festival (one of the Asian world's most important) falls on September 19th, or the 15th day of the eighth month in the lunar calendar. This article, written by AsiaNews, is a translation from the original Chinese.
Since 2003, the year I began my journey of pursuing my priestly vocation, I have not celebrated any Mid-Autumn Festivals with my parents. This full-moon festival is one of the traditional Chinese festivities that call for family gatherings, reunion dinners and thanksgiving. In most the past years in seminary life, l have spent most of the time in seminary with my seminarian-brothers. Occasionally we had a few moon cakes, and sometimes even a small party. In retrospect, the Mid-Autumn Festival in 2008, five years after becoming a seminarian, has motivated me to reflect a great deal on sharing warmth and festive joy with those in need especially during festivals.
Some days before Mid-Autumn Festival, I was sick and was arranged to stay in a parish church, resting for my recovery. I was warmly received by Father Wang, the parish priest, whom I just met for the first time. He treated me like a brother in a family. It was the first ever warm experience that I had experienced with a church pastor.
I was fragile and needed extra nutrients. Father Wang and the sisters serving in the church had prepared me food, drinks and fruits, even though their lives were simple and barely sufficient. My illness kept me in bed most of the time. Father Wang, in order to make me feel less bored, lent me his laptop, a device rather new in those days, to upkeep my studies. He also shared with me articles and materials he collected in his hard drive. Actually seminarians were not always allowed to go online. Sometimes, the weather there was hot. Father Wang, sweating a lot, would not allow the others to use electric fans at meals, fearing I would easily catch a cold. For him and his collaborators in the church, it was a great sacrifice; and for me, I was touched by the love and mercy shown to me, a mere little and sick seminarian in the Church.
On the day of the festival, Father Wang arranged me to call my parents by phone, and invited me to join the parish celebration, with moon cakes and a hearty meal. It meant a lot for me. I heard Jesus saying to me: To be a loving and caring priest in future. Also, I learnt to care for those in need, as a slogan written on the walls of churches: The Church is a home for all. Our faithful sometimes told me that they felt at home when they came to Church. Yet, our "home" still needs more people to make it better.
I hope our Church in China can bring warmth and care to those who come to its assistance. During festivals, I just wonder if our bishops or diocesan administrators, like a father in the diocese, can send their priests, sisters, seminarians, catechists and other staff members a warm greeting, such as, a phone call, a text message, a small gift, a moon cake or anything that can express this concern. Similarly, if our parish priests can greet their collaborators in the parish and let the message of festive love be shared with others outside the Church. Otherwise, festivals will just become a time of gift-offerings in social customs, without much thought to it.
The Mid-Autumn festival is a time to remember one's parents. These days, more and more people are working in cities and afar, and cannot travel back home to meet their parents and families. Can our parishes organize activities for them, especially our faithful during the festivals? I remember once when I stayed with our priests and seminarians in the diocese, a Catholic family coming from the Northeast volunteered to cook delicious cuisines for all of us in the church. We certainly enjoyed a great meal with the family. More, we thought of the migrants and the homeless. Have we got the courage to follow the Holy Father's example of inviting the homeless to our churches to enjoy a meal and share the joy of get-togetherness at a festival? This kind of service is rarely heard in the Church in China. What we do unto our smallest brother is what we do to Jesus.
We can enjoy the full moon, eat moon cakes and share our faith life together, and offer prayers for their family and relatives who live or work afar. Also, we can visit elderly homes and orphanages to bring them God's blessing and companionship at the time of festivals. Make our parish a sweet home.
More, for those who are lucky to stay home and enjoy a great meal with families at the festival, would you please switch off your mobile phones or computers? This will enable you to have some quality-time to share with your parents and family members. Like in the old days, one can pray with one's own family. Instead, many young Catholics prefer to take part in online prayer meetings rather than praying with their parents. In my view, at the festival evening, one must dedicate the time to accompany one's parents, husband or wife, and with one's own children. Make your home a sweet home.
Let us pass on the message of staying good with our parents and family, treating others as our own family members, particularly at this Mid-Autumn Festival. With Jesus' love and mercy, we can build our family and Church together.
At the Mid-Autumn Festival this year, are you ready to make it a good day for your family, friends and Church groups? May God bless you.
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