Shout out, Liturgy of the Word, and 'living on the airwaves'

This is a shoutout to Danielle since she has been commenting on the blog.  Hi Danielle!  Just to let everyone know - I'm safe.  Things did get crazy, as I'm sure you saw on the news from last week where the insurgents attacked Afghan girls on their way to school - among other things.  From those incidents, I was impressed by the resilience of some of the people who are determined to bring peace to their country - especially one of the girls who said she vows to go back to school and will not be deterred by the insurgents.  They need our prayers - like so many in need around the world.   I had to go to a Liturgy of the Word (with Eucharistic service) for the first time in a really, really long time.  It was even noted by the Deacon that I was unfamiliar to it.  (I messed up some of the responses - Oops!)  I told him: "all I attend is Daily Mass - never Communion Services".  I really have to be thankful that I have been able to go to Holy Mass every day here.  There are troops that desperately need a priest for Holy Mass and the Sacrament of Confession, I'm sure.  As I've mentioned, there are some troops deployed that do not get Mass for months at a time.  It reminded me how grateful I should be, and how blessed I am to have Holy Mass available daily while back at home.    My unfamiliarity with a Eucharistic service began a discussion at lunch following Mass, where we talked about the 'Japanese Miracle' where, after the Catholic Missionaries were kicked out of Japan by the Shogun in the 1400's(?) they left the faithful who swore to hang on to the Faith.  When missionaries were finally allowed back 4 hundred years later - they found faithful Catholics who were still strong in the Faith (despite the extreme circumstances) without any sacraments for that amazing length of time!  On reflection today, a thought hit me - you either take responsibility to feed your soul in prayer and the sacraments... or you depend on others to pray for you (in the Communion of the Saints).  It's all about the effort you put in!  I think we (me included, as I am spoiled) have to re-think what a 'difficulty' is when coming up with an excuse to miss Holy Mass (or be late!).  I was told by the Deacon that - in certain parts of Canada, all there is available are Liturgies of the Word and Communion Services.  He told me - when a priest flies in on a plane the one time of the four Masses of the year - what a real celebration of Mass there is with such joy and happiness!  I was told by a friend who had to live under these extreme circumstances that it's the same for those deployed out there with no priest and no Mass.  They're so happy to see a priest step off a helicopter for the purpose of celebrating Holy Mass for them!  I know that Christmas Mass for many here will have to be 'staggered' because of the lack of priests.  (Can you imagine attending Christmas Mass in early December or late January because it's the only time a priest could get to you?)  We really have to count our blessings and respond in gratefulness to being able to attend Holy Mass easily by going as often as we can.  (I suppose it is an indication also of how we must pray for more priest vocations!)   Do you listen to AM radio?  Please listen to the radio on 530AM at 2 to 3 O'Clock EST (Toronto Time) on Wednesday the 19th.  Alternatively, if you want to listen on the World Wide Web, you can link to: http://www.teopoli.org/media_outreach.html where there is a 'Listen Live' option on the webpage.  Alternatively, you can also link on to: www.am530.ca  to go direct to the live radio broadcast.  Tune in to find out why (and keep your phone near by!).  God-willing, if all works out well, this may be a good opportunity for apostolate, so please say a prayer for the program (and me!).  ;)   [Radio Teopoli is a Catholic Radio program that broadcasts daily in Italian and English.  "Radio Teopoli exists to inspire, inform, instruct, encourage, and invite all people of good will to a life of holiness."  (From the Radio Teopoli Website)]