Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Child Martyr of the Eucharist
I read an article by the late Archbishop Fulton Sheen of New York. It's about an 11-year old Catholic girl who lived in China during the Communist revolution. One night, the Red Guards broke into her church and threw the consecrated hosts from the Tabernacle onto the floor. They left one soldier to guard the inside of the church to prevent people from entering. The girl, who was hiding inside the church, witnessed this desecration. Because she believed the Eucharist was the Body of Our Lord Jesus, she waited for the soldier to fall asleep each night before sneaking into the church to gather and eat one host. On the last night, when she consumed the last of the remaining hosts, the soldier awakened. Frightened, she ran outside of the church but the soldier caught up with her and beat her to death with the butt of his rifle. The parish priest, who was under house arrest and locked up in the house next to the church, could only watch in horror from his bedroom window. This girl's courage and martyrdom makes me wonder, "How many Catholic children today believe in the Real Presence of the Eucharist?" And how many Catholics today would have the courage & willingness to suffer martyrdom for this belief, like that brave girl?"
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