For the past month I have been attended an English speaking Mass at St. Mary of Nazareth, a Catholic parish in Swefeih. I discovered this Mass when I went to the parish one Saturday evening with my host family for the wedding ceremony of one of their friends a month ago. It is a beautiful parish in a somewhat affluent neighborhood. I am reminded of Altar Road in Dearborn, Michigan when I look across the street to see a mosque – amazing to see two different religions being practiced right across from one another.
Unbeknownst to me was that the Jesuits in Amman presided at this Mass on Saturday evenings, along with the other English speaking Masses at various parishes throughout Amman. However, I was aware prior to coming to Jordan of the Jesuit Center in Amman where several Jesuits have been missioned. (Hopefully in another post in the near future I will talk about the Jesuit influence in Amman and the Middle East!)
The parish of St. Mary Nazareth, in which I have been attending for the past couple weeks now, is filled with parishioners on Saturday evening, the majority of which are Filipino. Amman houses a large number of Filipinos, particularly women, who works as maids in various households throughout the city as well as other jobs. This Mass also includes families with younger children as well as some elderly people. Thus it is somewhat of a mixed bag.
Nevertheless, it has been great to have Mass in English and understand everything that is taking place (compared to my experiences at Arabic-speaking Masses, which combine the formal Modern Standard Arabic and the local Jordanian dialect, making it extremely difficult for me to understand).
After Mass one Saturday, I wrote this in my small journal:
As I sit in the church preparing myself for Mass, I am immediately drawn to the music coming from several Filipino women who sing and play the guitar during the English speaking Mass on Saturdays in Swefeih and on Sunday evenings in Jabal Hussein.
My eyes begin to tear up as I sit marveling at the beauty of their music. Despite being accustomed to more traditional music back home like the 9:30 pm Mass in Dahlgren Chapel or even the 7:30 pm contemporary Mass, the majority of the music for this Mass is typical to these women. And after hearing about some of their own stories the other night by Fr. Paul, I cannot but feel sadness and remorse. I feel sick to my stomach to think that there are people who must work and live the way they do. And for them this Mass might be the best part of their week. The time is not only seen as a time to be with God and to bring themselves, as the imperfect human beings they are (and we are), open and vulnerable to the beautiful mystery of Mass and to share in the Eucharist. But it also serves as a time of fellowship with their friends and this community – a time to enjoy some normalcy (if there is such a thing).
Despite being accustomed to the music at parishes back in the States, I find it quite beautiful and amazing that these women are able to bring their talents and their passion and love for serving Christ in this way, and share it with everyone who attends Saturday Mass.
In the Gospel of John, Jesus speaks of the darkness that inhabits the earth. Yet despite the darkness, he gives us encouragement with the presence of the light. The light at times may seem to be overshadowed by the darkness but as far as I am concerned the light, no matter how big or how much, will always overcome the darkness.
As I pray in the Church, I ask God for the grace of happiness. To recognize that many are happy in this world and have nothing. I am comforted time and time again as I spend time with the poor, the oppressed, the sick and the weak – they show me what it truly means to be a child of God and what happiness truly is. It is my greatest hope that I am able to find true happiness and love like they have.
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