Procession an ideal way to honour God

THERE is no doubt the month of May was special this year, what with the visit of Queen Elizabeth and her husband, followed by the shorter visit of President Barack Obama and his wife.

Both occasions showed Ireland to the world at its best, with its hundred thousand welcomes for both heads of state.

Now we are into June and coming up to the feast of Corpus Christi when the Blessed Sacrament will be carried through the streets of Cork.

I remember when the Procession was a wonderful and impressive occasion when ranks of soldiers, gardaí, sailors in full uniform took part.

Boy scouts, altar servers, marching bands, priests and religious all swelled the ranks honouring our God.

Where are they now?

Why can’t all these organisations and all people of goodwill give a few hours on just one Sunday of the year to take part in the Corpus Christi procession?

One would think that when Christ has been so badly let down by many of his chosen ones, that the rest of us, with the faithful priests would rally round to honour, comfort and console him by keeping holy the Sabbath, filling his churches on Sundays, being present to take part in the procession on his special day or will we join with the unfaithful ones and choose to “walk no more with him”?

Finally, when your soldiers are facing danger, when your gardaí are facing a drug-crazed criminal armed with a knife or gun, if you see a student whose mind is going blank at the sight of an exam paper, or a parent afraid to allow their precious children out in an increasingly dangerous world, to whom do you turn to in your hour of need?

The queen of England, the President of America, or Jesus Christ?

Paul Lyons

Wilton

Cork