Easter and firecrackers
18.08.2009
During my teaching I explained to the students the meaning of Holy Week and Easter. They had never heard of either. I told them how the people of Jerusalem had welcomed Jesus on Palm Sunday and of his last supper with his disciples on Holy Thursday.
I told them how Jesus had used bread and wine but that if he had been in China he would probably have used rice and tea! They were very puzzled as to why the day Christ died should be called 'Good Friday'. I tried to explain the meaning of Redemption and showed them a crucifix made of bronze.
One girl covered her eyes and refused to look at it. She said it was too terrible. I was reminded that Matteo Ricci was accused by his critics of downplaying the crucifixion and over emphasizing the resurrection. He saw the difficulty the Chinese have in accepting a crucified Saviour. One student made the sign of the cross when I handed him the crucifix. He told me he had seen it done on TV in films from the West! Another teacher told me she saw a student wearing a crucifix and asked her if she was a Christian? She replied: "No, I'm a fan of Madonna and she wears one!"
The word 'resurrection' was new to them. I told them that Christians believe that they too will rise from the dead through their faith in Jesus. One student said this was clearly impossible and was plainly superstition. I asked him where he was 25 years ago. He said he didn't exist. I asked him why the miracle of life that allowed him to exist when before he did not, should not make it possible for him to have a bodily resurrection from his ashes!
They liked the symbolism of Easter eggs - of a living thing emerging from what appeared to be a lifeless shell. The idea of chocolate Easter eggs appealed to them even more!
Earlier in the year I mentioned to a young French teacher that there was a Catholic Church in the city and I would be happy to show it to her. She contacted me and asked if I could take her for Easter. I told her the Easter Vigil would begin at 7:00pm on Holy Saturday. It was raining so we went in a taxi. I explained to her that the Cathedral had been built by French priests in the last century. I also told her of the anti-Catholic riot in 1906 when five French Marist Brothers were murdered by a mob.
The Church was full when we arrived at 6:45pm. She said, "In China there are people everywhere, even the Church is crowded!" The ceremony lasted two and a half hours and was very well conducted. The singing and readings were excellent.
I don't know about the sermon as I couldn't understand it! There were about 20 adults for baptism so the impression came across of a living and expanding Church.
The bishop presided at the ceremony. He belongs to the Patriotic Church Association and so is allowed to function by the regime. That did not protect him from being jailed during the Cultural Revolution. The Patriotic Association has adopted all the reforms of the Second Vatican Council so the ceremony was conducted in Chinese, and used the same rite as we do at home, so I was able to follow everything in my English missal.
My French companion was very happy with the experience and was surprised, on looking at her watch as we emerged from the Church, to discover that the ceremony had taken so long.
It was still raining as we left but that did not prevent the people from setting off firecrackers in the courtyard to celebrate in true Chinese style.
Fr Teddy Collins teaches English in China.
