麻豆约拍

Good morning. Three hours driving from Phoenix, to Lakeview further upstate seemed like crossing between two worlds. In a way it was: Arizona is split by the geology of the Mogollon Rim 鈥� between desert in the lowlands 鈥� with its spectacular, cowboy-movie architecture of red-stone hills - and, a mile higher up, a vast escarpment of pine forest, lakes and mist where my family wedding took place last week. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

The first Europeans to explore Arizona were Franciscan friars; and it was a Franciscan with whom I was to share the ceremony. His religious order now ministers to indigenous Americans, their parishes full of names redolent, for me, of Saturday afternoon television as a child: Comanche, Hopi, Navajo.

He is priest to three parishes of Apache. Many look down on the native Americans, he told me; and they, in turn, look down on the Apache who, even before Europeans came, were feared as raiders. 鈥淏ut I鈥檝e been here nearly fifty years. Wonderful people 鈥� you should hear them play the water drums at Mass. I hope to die up here with them.鈥�

The Apache鈥檚 sensitivity to nature makes them naturally spiritual but in the past confused missionaries, who misunderstanding the language they used to express transcendence, repressed their customs. I could understand why when he told me with a smile that the Apache phrase for priest means literally: 鈥渕an with long black coat which drags behind him on the ground.鈥� But things were changing; and during the wedding ceremony, I noticed that he blessed the couple with Easter Water sacred to Catholics 鈥� and the feather of an Eagle 鈥� Apache symbol of God.

Father of nations open our hearts today to the diverse cultures around us and our ears to hear what others are truly saying so that we may flourish in greater mutual understanding and respect.

Amen