An Empty Church - Where is the Priest?

Wanting to go to Mass we asked around and we told that there was a Catholic Church in the town and that the priest would arrive between 2 and 3 in the afternoon for Mass. Well, we arrived at the church at 1:50 pm and it was empty. We waited, and waited, and waited but no one showed up, no people, no priest.

After praying some, we walked around the church and realized that it must be "Saint (H)Elena's Catholic Church" by the statues. 

St. Helena, Discoverer of the True Cross (250-330). Helena, later known as Flavia Julia Helena Augusta, mother of Constantine the Great, was credited after her death with having discovered the fragments of the Cross and the tomb in which Jesus was buried at Golgotha.

I truly enjoyed the aged statues and imagined how many local men and women over the years and possibly centuries have prayed upon their knees asking for the intercession of the disciples as they gazed upon them. It was reported that some of churches in the Atitlan area are over 300-400 years old.

Liz and I prayed hoping that someone would come and even if we couldn't have Mass maybe we could have some type of community prayer.

Yet, no one came.

There was an weird emptiness that I felt in the church that I usually don't experience. Then I realized, even though there was a tabernacle, the red lamp wasn't lit (signifying that Christ was not present in the church). That was it. The church was truly empty, not a usual experience for Catholics and the reason why I felt so alone there.

Saint Elena, or better known to many of us as Saint Helena.

I couldn't help but feel a sadness with the door open and no one present.

As we returned home we were then informed by the hotel manager / administrator  Pedro that the town doesn't have a priest and that they only have Catholic Mass every 2 to 3 months with a visiting priest. I instantly thought "If I only spoke better Spanish I could at least offer a Communion Service, and what about marriages, baptisms, funerals, etc?" I then realized why I hadn't met anyone who said that they were Catholic. I'm sure there are some, hopefully many, but they have no one to nourish them, guide them, pray with them, and teach them.

Instantly I felt consolation that the whole reason we were in Guatemala was to help in just these types of situations. It is the reason why we are quickly learning and improving our Spanish speaking abilities so we can try to help where we are needed. Although I still have times of self doubt, thinking "Will the people really want us?" I know God will use us in some way, the way He wants us living and serving in Guatemala. For now, we still have 7 weeks of immersion Spanish school to study and practice. Our work will come in time.....Patience is a virtue! :)