Just got back from our RCIA retreat. Tomorrow night is the big night for our kids! There's been some drama with all of it... but I think we're set and ready to go. We have the practice tomorrow afternoon, dinner with the Bishop, and then the Mass!! I can't wait-- I'm so excited!! I'm sponsoring our only catechumen and then we have four others being confirmed-- two professing faith and the other two were already Catholics.
Here's the talk I gave at the retreat:
+JMJ+
Over the past eight months we have gathered together weekly to explore the great mysteries of the Church—what She teaches and most importantly, Who She teaches. We have discussed the Creed and what it means to believe in God the Father, His only Son Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the Communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, and the Resurrection of the body. Tomorrow night, all of you will profess your faith in this Creed before the Mount Community. We have discussed the Celebration of the Christian Mysteries and what it means to participate in the sacramental economy of the Church as established by Christ. Tomorrow night, all of you will receive some or all of the Sacraments of Initiation: Baptism, Confirmation, and First Holy Communion. We have discussed Life in Christ and what it means to be made in the image and likeness of God, called to communion with Him and fuller communion with our brothers and sisters. Tomorrow night, all of you will enter into full communion with the Holy Catholic Church, some receiving adoption as a son or daughter of God the Father through baptism, and all entering into a more complete life in Christ as fully initiated Catholics. And lastly, we have discussed Christian Prayer and what it means to enter into a meaningful relationship with God, nourished by the time we spend with Him. Tomorrow night, all of you will be called into a deeper communion with God and will be challenged to strengthen your prayer life as new Catholics so that you may be bright witnesses to the world of the eternal life given to you in Jesus Christ.
In the Church there is a period of time traditionally observed called mystagogy, which lasts from the initiation of new Catholics during the Easter Vigil until the celebration of Pentecost. Historically, mystagogy was a time for the newly baptized, now called neophytes, to gather together to unpack the mystery of the sacraments they had just received and celebrated. For in the Early Church, the sacraments were not known or accessible to pagans—only to Christians. Thus, even those who were to be initiated into the Church would not have had an understanding or knowledge of these sacraments until after they had experienced them. And so, after having received first hand the mysteries, the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Eucharist, it was necessary that they be instructed on the meaning behind what they had celebrated.
Today, of course, we have all been instructed beforehand about the sacraments: such catechesis has been the focal point of RCIA.
We know, for example, that in baptism we are baptized into the death of Jesus Christ, dying to sin
with Him, and rising also to new life
in Him.
By our baptism, we are as
St. Paul says, “dead to sin and alive for God in Christ Jesus.”
We are made new creations; adopted sons and daughters of God the Father.
It is in baptism that we receive sanctifying grace and the supernatural gifts of
Faith, Hope, and Charity.
It is in baptism that the Holy Trinity comes to dwell in us, according to what Jesus said, “If a man loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.”
The white robe that Jessica will don after her baptism symbolizes the immaculate state of her soul, washed clean by the blood of Christ in the waters of baptism.
Freed from the chains of sin and given new life in Jesus Christ!!
This is what we celebrate in the sacrament of baptism.
We know also that in the sacrament of Confirmation we are sealed with the Holy Spirit: We become, in imitation of Christ, God’s own anointed ones. Listen to the words of St. Jerome in one of his catechetical lessons about Confirmation: “The oil of gladness with which Christ was anointed was a spiritual oil; it was in fact the Holy Spirit himself, who is called the oil of gladness because he is the source of spiritual joy. But we too have been anointed with oil, and by this anointing we have entered into fellowship with Christ and have received a share in his life. Beware of thinking that this holy oil is simply ordinary oil and nothing else. After the invocation of the Spirit it is no longer ordinary oil but the gift of Christ, and by the presence of his divinity it becomes the instrument through which we receive the Holy Spirit. While symbolically, on our foreheads and senses, our bodies are anointed with this oil that we see, our souls are sanctified by the holy and life-giving Spirit.” In Confirmation the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit are strengthened: wisdom, understanding, knowledge, counsel, fortitude, piety and fear of the Lord. I once heard a great analogy for the gifts of the Holy Spirit… they are like the great sails of a ship and when the wind blows (or in our case, the Holy Spirit), it enables the ship to sail swiftly and smoothly to its destination. Through the strengthening of these gifts we are given the means to truly mature as Christians: Already adopted as children of God in baptism, Confirmation increases sanctifying grace in the soul and offers us the strength and courage to boldly proclaim the name of Christ. It fuels the fire of our love for God and sends us forth with the tools we need to bring the Good News to all people.
And we know in faith that, through the great mystery and power of God, Jesus Christ is truly present in the Holy Eucharist, this most Blessed Sacrament of the Altar.
In John’s Gospel, Jesus calls Himself the “Bread of Life” and declares “unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood you have no life within you.”
During each and every celebration of the Sacrifice of the Mass, through the power of the priest acting
in persona Christi, calling down the Holy Spirit, ordinary bread and wine are transformed into the Body and Blood of Christ—our Spiritual food and drink.
This presence is not merely symbolic, but
really real.
Thus, when we receive Holy Communion under the species of bread and wine, we
truly receive Christ Himself! Body, blood, soul and divinity!
A true
union between ourselves and our God!
Consider that for a moment.
Mother Theresa of
Calcutta once said, “When we look at Jesus on the Cross, we see how much He loved us then.
When we look at Jesus hidden in the Eucharist, we see how much He loves us now.”
Whatever our senses might tell us, we know that it is Christ we receive when we approach the holy altar.
And it is this Holy Eucharist that is the source and summit of our entire faith.
We know all of these things—we have studied together their significance and learned together the teachings of the Church. Yet, let me remind you, these blessed mysteries are truly intimate encounters with Jesus Christ Himself and it is by virtue of this that they gain all meaning. These sacraments are not meant to be studied, but to be experienced!! Yes, we study them and we seek to more readily understand them, but their true efficacy is in their celebration. Through these sacraments we encounter and experience the great love of the Living God, Creator of the Universe, in a unique and intimate way!!
This is so important to understand as you prepare to enter into these sacred mysteries tomorrow night… What you will be experiencing is nothing of your own doing, nothing of your own power.
But you are
encountering and receiving the free gift of love offered by God Himself, wholly unmerited by man.
As Jesus said to His disciples, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should last.”
God freely chooses to pour out His love on us—our response is to first accept this love, recognizing that we are unworthy of such a beautiful gift, and then to love God
with all our hearts, and all our minds, and all our souls. Love. This will be your vocation as true Christians. Love of God and love of neighbor. Tomorrow night is not the culmination of our time spent together here in RCIA, but rather it is but a new beginning. You begin a new stage in your spiritual journey, entering ever more fully into the mystery of God’s love. By virtue of this mystery of love, you will be called to a higher, more spiritual life. Recall the words of St. Paul in his letter to the Colossians, “Since you have been raised up in company with Christ, set your heart on what pertains to higher realms where Christ is seated at God’s right hand. Be intent on things above rather than on things of earth. After all, you have died! Your life is hidden now with Christ in God. When Christ our life appears, then you shall appear with him in glory.”
Do not be misled… you will be tempted and there will be trials. You will endure suffering of all types. But take courage in your share of the cross of Christ. Again St. Paul reminds us, “Do not be surprised, beloved, that a trial by fire is occurring in your midst. It is a test for you, but it should not catch you off guard. Rejoice, instead, in the measure that you share Christ’s sufferings. When his glory is revealed you will rejoice exultantly. Happy are you when you are insulted for the sake of Christ, for then God’s Spirit in its glory has come to rest on you.”
This too is a mystery of the life of a Christian. Suffering is a mystery, but in Christ suffering is transformed for the glory of God, and for our own salvation. And it is in a special way that we can unite our own sufferings with the one sacrifice offered by Jesus Himself.
As you begin to live this new life in Christ, this new life of love, it is imperative that you are spiritually nourished. The first way to ensure that you are always being nourished is to follow the precepts of the Church: be sure that you are attending Mass each Sunday, that you go to Confession once a year, that you receive Holy Communion at least once a year… But growing in authentic love requires more… Spend time in prayer each day. Read the Scriptures. Immerse yourself in a sacramental life—encountering Christ in frequent Holy Communion and frequent Confession. Read spiritual books. Be involved in your parishes through different ministries, prayer groups, bible studies, etc. These are all very concrete ways in which you can deepen your relationship with God, growing both in love of Him and in love of neighbor. Remember that we are called to holiness, we are all called to be saints. St. Therese, who it seems has adopted Haylee, says it perfectly, “You cannot be half a saint! You must be a whole saint or not one at all!”
Let me leave you with a quote by St. Augustine. He says, “You are walking now by faith, still on pilgrimage in a mortal body away from the Lord; but he to whom your steps are directed is himself the sure and certain way for you: Jesus Christ.” Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. Turn to Him, love Him with all of your hearts… this is your call as Christians and as new Catholics.
