“Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48)

        “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). When this biblical verse is being looked at in isolation, we have little hints on what exactly Jesus wants us to do. It may just look like an impossible mission in our world or something which is eschatological. In fact, on the contrary, Jesus told his disciples to do something very concrete before he concluded with Matthew 5:48. He said: “Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). Jesus is the Son of God. He preached the kingdom of God during his short ministry on earth. His preaching “indissolubly links the terms ‘gospel’ and ‘kingdom of God’ (kingdom of heaven, reign of God). The kingdom of God is God himself” (Ratzinger 40). The God-man, through his words and deeds, showed to us that the kingdom of God has come. Although many exegesis “saw the term (kingdom of God) as an expression of Jesus’ expression of the imminent end of the world and of the coming world of God” (Ratzinger 47), Pope Benedict XVI said that Jesus’ message about the kingdom is not simply “God’s presence and power in general,” since “God is now present and near in a much more radical way. He is present in Jesus himself. The Son is the kingdom” (Ratzinger 48). As such, a growing number of exegetes today realize that “in the parables Jesus is speaking of himself,” and not just something in the eschatological sense, in order to explain “the mystery of his mission and thus the mystery of the kingdom” (Ratzinger 49).

        Before Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane to fulfill his mission, he gave his disciples a “new commandment:” “love one another as I have loved you” (John 15:12). Furthermore, he taught us to obey the commandment to the extent of laying his life for us (c.f. John 15:13), even though when we were still sinners (c.f. Romans 5:18). So “love” is always “the source of doctrine and its end” (Willey, de Cointet, Morgan 28). Love is “the beginning since all the doctrine has its source in God’s self-revelation and God is love” (Willey, de Cointet, Morgan 28). God reveals himself fully in Jesus Christ who is love. He shows us how to love and how to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect. Love is also “the end, or goal, of doctrine since all that is taught is for the sake of union with God in eternity, and since God is love, this means union with Love itself” (Willey, de Cointet, Morgan 28-29). St. Augustine relates the unity with God with happiness: “The possession of God is happiness essential” (Catholic Encyclopedia “Happiness”). Indeed, created in the image and likeness of God, man always has a desire in his heart to search for God who is the truth and happiness (CCC 27).

        In order to draw people to happiness, “(t)he whole concern of doctrine and its teaching must be directed to the love that never ends” (Ratzinger 21). St. Paul told the church of Corinth: “If I speak the tongues of mortals and angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I … understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away all my possessions … but do not have love, I gain nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:1-3). As a result, when Christians follow the Lord’s command to evangelize the world with the gospel message, “the love of our Lord must always be made accessible, so that anyone can see that all the works of perfect Christian virtue spring from love and have no other objective than to arrive at love” (Ratzinger 22). At the center of the message is the Jerusalem kerygma which was heralded by St. Peter and reported in the first ten chapters of the Acts of the Apostles. The heralding message is quite simple. Indeed, St. Augustine said and St. Thomas Aquinas concurred and explained that “God is truly and absolutely simple” (Summa Theologica I, Q3, A7).

        The kerygma is like this: Jesus is the suffering Messiah whom God had foretold through all the prophets (Acts 3:18); he is the Son of God the Father (Acts 2:33), “both Lord and Messiah” (Acts 2:36), “Holy and Righteous One” (Acts 3:14), “Author of life” (Acts 3:15), “Prince and Savior” (Acts 5:31), and God’s Spirit is with him (Acts 10:38); he was put to death on the cross (Acts 2:22, 3:13, 4:10, 5:30, 10:39); but God raised him from the dead (Acts 2:24, 3:15, 4:10, 5:30, 10:40); he is now at the right hand of the Father (Acts 2:25, 2:29, 2:34, 5:31); and he will come to judge the living and the dead (Acts 10:42). Whoever repents and believes in him will have their sins forgiven and be saved from God’s judgment (Acts 4:12, 10:43). “This message is the essential content of Christianity. It contains the substance of the Apostles’ Creed and the outline of what will become the four Gospels” (Kevane 258). In fact, “(a)ll the phrases of the Apostles’ Creed as it is known, professed, and prayed today can be constructed from these discourses of Peter” (Kevane 260). And St. John the Evangelist summarized this core truth in one biblical verse: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life” (John 3:16).

        To evangelize means “to acquaint men with Jesus as we come to know him through the Gospels. To evangelize is to introduce men into a communion of life with him as well as into the fellowship of disciples, the community that journeys with him” (Ratzinger 53). When people who are seeking for the faith start to show interest in the gospel message and the Person of Jesus, we should “inaugurate the development of evangelization into catechesis” (Ratzinger 56). St. Pope John Paul II said that “catechesis” is “a stage of evangelization,” it is “one of these moments – a very remarkable one – in the whole process of evangelization (Catechesi Tradendae 18). The aim of catechesis is to enable people to know Jesus more concretely so as to establish a personal relationship with him. “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation” (Colossians 1:15). Jesus said, “I do nothing on my own, but I speak these things as the Father instructed me” (John 8:28). He described himself as a servant (c.f. Mark 10:42-45). “The source of the Son’s authority lies in his belonging entirely to his Father” (Willey, de Cointet, Morgan xxiii). His teaching about the kingdom of God, with the “wonderfully complete and expertly articulate body of doctrine, was the fulfillment of the Prophetic Revelation, the fullness of the Word of God to mankind. The new Israel of God had its doctrine together with its leaders who were to teach that doctrine” (Kevane 205). Indeed, Jesus himself is the fulfillment of God’s revelation. Rooted in the Father’s love, the Church can “only exercise the authority that it has itself received, that of God the Father, in Jesus Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit. It does not have any other. And because of this, the Church, too, is free to speak and act with that same authority” (Willey, de Cointet, Morgan xxiv).

        The content of the deposit of faith is safeguarded by the Church, which is under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The Magisterium of the Church has drawn up a “reference text” – the Catechism of the Catholic Church for the teaching of the faith (GDC 125). The Catechism thus “constitutes a fundamental service by encouraging the proclamation of the Gospel and the teaching of the faith, which both draw their message from Tradition and Sacred Scripture entrusted to the Church, so as to achieve this function with complete authenticity” (GDC 125). Yet, the Catechism is not the only source of catechesis. Being an act of the Magisterium, “it is not superior to the word of God but at its service” (GDC 125). Neither is the Catechism a new invention of the Church. Representative catechetical documents that survived today include writings of the Fathers of the Church, most notably St. Cyril of Jerusalem (315-386), St. Gregory of Nyssa (331-386) and St. Augustine of Hippo (354-430). The Fathers “make it monumentally clear that this pattern or syllabus for the teaching is the faith in the three Divine Persons together with the response: of personal prayer, Gospel morality and Eucharistic living” (Kevane 173). In 1273, the great Angelic Doctor, St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) completed a set of catechetical instructions and delivered it to the people of Naples (Collins 16). These instructions are “clear and simple explanations of the Creed, the Commandments, the sacraments, Our Father and Hail Mary. (They) were used extensively throughout Europe during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries as manuals for priests and teachers of religion” (Collins 17). St. Thomas’ instructions are systematic and comprehensive. They already encompassed the four basic themes (or “pillars”) of modern Catechism: the profession of faith, the sacraments, Christian morality, and prayer.

        Prompted by the Protestant Reformation, the Church saw an essential need to provide a handbook “to instruct pastors, and others who have the care of souls, in those things that belong properly to pastoral care and are accommodated to the capacity of the faithful” (Marthaler 36). In accordance with the order of the Council of Trent, St. Charles Borromeo (1538-1584) was appointed to lead a commission of three bishops and one theologian to carry out the work in preparing a catechism for pastors and catechists (Marthaler 35). The catechism was published by the order of Pope Pius V in 1566, entitled The Catechism of the Council of Trent, also known as The Roman Catechism (Collins 23; Marthaler 36). The Catechism of the Council of Trent contains “a full and authoritative exposition of the Creed, Commandments, sacraments, and prayer, amply correlated with scriptural and patristic reference” (Collins 23). The Catechism of the Council of Trent stood the test of time very well. The modern Catechism of the Catholic Church published in 1992 describes it as “a work of the first rank as a summary of Christian teaching” (CCC 9). “Without being polemical it relies on authority – proof-texts from Scripture and the Church Fathers – to expound and defend Catholic doctrine. As a handbook of Catholic teaching it managed to be relatively complete without confusing basic doctrine with theological conclusions, substance with details” (Marthaler 40).

        The modern Catechism is a six-year collaborative effort of bishops, theologians and laymen (Ratzinger 9). Like The Catechism of the Council of Trent, it features the same four pillars, which must be read in unity, directing the reader to God who is love that never ends. Although the Catechism is divided into four parts, Catholic faith “is not a series of isolated propositions to be believed, but a unified whole, rooted in the unity of God. The Catechism is calling for a holistic understanding of the faith and a holistic transmission of the faith” (Willey, de Cointet, Morgan 2). The first part, modelled along the twelve articles of the Apostles’ Creed is essentially a profession of the triune God – the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, which is also our profession of faith in baptism. This lays the foundation of the hierarchy of truths. “Christian faith is simply faith in God. Everything else is an unfolding of that” (Ratzinger 18). “The linking of the doctrine of faith to the baptismal profession of faith also makes it clear that catechesis is not simply the communication of a religious theory. Rather it intends to set a life-process in motion: namely, growth in the life given through baptism, growth in communion with God” (Ratzinger 18). The second part presents the seven sacraments, which are signs of salvation and of grace, “instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is dispensed to us” (CCC 1131). The sacraments are “the Church in action” (Ratzinger 18). The third part on morality is “a teaching about the nature of love. What the Catechism tells us on this point is that the essence of true love has been manifested visibly in the Person of Jesus Christ: in his words, but also in his life and death” (Ratzinger 16). The fourth part on prayer is applied faith. Obviously, prayer is inseparable with the liturgy and sacraments. On the other hand, “prayer and morality are also inseparable: only when man turns to God does he find the paths leading to his true being” (Ratzinger 19). With the Catechism, the Christian faith is “protected and taught in its integrity and organic unity” (Willey, de Cointet, Morgan xxxiv).

        As already pointed out, the aim of catechesis is to enable people to know Jesus, establish a personal relationship with him, to be configured to him and in communion with him. “At the heart of catechesis we find a Person: Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God. He is the living unity of God and man. Thus all words of the faith always point in the whole: this organic, united reality” (Willey, de Cointet, Morgan xxxiii). The gospel message “is a reality” for the Catechism, which “must be told” as such (Ratzinger 61). The Catechism, “reading the Gospels with faith-filled courage as a many-layered and reliable whole, restores to us an amazingly rich and vivid portrait of Jesus” (Ratzinger 68). The Jesus of the Gospel is not something historical and “never merely a thing of the past; all of it is preserved in him and in communion of his disciples as a thing of the present that still touches me today” (Ratzinger 69). “The life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). The Paschal Mystery is the mystery of God, the mystery of love which is revealed to each of us and it asks for our response. On the Road to Emmaus, Jesus accompanied the two disciples and walked with them. He showed to them that the Scripture is fulfilled in his own person, opened their eyes to see him by the breaking of bread, and sent them back to Jerusalem to be his witnesses. As a Christian, the living Jesus accompanies me “in all the stages of my life, in my successes and failures, in my hopes and my suffering” (Ratzinger 71). However, Jesus died not only for me, but “he died for all” (2 Corinthians 5:15). He sent us to proclaim the love of God to everyone we meet. “When we are able to announce it to others as the message of truth, evangelization takes place. Then we know that the kingdom of God is near. And this knowledge gives us the strength to live and act out of this nearness” (Ratzinger 71).

        In proclaiming the kingdom and the gospel message to others, it is most important for catechists to know that Jesus is the only Teacher, the divine Teacher. Thus, every catechist should wholeheartedly and faithfully teach Christ and his message to others. In handing on the deposit of faith to other people, catechists should always bear in mind the Lord’s saying: “My teaching is not mine but his who sent me” (John 7:16). They serve as a “herald,” who was historically the “official spokesman for the town council” (Kevane 257). He is qualified for the spokesman job with “his absolute fidelity to the message from the ruler: he simply delivers it, without addition or subtraction, without any negotiation” (Kevane 257). Resembling St. Peter’s heralding the Jerusalem kerygma, a catechist “must communicate the message exactly as handed to him by the authority whom he serves and represents, for the essential point about a herald is the fact that nothing in the content of the message comes from himself” (Kevane 161).

        Catechists also need to differentiate between doctrines and theology. The Catechism essentially “contains doctrines, not theology – theology being the activity of reflecting upon doctrine” (Willey, de Cointet, Morgan xxxi). It is “doctrine that is the province of catechesis. Catechists proclaim the Church’s doctrine, her teaching; they do not teach the theology” (Willey, de Cointet, Morgan xxxi). Yet, it does not mean that catechists should teach the entire and same set of doctrines to all the people in every situation. Neither would it be fruitful for catechumens to know the faith but do not pray and act according to it. “Catechists, acting in inward harmony with the faith of the Church, with the message of Jesus Christ, must creatively mediate the Catechism to given situations and persons” (Ratzinger 59).

        The mission of a catechist is to enable an integral formation of the faith of the whole human person. “As the vitality of the human body depends on the proper function of all of its organs, so also the maturation of the Christian life requires that it be cultivated in all its dimensions: knowledge of the faith, liturgical life, moral formation, prayer, belonging to community, missionary spirit” (GDC 87). The work of catechists is thus to ensure in their teaching the unity of “belief, worship, and life – is expressed in the Latin saying lex orandi, lex credendi, lex vivendi – the ‘law,’ or rule of prayer (orandi), of faith (credendi), and of life (vivendi) follow one another” (Willey, de Cointet, Morgan 33). Obviously, catechists also have to be exemplary in their faith and willing to undergo continuous formation and conversion in order to lead others and accompany them in their journey to follow Christ. Let’s conclude with St. Pope John Paul II’s saying about the aim of catechesis:

Catechesis aims therefore at developing understanding of the mystery of Christ in the light of God’s word, so that the whole of a person’s humanity is impregnated by that word. Changed by the working of grace into a new creature, the Christian thus sets himself to follow Christ and learns more and more within the Church to think like Him, to judge like Him, to act in conformity with His commandments, and to hope as He invites us to (Catechesi Tradendae 20).

Christ is the image of the invisible God (c.f. Colossians 1:15). Our divine image, disfigured by sin is restored to the original beauty by his redemption (CCC 1701). In the loving union with him, it becomes possible for Christians to live out the gospel to pray for our enemies and love them as our neighbors. Acting as his living witnesses in our words and in our deeds, we will follow the Lord’s command to evangelize the world.

Works Cited

Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC). New York: Doubleday, 1995. Print.

Collins, Joseph B. “Chapter 2: Eminent Catechists in Religious Education.” Teaching Religion: An Introduction to Catechetics: A Textbook for the Training of Teachers of Religion. The Bruce Publishing Company, 1953, pp. 11-25. Print.

"Happiness." Catholic Encyclopedia. New Advent, n.d. Web. 11 Mar. 2017. <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07131b.htm>.

Kevane, Eugene. Jesus the Divine Teacher: What the Prophets Really Foretold. Bloomington, IN: AuthorHouse, 2005. Print.

Marthaler, Berard. “Chapter 3: Four Pillars of Catechesis: The Catechism of the Council of Trent,” The Catechism Yesterday and Today: The Evolution of a Genre. The Liturgical Press, 1995. Print. pp. 33-41.

Pope John Paul II. Catechesi Tradendae. Vatican, n.d. Web. 11 March. 2017. 

Ratzinger, Joseph. Gospel, Catechesis, Catechism Sidelights on the Catechism of the Catholic Church. San Francisco: Ignatius, 1997. Print.

Summa Theologica, Part I, Question 3. 

The General Directory for Catechesis (GDC). Vatican, n.d. Web. 11 Mar. 2017. 

Willey, Petroc, Pierre de Cointet, and Barbara Morgan. The Catechism of the Catholic Church and the Craft of the Catechesis. Print.

Reflection on good faith formation for adults by going through the stages of the baptismal catechumenate

        The General Directory for Catechesis states that “the model for all catechesis is the baptismal catechumenate when, by specific formation, an adult converted to belief is brought to explicit profession of baptismal faith during the Paschal Vigil. This catechumenal formation should inspire the other forms of catechesis in both their objectives and in their dynamism” (GDC 59). Baptismal catechumenate is divided into “four periods” by going through “three stages or steps.” The four periods are: First period – period of evangelization and pre-catechumenate; Second period – period of the catechumenate; Third period – period of purification and enlightenment; and Fourth period – mystagogy. The three steps are: First step – the Rite of Acceptance into the Order of Catechumens (Rite of Acceptance) – after which a catechumen enters into the second period from the first period; Second step – the Rite of Election – after which an elect enters into the third period from the second period; Third step – the Rites of Initiation – after which a neophyte enters into the fourth period from the third period.

        The primary goal of catechesis is always to enable a person to develop a personal and lifelong relationship with Jesus Christ which can continue to grow in the Christian community by sharing the Trinitarian love of God, and then do what God wills by loving our neighbors and proclaiming the Gospel for transformation of the world – “Love, and do what you will” (St. Augustine “Homily 7 on the First Epistle of John” 8). To achieve this goal, there must be an integral formation of the faith of the whole human person. “As the vitality of the human body depends on the proper function of all of its organs, so also the maturation of the Christian life requires that it be cultivated in all its dimensions: knowledge of the faith, liturgical life, moral formation, prayer, belonging to community, missionary spirit” (GDC 87). All the above six dimensions are indispensable. “When catechesis omits one of these elements, the Christian faith does not attain full development” (GDC 87). The ensuing paragraphs reflect on good faith formation for adults as they go through the periods and stages of the baptismal catechumenate.

        The first period of baptismal catechumenate is “the period of evangelization and pre-catechumenate.” People who want to know more about Catholic faith enroll to the baptismal catechumenate as “inquirers.” This initial period is characterized as “the locus of first evangelization leading to conversion and where the kerygma of the primary proclamation is explained” (GDC 88). During this period, catechists are to proclaim the kerygma to the inquirers so that they get to know that Jesus is our Savior and the Paschal Mystery brings salvation to mankind. St. Paul wrote to the Corinthians: “For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God, For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength” (1 Corinthians 1:22-25). It is through God’s wisdom, not the wisdom of man that earns us an eternal life. The Cross of Calvary is the power and wisdom of God. In addition, inquirers are to be introduced to the Gospel values. In this individualistic and materialistic world, people are often bothered and blinded by the “treasures on earth,” such as riches, lust, power, and even health!, “where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal;” rather inquirers are to be inspired to “store up for (themselves) treasures in heaven, where neither moth or rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal” (Matthew 6:19). Sharing of Jesus’ teaching in the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-11) can give them an initial taste of Christian values in today’s world. With their hearts and conscience enlightened by the Holy Spirit, inquirers will get prepared to learn more about Christian faith as they join the Rite of Acceptance.

        In the Rite of Acceptance, inquiries will be asked: “What do you ask of the Church?” Their response is “Faith.” And then “What does faith offer you?” They reply: “Eternal life.” The priest and catechists mark the sign of the cross on the forehead of inquirers. With the kerygma already proclaimed to them, they should hopefully remember that the Cross symbolizes the power and wisdom of God who blesses and strengthens them on this special occasion. Moreover, they are to be presented a Gospel book, signifying that they are to be led by Christ along their life journey of the faith. Inquirers are accepted into the order of catechumens in front of the community of the faithful who not only act as witnesses, but also express their consent to journey with the newcomers, who are now part of the community, despite not yet in the fullest sense. In conjunction with conscious and active participation in the Liturgy of the Word – the biblical readings especially the Gospel, the homily and the intercessory prayers, the liturgical rite bear a clear meaning behind the ritual in terms of words, actions, gestures and symbols. Nonetheless, it is equally important that the catechetical gatherings during the pre-catechumenate period are to be constructed in a way so as to move toward the Rite of Acceptance. “Then there is no need to rehearse rites. Instead, we lead people to the celebration of the rite. Learning by doing is the best way to develop the ability to ritualize” (Ostdiek 77).

        Following the Rite of Acceptance is a longer period of the catechumenate which takes about one year for catechumens to be instructed of the basic doctrines of the faith in the Catechism under four basic themes: the profession of faith, the sacraments, Christian morality, and prayer. By intensively reading and exploring the Scriptures, catechumens “encounter Christ” and “desire to know him as much as possible, as well as to know the plan of the Father which he revealed” (GDC 85). The word of God and liturgical life cannot be separated. Catechumens need to learn about the liturgy and the seven sacraments, especially the Baptism which brings them a new life in Christ and the Eucharist which is “the source and summit of the Christian life” (CCC 1324). Through the catechetical lessons, they “acquire the spirituality, skills, and habits of full, conscious, and active participation in the liturgy, especially the Eucharistic liturgy” (USCCB “Our hearts were burning within us” 92). “Knowledge of the faith (fides quae) is required by adherence to the faith (fides qua)” (GDC 85). Catechumens will be encouraged to read the Gospel frequently, to pray daily and most desirably with their family members, and to start to attend Sunday Mass. Even though they are unable to receive the Eucharist at this stage, the Liturgy of the Word, especially the readings and the homily can still enlighten and strengthen their spirits towards God.

        Attending Sunday Masses can help catechumens integrate into the ecclesial community. “When the liturgical symbols simultaneously and mutually engage each one’s body and spirit, the whole assembly, and Christ present in the midst, they have a unique power to express and establish in the worshippers a sense of unity and wholeness as God’s People” (Ostdiek 79-80). Indeed, the symbolic elements of the liturgy, the mutual blessings between God and the people, the ministry of the word especially the Gospel and the homily are all at the service of conversion of the lives of the faithful, and in this sense the liturgy can be seen as “a first catechesis that forms disciples of the Lord” (Ostdiek 80). Baptismal catechumenate essentially adopts the model of the early Church in which catechetical “instruction was related to worship and the ultimate purpose of both was lead the individual and the community to incorporate in the Trinitarian life, to commitment to the person of Christ and to the building up of the reign of God. All catechesis took place in the midst of the Christian community and through the community” (Dooley 119).

        “The Church has expressed the unity between liturgy and doctrine through the ancient formula lex orandi, lex credendi – the rule of prayer is the rule of faith” (Willey, de Cointet, Morgan 113). Besides starting to actively participate in the liturgy, catechumens also learn how to pray, especially with the Lord’s Prayer which is the model of all Christian prayers, and to “develop a regular pattern of personal prayer and spiritual reflection, recognizing vocal prayer, meditation, and contemplative prayer as basic and fruitful practices in the life of a disciple of Jesus” (USCCB 94). “Be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). For a fuller configuration to Christ and communion with him, catechumens are to be instructed of his “new commandment”: to love one another as he has loved us (c.f. John 13:34; 15:12), to the extent of laying his life for us (c.f. John 15:13) when we were still sinners (c.f. Romans 5:18). Catechists should teach catechumens “to think like him, to judge like him, to act in conformity with his commandments, and to hope as he invites us to” (Catechesis Tradendae 20). In this manner, the ancient formula lex orandi, lex credendi is added lex vivendi to become “lex orandi, lex credendi, lex vivendi” since “how we pray and believe is inseparable from how we live” (Willey, de Cointet, Morgan 123). Through moral education during the catechumenate period (including the Ten Commandments and moral and social teachings of the Church), catechumens “learn how to acquire and follow a well-formed conscience in personal and social life, clarifying current religious and moral questions in the light of faith, and cultivating a Christian discernment of the ethical implications of developments in the socio-cultural order” (USCCB 93).

        When the faith of catechumens reaches a state of maturity that they show readiness to receive the sacraments of initiation, they will join the Rite of Election, supported by their sponsors. The rite is held on the first Sunday of Lent which is a period of fasting, prayers and almsgiving for the faithful to prepare for participation in the great salvation events of the Paschal Mystery. For catechumens who are “elected” with their names “enrolled” to receive Baptism in the Easter Vigil, the coming Lenten Season coincides with the period of purification and enlightenment. On the testimony of their catechists and sponsors in the midst of the Christian community as their witnesses and supporters, the catechumens reaffirm their intention to move forward to the final stage of preparation for receiving the sacraments of initiation. The Gospel of the day is the Temptation of Jesus (Mark 1:12-15; Matthew 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-13). The liturgy sets out a concrete action plan for the Lenten Season: to recognize the reality of sin and be determined to renew our lives by true repentance; and confront our temptations to sin by doing what Jesus said and did in the Gospel: fasting, prayers and deeds of love, mercy and forgiveness. Catechumens (who become “elects” now) are expected to draw from the rite the meaning of their election as the candidates of baptism and make up their minds to die to sin and live to God in Christ Jesus (c.f. Romans 6:5-11).

        The period of purification and enlightenment affords a more intense preparation for the sacraments of initiation. The elects have to join a retreat and a series of scrutiny rites as the final preparation. The Gospel readings of the three scrutiny rites being held on the third, fourth and fifth Sundays of Lent particularly emphasize on the imminent need for conversion of the elects. The first scrutiny features the Samaritan woman (John 4:5-42). Jesus is the living water and whoever drinks it will never thirst. Conversion of the Samaritan woman prompts her to spread the Gospel to her neighbors. Catechists should grasp this opportunity to “cultivate an evangelizing spirit among (the elects) as an integral element of their baptismal calling, of the Church’s nature and mission, and of a Catholic way of life” (USCCB 96). They should also resemble what the other Samaritans said to the woman: “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that (Jesus) is truly the Savior of the world” (John 4:42); thereby not grounding their hope in pastors and catechists, but in Christ alone. The second scrutiny features the man born blind (John 9:1-41). Jesus is “the light of the world, whoever follows (him) will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). Resembling the man whose sight was restored by Jesus, the elects should be determined to say “no” to the devil, the source of sins, and resist his temptations, even in situations of hardship. The third scrutiny features the raising of Lazarus (John 11:1-45). Jesus is the resurrection and the life, whoever believes in him will live forever. The elects should make up your minds to follow Christ for a new life in him, thus receiving salvation for an eternal life in the loving unity of the Holy Trinity. The scrutiny rites also include exorcism with the imposition of hands by the celebrant as well as prayers for the elects, which give them the necessary strength of renewal and conversion.

        The scrutiny rites are held in the presence of the parish community. In Hong Kong, it is worth mentioning that one of the three scrutinies is held in a large group with the elects coming from many different parishes of the diocese and it is celebrated by the Bishop. As the Bishop is the symbol of communion, the rite signifies a fuller communion of the elects with the universal Church who is praying for all of them throughout the Lenten Season. Moreover, each of them will be anointed with the oil of catechumens so that they may be strengthened by Christ our Savior as they are about to receive the sacrament of Baptism. During the period of purification and enlightenment, the elects will also be presented with the Creed and the Lord’s Prayer, encouraged to participate in the Stations of the Cross every Friday, and reminded to participate in the liturgies of the Holy Week in order to experience before their Baptism the power of God that brings human salvation through Jesus.

        In the Easter Vigil, the elects will receive the sacraments of initiation – Baptism, Confirmation and the Eucharist. The baptismal liturgy is full of signs and symbols for the participants to see the salvation power of God and receive the divine grace in this most sacred liturgy. Moreover, the Liturgy of the Word is exceptionally rich (with nine readings in total) so as to open up the minds and hearts of the faithful and the candidates of the sacraments as the divine mysteries will soon be unveiled before them. The water used by Baptism is both a symbol of cleaning and life. The grace of Baptism purifies the neophytes from sins and gives them new birth in the Holy Spirit (CCC 1262). Baptism also makes them members of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church – the Mystical Body of Christ. Sacred chrism, the sacramental symbol of Confirmation, signifies “the participation of the one baptized in the prophetic, priestly, and kingly offices of Christ” (CCC 1291). Through confirmation, the neophytes receive the Holy Spirit who will strengthen them to become true witnesses of Christ. By receiving Holy Communion, the neophytes will be in full communion with Christ for the first time.

        The baptismal catechumenate will not end with the sacraments of initiation. The period of mystagogy follows immediately until the Pentecost. In our parish, all the neophytes will gather and attend Mass every evening during the first week of Easter. They will wear the white baptismal garments when they attend the Eucharistic celebrations, which reminds them once more that they are “clothe(d )with the new self, created according to the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:24). Like all baptized Catholics, they can receive the sacraments and are in full communion with other members of the Church. During the catechetical lessons, neophytes will share their real life experience of the baptismal liturgy so that the meaning relating to their own life story can be “drawn out of the actual celebration of the rite through mystagogical reflection on the experience” (Ostdiek 78). They will also share their joys, difficulties and setbacks of their initial Christian experience. Through regularly attending the Sunday Masses, they are led into “a deeper understanding of, and particularly in, the mystery” (Willey, de Cointet, Morgan 127). The formative power of “liturgical catechesis” cannot be under-estimated. “It is through the images, metaphors, the stories, the symbols and liturgical action and prayers that the significance and deeper meaning of the baptismal symbols are revealed” (Dooley 123).

        Moreover, neophytes will be encouraged to join parish associations to serve the Church in different capacities and continue to cultivate their faith together with other members of the parish community. Some of these associations extend their reach to the wider community to tender loving care to those in need or to promote social justice and peace for a better world. On the Pentecost, all the neophytes will gather around the Bishop in the Cathedral to celebrate the Eucharist, signifying the end of the period of mystagogy. Nevertheless, it is important to recognize that catechesis will not yet end as it is a lifelong endeavor. As the parish becomes part of their life, it “provides the place, persons, and means to summon and sustain” them “in lifelong conversion of heart, mind, and life” (USCCB 117). Vibrant and strong participation in the parish will “encourage lifelong involvement in church life and faith formation (and) bear fruit in strengthened Christian community and mission” (USCCB 123). As a living disciple of Jesus Christ, they are “ready to make an explicit, living and fruitful profession of faith” (GDC 56) – proclaiming the Gospel to others and bearing witnesses to Christ to transform the world with the power of love and mercy.

Works Cited

Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC). New York: Doubleday, 1995. Print.

Dooley, Catherine. “Baptismal Catechumenate: Model for All Catechesis,” Louvain Studies, Vol. 23, 1998, p. 114-123.

Ostdiek, Gilbert. “Liturgy as Catechesis for Life,” Liturgical Ministry, p. 76-82. 

Pope John Paul II. Catechesis Tradendae. Vatican, n.d. Web. 04 March. 2017. 

St. Augustine. "Homily 7 on the First Epistle of John." Catholic Encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Mar. 2017. 

The General Directory for Catechesis (GDC). Vatican, n.d. Web. 04 Mar. 2017. 

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), Our Hearts Were Burning Within Us. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Mar. 2017. 

Willey, Petroc, Pierre de Cointet, and Barbara Morgan. The Catechism of the Catholic Church and the Craft of the Catechesis. Print.

A sample catechetical session on Baptism

Title: The Sacrament of Baptism (with a brief introduction on sacraments in general)

Audience: Catechumens (who have completed learning the salvation history in the Old Testament and the Gospels, the early Church and the four marks of the Church, and the Lord’s Prayer)

Objectives:

1.      To briefly explain liturgy and sacraments in general.

2.      To elaborate on the sacrament of baptism as part and parcel of the sacraments of initiation; baptism in the economy of salvation; major symbols in the liturgical rite of adult baptism; the Trinitarian baptismal formula; the effects of baptism; and baptism of infants.

3.      To relate the sacrament of baptism to the spiritual and moral lives of catechumens in order to advance the formation of the whole human person.

Opening Prayer:

Heavenly Father, you call us to learn to know and love you. As we are preparing ourselves to receive the divine gifts and become your children through baptism, may you enlighten our minds and hearts with the Holy Spirit so that we will be configured more deeply to your Son Jesus Christ who gives us hope and eternal life by his self-sacrifice on the cross and resurrection from the dead. May the Holy Spirit open our spiritual eyes to see the abundance of life and love before us. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

Content of Presentation

                Liturgy (leitourgia) is a Greek word originally meaning a public duty or a service/work that one must do for his state (CCC 1069). It has been applied to the worship of God, meaning that creatures have the duty to participate in the work of God. What is the “work” that is being done in the liturgy? God the Father, who is the source of all blessings, gives humanity the gift of love and His life through the Son and with the Holy Spirit. Humanity returns God’s blessing by “adoration and surrender to his Creator in thanksgiving” (CCC 1078). As such, we understand the “work” being done in the liturgy as the mutual blessing between the Trinitarian God and humanity. Indeed, “from the beginning until the end of time the whole of God's work is a blessing” (CCC 1079). As we have already learned in our Old Testament lessons, God has incessantly revealed Himself to mankind since the Fall.

        Abraham, “the father of the faithful” (c.f. Galatians 3:7), embraced God’s blessing to the extent of willingly surrendering his beloved son to Him. God revealed Himself and His blessing through astonishing and saving events, most notably the escape from Egypt (Passover and Exodus); promulgation of the Law through Moses; the Promise to David; the construction, destruction and re-construction of the Temple; the voice of the prophets; etc. All these were interwoven with the liturgy of the chosen People and their sacrifices offered to God, who bestowed His divine blessing with the people responded with blessings of praise and thanksgiving. When the fullness of time had come, God sent His only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ to this world so that humanity may get the fullness of divine revelation.

        With the passion, death, resurrection and glorious ascension of Jesus, God’s salvation plan for mankind is fulfilled and His blessing fully revealed to humanity. But how can all mankind not living in the age of Jesus respond to this divine blessing? The answer is through the Church’s liturgy. As pointed out earlier, we understand the “work” that is being done in the liturgy as the mutual blessing between the Trinity and humanity. The Catechism of the Catholic Church stipulates that:

In the Church's liturgy the divine blessing is fully revealed and communicated. The Father is acknowledged and adored as the source and the end of all the blessings of creation and salvation. In his Word who became incarnate, died, and rose for us, he fills us with his blessings. Through his Word, he pours into our hearts the Gift that contains all gifts, the Holy Spirit (CCC 1082).

        God has revealed and communicated His blessing through His Son and the Church’s liturgy to humanity. So the next question for us is where and how Christians can receive His divine blessing? The Church, guided by the Holy Spirit has discerned over the centuries that among liturgical celebrations there are seven that are “sacraments” instituted by the Lord (CCC 1117). The whole liturgical life of the Church revolves around the Eucharistic celebration (the Mass) and these seven sacraments: Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Penance, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Matrimony (CCC 1113). All these sacraments are instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church. We believe that it is the whole Church community, the Body of Christ united with its Head (c.f. Ephesians 5:23), that celebrates the sacramental liturgy (CCC 1140). Communication is always two-way. Through active and conscious participation in the sacramental liturgy, Christians will receive God’s most efficacious blessings: His divine graces by virtue of the saving work of Christ, which are dispensed to the faithful by the power of God. The liturgical rites “by which the sacraments are celebrated signify and make present the graces proper to each sacrament. They bear fruit in those who receive them with the required dispositions” (CCC 1131).

       A sacramental celebration is “woven from signs and symbols” (CCC 1145). These symbols such as water, oil, bread and wine, accompanied by words, help communicate the symbolic meaning of the sacrament to human beings, exciting the minds of the faithful in the contemplation of the most sublime mysteries which are hidden in the liturgy that God reveals to them. By using their intellect and senses in the right manner, the faithful will, in union with Christ offer praises, thanksgiving and their entire lives to the Father; and God will confer the gifts of the Holy Spirit to them: strengthening their faith, hope and love, comforting their hearts in times of distress, and commissioning them as the disciples of Jesus to proclaim the Gospel to the whole creation (Mark 16:15). We will start to learn about the sacraments of initiation, i.e., baptism, confirmation and the Eucharist. They are called sacraments of initiation because they “lay the foundations of every Christian life” (CCC 1212). Without receiving baptism, one is not allowed to gain access to other sacraments. In this lesson, let’s first explore the sacrament of baptism, its sacramental signs and effects, and how it is related to your future Christian lives.

        Baptism is the sacrament giving a new life to Christians. Jesus said to Nicodemus, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit” (John 3:5). Before his glorious ascension, he sent his Apostles to “make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). This is a clear biblical source that Jesus instituted baptism and entrusted it to the Church under the leadership of the Apostles and their successors. Blood and water came out from the side of Jesus when a soldier pierced his side with a spear (John 19:34). Water and blood are symbols of baptism and the Eucharist, “the sacraments of new life.” “From then on, it is possible ‘to be born of water and the Spirit’ (John 3:5) in order to enter the kingdom of God” (CCC 1225).

        In fact, baptism was already prefigured in the Old Testament. Do you remember the Spirit of God swept over the face of the waters at the beginning of God’s creation (Genesis 1:2)? And Noah’s family saved in the ark from the great flood (Genesis 7:1-8:22)? Noah’s ark prefigured salvation by baptism of the Church. Yet, the most wonderful deed of salvation is the crossing of the Red Sea by the Israelites. Through the miracle, the Almighty God delivered the Israelites from the hands of the Egyptians, while the Pharaoh’s chariots and his army were drowned in the Red Sea (Exodus 14:15-30).

        How is this story relating to baptism? Let’s see how St. Paul told the Romans: “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:3-4). That’s why Jesus told Nicodemus that a person would enter into a new life if he was born of water and Spirit. Yet, St. Paul brings the message even further: “We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again, death no longer has dominion over him. The death he died, he died to sin, once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus” (Romans 6:9-11). St. Cyril of Jerusalem, a Church Father of the fourth century told his catechumens before their baptism: “That tyrant of old pursued the ancient Jewish people as far as the sea, and here and now the devil, bold and shameless, the source of all evil, followed you up to the waters of salvations. Pharaoh was submerged in the sea, and the devil disappears in the waters of salvation” (Yarnold 71). So, are you prepared to say “no” to the devil, the source of sins, and resist his temptations, while making up your minds to follow Christ for a new life in him, and receiving salvation for an eternal life in the loving unity of the Holy Trinity? Do you want to be freed from the slavery of sins, just like the Israelites being freed from the slavery of the Egyptians when they crossed the Red Sea? St. Paul reminded the Romans: “let us live honorably as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. Instead put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires” (Romans 13:13-14). How relevant is his advice made two thousand years ago to us modern man!

        Let’s now go briefly into how the sacrament of baptism is celebrated. In our parish, the liturgy, which starts at 8 p.m. of the Easter Vigil, takes about three to four hours to celebrate the three sacraments of initiation. But first of all, you have to show readiness to be baptized and join the rite of election (which makes you “elects”) on the first Sunday of Lent. You will then go through the period of purification and enlightenment, including in it a retreat and a series of scrutiny rites as your final preparation. While we will have a separate session to go through all the details with you later, I would like to use this lesson to highlight some major sacramental symbols and signs in the baptismal liturgy.

       First is the profession of the paschal candle at the start of the ceremony. The lights in the church are all switched off, while the light of the paschal candle signifies the Light of Christ brought into this world. Jesus said: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). All the baptized will have their own candles lighted by the paschal candle, as a symbol of the indwelling of Christ, yet the candidates of baptism do not have a candle at this stage. They are still in darkness but Christ’s lights are already all around them.

        The Liturgy of the Word of Easter Vigil is extraordinary. Actually, the Liturgy of the Word is always an integral part of every Eucharistic celebration. Do you remember the two disciples who met Jesus on the road to Emmaus (c.f. Luke 24:13-35)? They heard the word of God first, but they did not understand it until Jesus opened their spiritual eyes with the breaking of the bread, then they immediately understood what the Scripture foretold about Jesus. The Liturgy of the Eucharist is linked to the Liturgy of the Word to “form one single act of worship; the Eucharistic table set for us is the table both of the Word of God and of the Body of the Lord” (CCC 1346). We will have nine readings in the Easter Vigil, including seven from the Old Testament and two from the New (the Epistle and the Gospel). We have already come across two of them (Exodus and Romans) today. And the Gospel is about the risen Lord, He is alive! Pope Francis told the faithful in his Easter Vigil homily: “Let the risen Jesus enter your life, welcome him as a friend, with trust: he is life! If following him seems difficult, don’t be afraid, trust him, be confident that he is close to you, he is with you and he will give you the peace you are looking for and the strength to live as he would have you do” (Pope Francis “Easter Vigil Homily (2013)”). The homily, which is the ministry of the word integrated into the liturgy, is to capture the tremendous mysteries being celebrated on this most sacred night and elaborate on how they relate to the faithful, particularly the candidates for baptism. Let’s read all the biblical readings together nearer the time of your baptism.

        The baptismal liturgy is the climax of the sacred night. The priest, who is the ordinary minister of baptism, is the first to go to the baptismal font. As a side note, the bishop, the priest and the deacon are called “ordinary ministers” because in case of necessity (e.g., a person who wills to be baptized is in the danger of death), anyone, even a non-baptized person, with the intention to do what the Church does in baptism, can baptize by using the Trinitarian baptismal formula (which will be discussed shortly) (CCC 1256). The candidates for baptism are called forward and presented by their sponsors. All facing the baptismal font, the priest invites the faithful to pray for the baptismal candidates in conjunction with the saints in heaven by singing the Litany led by the cantor. Prayers are so important in our Christian life. Particularly in the liturgy, we offer our prayers together with Christ and the whole Church to the heavenly Father. In this sacred night, we invoke the saints in heaven to fervently pray for the ones to be baptized soon. Indeed, the whole liturgy of the night is the most sublime prayer of the whole Christian community to God. The baptismal water is then “consecrated by a prayer of epiclesis,” asking for “the Holy Spirit (to) be sent upon the water, so that those who will be baptized in it may be ‘born of water and the Spirit’” (CCC 1238). Before they are baptized, the candidates for baptism will have to join the faithful to renounce their sins and profess the faith of the Trinitarian God as well as “the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting” (CCC, The Credo), which is essentially the content of the Apostolic Creed that lays the foundation of Christian faith. The Creed is an ideal piece of prayer to illustrate that “communion in faith needs a common language of faith, normative for all and uniting all in the same confession of faith” (CCC 185).

       In the ancient times and in some modern churches that have a bigger baptismal font, the baptismal candidates are baptized by the triple immersion in the baptismal water. It is “the most expressive way” of baptism (CCC 1239). However, baptism is conferred in our parish by pouring the water three times over the candidate’s head, accompanied by the minister’s words: "N., I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” This is the “Trinitarian baptismal formula” being used ever since the early Church in accordance with the Lord’s command to “make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:18-19). All attending are full of joy and thanks to God. We welcome the newcomers to our family. They are no long called elects or baptismal candidates but the newborns in Christ. Tearful eyes of joy can be seen everywhere in the church.

        Do remember that this sacred rite of baptism can only be administered once in our lives because the sacrament “seals the Christian with the indelible spiritual mark (character) of his belonging to Christ” (CCC 1272). In fact, Christian denominations recognize each other’s baptism administered using the same Trinitarian formula. No “re-baptism” is needed and allowed. In fact, baptism constitutes “the sacramental bond of unity existing among all who through it are reborn” (CCC 1271). Through baptism, “all sins are forgiven, original sin and all personal sins, as well as all punishment for sin” (CCC 1263). The neophytes are a “new creation” in Christ: “everything old has passed away, and everything has become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). The grace of baptism purifies them from sins and gives them new birth in the Holy Spirit (CCC 1262). Water is both a symbol of cleaning and life. With their spiritual eyes, Christians see the baptismal water cleanse all the sins from the souls of the neophytes, while at the same time give them new lives in Christ. Incorporated into Christ by baptism, neophytes are to follow Christ and united with him. They are “imitators of God as beloved children, and walk in love by conforming their thoughts, words and actions to the mind of Christ by following his example” (CCC 1694). Baptism is necessary for salvation (CCC 1257), despite that we may rely on God’s mercy to save by the merit of Christ those who were not baptized but lived an honest and respectable life according to their conscience.

        After baptism, the sponsors clothe the newly baptized with the white baptismal garment and present a lighted candle to them. The newly baptized will wear their white garments when they attend the Mass everyday throughout the week after Easter. The white garment reminds them once more that they are now “clothe(d )with the new self, created according to the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:24). On the other hand, the candle reminds them to always keep the flame of faith alive in their hearts. At this point, they receive the Light of Christ as others did earlier. In Christ, all the faithful are “the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14). After the celebration of baptism, the newly baptized will receive the sacrament of confirmation. The celebrant lays hands on the whole group and makes a sign of the cross with chrism on the foreheads of those receiving confirmation one by one. Through confirmation, the neophytes receive the Holy Spirit who will strengthen them to become true witnesses of Christ. We will cover the sacrament of confirmation in further details in our next lesson.

        The Liturgy of the Eucharist starts with the offering of gifts by the neophytes. In the Eucharistic Prayer, the special interpolations for “Christian Initiation: Baptism” are to be used to pray especially with and for the newly baptized. In saying the Lord’s Prayer, neophytes are now “fully qualified” to call God the Father “Our Father.” They are no longer “slaves under the old law” but are “in the new life (of grace) of the Spirit (Romans 7:6), who makes them holy in the “Life in Christ.” By becoming the “children of God” (Romans 8:14), it is fitting for all the baptized to pray with Jesus to his Father and call Him “Abba! Father!” (Romans 8:15). Although you are not yet baptized, the Lord’s Prayer is always the most perfect prayer for you to pray to God, praise Him, and ask Him to grant us our daily needs, a loving heart towards our neighbors, and a joyful hope for the future. It is called “the Lord’s Prayer because it comes to us from the Lord Jesus, the master and model of our prayer” (CCC 2775). So, recite it and use it frequently in your daily prayers!

        After the Lord’s Prayer, the faithful receive Holy Communion under two kinds – Body and Blood. The neophytes will be invited to receive Holy Communion before others. They are now in full communion with Christ for the first time. Also importantly, they are now part of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church and become fully united with us in Christ. Baptism makes them members of the Body of Christ. We will cover the Eucharist and the Mass in further details in our coming lessons. The Easter Vigil Mass ends soon after Holy Communion but our actions as the witness of Christ will continue until the end of our lives. We are all ministers of the word of God to proclaim His love for us to our relatives, our friends and all our “neighbors” like the Good Samaritan (c.f. Luke 10:25-37).

        For Christians, the Easter Vigil Mass is the most important liturgy of the year. It is the climax of the liturgical year through which we experience the resurrection of the Lord from his death, and the joy of having new blood injected into the Church. As a catechist, I sincerely hope that you will further your knowledge of God and follow Christ in your words and deeds. But remember one thing: don’t ground your hope in pastors and catechists, but in Christ alone. Finally, I understand that some of you would also like your children to be baptized. Indeed, “children also have need of the new birth in baptism to be freed from the power of darkness and brought into the realm of the freedom of the children of God, to which all men are called” (CCC 1250). They are “baptized in the faith of the Church” (CCC 1282). As parents, you will bear the primary responsibility in transmitting the faith to them. Parents are always their children’s first teachers, training them to love the good and hate the evil by setting a good model for them to follow. I encourage all those who want to be baptized together with their children to start praying with them and attending Sunday Mass with them, if you have not done so already. Sometimes, we find children can even be the “educators” of their parents in prayers because of their persistence, innocence and purity. Indeed, Jesus welcomes children to come to him since “whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it” (Mark 10:15).

Discussions and sharing:

1.          Water is used ordinarily in many facets of our daily lives. How do you relate the sacramental symbol of water in terms of its daily uses with the sacramental effects of baptism discussed above?

2.          Baptism is not a human symbol, but a symbol by which God’s grace of salvation pours upon the baptized. Do you think you are now on the right path to receive the divine gifts of salvation? What else should be done to prepare yourselves better to receive these gifts?

Closing Song: I Have Decided to Follow Jesus

Works Cited

Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC). New York: Doubleday, 1995. Print.

“Easter Vigil Script.” Diocese of Owensboro. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Feb. 2017.

Pope Francis. "Easter Vigil Homily (30 March 2013)." Vatican, n.d. Web. 15 Feb. 2017. 

The General Directory for Catechesis (GDC). Vatican, n.d. Web. 15 Feb. 2017. 

Willey, Petroc, Pierre de Cointet, and Barbara Morgan. The Catechism of the Catholic Church and the Craft of the Catechesis. Print.

Yarnold, Edward. The Awe-inspiring Rites of Initiation: The Origins of the RCIA. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical, 1994. Print.