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This link will keep 'parishioners-at-large' in touch with current creative liturgy sources and resources that respect a variety of 'traditions' within the Church.

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Daily Scripture

+ 7th Week of Easter

Much ado about nothing or, is there something to it?

Readings: Acts 19:1-8 Psalm 68:2-7 John 16:29-33

Paul traveled through the interior of the country and down to Ephesus where he found some disciples. He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?” They answered him, “We have never even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” [Acts 19:1-3]

Depending on one’s sacramental theology and pastoral practice, this text has been variously interpreted. For example, those who work with the RCIA (catecheumenate) hold that the sacrament of Confirmation should be administered with Baptism as it was in the early Church. It is one of the sacraments of initiation—Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist. The Eastern Rite of the Roman Catholic Church has retained the tradition of administering all three at Baptism. Yes, the infant receives a small piece of the Eucharist bread. And so in the Eastern Rite, there is no formal celebration of First Holy Communion at the age of reason or Confirmation by the bishop at whatever age the local diocese has determined the age of maturity appropriate for Confirmation. All three sacraments are administered shortly after birth.

Others feel that the celebration of First Communion and Confirmation at a later age ensures the participation of youngsters in parish religious education programs – at least until Confirmation. In this case, many Catholics view Confirmation as the completion of or graduation from religious studies.

In recent years I have become convinced that the RCIA folks and the Eastern Rite Catholics have it right. All three sacraments of initiation should be administered together. First Holy Communion and Confirmation have become more social than spiritual. I do not mean to suggest that there is no connection or that there should be no celebration after sacramental ceremonies but for many, the accent is on the wrong syllable.

The path from Baptism to Christian maturity is life-long and the benchmarks for progress are not easily measured by grouping children by age or grade level for a period of preparation that is largely academic.

This is not to suggest that religious education is optional. Faith development is unique to each person within the context first of family and then of parish. Religious education / formation is intended to provide insight into faith development at an age-appropriate level.

Catholicism has become ‘child-centered’ the result of which, we have an adult population whose religious and spiritual development stopped at Confirmation.

The celebration of Eucharist is the primary setting for faith formation. Religious education is a necessary component but detached from Eucharist, it remain just another subject to master.

Of course this all assumes that the parish celebration of the Eucharist is truly inclusive and meaningful rather than just an empty ritual. The parish at worship should be a rendition of a community of faith that strives to live its faith ‘in the town square’ as I mentioned in Sunday’s homily.

Notwithstanding my commitment to religious dialogue, I do believe that effective dialogue is based on the assumption that although both parties are knowledgeable about the topic. Though they may have different perspectives, they are not based on ignorance of the subject.

+Holy Saturday 2010

Friday April 2, 2010

Waiting for the mystery to unfold.

Readings: Genesis 1:1-2:2 Genesis 22:1-18 Exodus 14:15-15:1 Isaiah 54:5-14 Isaiah 55:1-11 Baruch 3:9-15, 32-4:4 Ezekiel 36:16-17, 18-28 Romans 6:3-11 Matt 28:1-10

Death has no power over him any more… and in that way, you too must consider yourselves to be dead to sin but alive for God in Christ Jesus. [Romans 6:10-11]

In the old days Lent ended at noon on Holy Saturday. The ancient vigil rites were celebrated early in the morning beginning at 6:00 AM— in a near empty church—and concluded with the Vigil Mass at 8:00 AM in the presence of a very small congregation. Of course, as kids we were more interested in the noon bell that signaled the end of our ‘abstinence.’ We were less interested in the newly blessed baptismal water than in the candy that would satisfy our ‘sweet tooth.’

Waiting is not something kids do with any ease. When I told mom I couldn’t wait for the noon bell, she used to respond, “Don’t wish your life away!” I didn’t know what she meant then. I do now!

Holy Saturday is indeed a ‘vigil’—waiting time for those who how to wait and what to wait for. We wait not for candy but for the taste of new life and the sweetness of a fresh start. That’s what Resurrection is all about. We are waiting not for the resuscitation of a body but for the reawakening of the human spirit to the reality that the Jesus who died once has become the Christ who will never die again; the Christ who dwells among us and within us – ever the same, yesterday, today and forever.

Waiting is fallow time while the soil gets ready for the blade of grass to break through the crust of the earth to absorb God’s smile and wetness of God’s grace.

Waiting is for contemplatives who know how to blend mystery with reality, faith with determination, hope with courage, and charity with action.

This evening in Catholic churches throughout the world, catechumens will be baptized in the newly blessed Easter water and candidates already baptized either as Catholics or in another Christian church will complete their full initiation into the Roman Catholic Church. But all of us will renew our baptismal vows and promises to accept Christ as the one who leads us to salvation.

We would do well to find some ‘pocket time’ today to ponder the mystery of what it means to live in Christ.