The words sound harsh, but far from harsh is the journey of a heart filled with the awe and wonder of our Faith.
As a spiritual act of mercy, “instructing the ignorant” is described as providing relevant information to the one that does not possess the necessary knowledge. This writing speaks to the experience of sponsoring candidates on their journey of Christian initiation into full membership of the Catholic Church. This is accomplished through the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults known as RCIA.
While our hearts yearn to support the new RCIA candidates as sponsors, we, as Christians are responding to an expectation. As stated in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “all the faithful, lay Christians are entrusted by God with the apostolate by virtue of Baptism and Confirmation, they have the right and the duty, individually or grouped in associations, to work so that the divine message of salvation may be known and accepted by all men throughout the earth.“ CCC 900
What does it mean to sponsor a candidate and act as a witness to their walk of faith?
Serving as a sponsor is all encompassing… a spiritual, intellectual, and personal journey. As in all matters of faith, the Spirit guides us by opening our minds and hearts to hear the Word to learn the Truth. The beauty of this realization shows itself in a wide range of possibilities from an awakening in a quiet prayer or conversation to a larger discussion held in the shared community. The RCIA process allows formation to occur on many levels with multiple venues: a one on one conversation; a small faith sharing group; a lecture; and /or sharing thoughts and ideas with the entire group. Our most touching moments happen at Mass as various rites of election and acceptance are celebrated and witnessed by the congregation. A wonderfully, natural bond develops as experiences are shared.
The Spirit’s gifts of grace are shared by the candidate and the sponsor relishing the wisdom bestowed. Hearts are on fire and souls sing out as the Truth begins to reveal itself. Faith and reason build our moral fiber as our journey takes life…it is palpable, transformative, rich and complex. Special care must be taken at all times to check yourself as the sponsor and to encourage and support the candidate. It is crucial to remember it is the candidate’s walk of faith. By embracing their needs and meeting them where they are enhances the relationship and promotes deeper understanding as issues of religion, scripture, and tradition are discussed. It is vital to also remember the event, person or people that influenced the candidate’s decision to become Catholic. Whether they are actively involved in the classroom or not does not minimize their significance and attachment. They are always close at heart.
The experience of sponsoring a candidate in the RCIA is completely new each year as each person walks their own individual journey. “The witness is a transmission of the faith in words and deeds. Witness is an act of justice that establishes the truth or makes it known.” CCC 2472.
Julie Yacopino, Faith Formation Commission
RCIA, Baptismal Preparation Leader
EMHC and Lector,
No comments:
Post a Comment