Sacramental Initiation does not end at Easter Vigil. Our newest members of the Church now enter into the time of “Mystagogy”, a Greek word meaning “mystery” (pronounced: mi-ste-go-je) which is reflecting on and savoring of the mysteries experienced through initiation! We meet for six more weeks after the 9am Mass with a redirected focus: from learning-to-living our faith! Each week will include reflection, prayer and discussion as we continue our journeys as Catholic Christians living as disciples of Christ.
During mystagogy we will invite our neophytes to participate more fully in the life of the parish community, so that their faith may continue to be nourished and the faith of the community may be enhanced by the witness of its newest members.
The six weeks will touch on ongoing conversion, beginning a lifelong process full of peaks and valleys, open to the knowledge that the Church is always there - with arms outstretched to all.
Each of us is tremendously important to God’s plan for the world! As laity (our designation at baptism) we are here to help serve the Kingdom of God. We live out our baptismal call to holiness when we participate in eucharistic liturgy (priestly-role), speak the word of God (prophet-role) and (kingly-role) as we partake in Christ’s ministry of service and love to all. Gifts, given by the Holy Spirit, are given at baptism, then strengthened with confirmation and nourished by the eucharist. By sharing our gifts, we fulfill the mission God set out for us to do. How do we discover what our strengths or gifts or ‘call’ is? St Ignatius can help with our questions, introspection and discovery. The heart of Christian discernment is the act of bringing available options to prayer and seeing which option gives us the greatest sense of God’s presence, peace and joy. We are all called to holiness but not ‘perfection’. We are all in-process, growing-in-intimacy, with Christ. Remember, Saints are “sinners who keep trying.” Strive to increase your inner goodness, your ‘light’. Finally, living our virtues - our attitudes and efforts to do good and give the best of ourselves and to grow in serving the “domestic church” too, that of our family. The Good News becomes our way of being, doing and talking.