This past weekend at Easter Vigil, Melody and Elizabeth were Baptized and Gerry, Emeril, Stephanie and Jessica made their Profession of Faith and were Confirmed. With Sam, they celebrated the Sacrament of First Eucharist - bringing all of them into full communion with the Church. No more dismissals after the homily - they have joined us at the table of the Eucharist where hunger and thirst is satisfied!
Sacramental initiation does not end at the Easter Vigil; our newest members, neophytes, now enter into the period of Mystagogy. This is a time of reflection and savoring the mysteries experienced through initiation. They will continue to meet with the OCIA Team and their Sponsors for discussion on how each can continue their journey as Catholic Christians living as disciples of Christ. During Mystagogy we will invite everyone to participate more fully in the parish community so that their faith may continue to be nourished and the faith community may be enhanced by the witness of its newest members.
Conversion is the ever-present call to grow in faith and live out that faith by deepening our relationship with God and one another.
Each of us is tremendously important to God’s plan! As Laity (our designation at baptism) we are here to help serve the Kingdom of God. We live out our baptismal call when we participate in eucharistic liturgy (priestly-role), speak the word of God (prophet-role) and as we take part in Christ’s ministry of service and love to all (kingly-role). Gifts, given by the Holy Spirit at baptism, are 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, gifts or ‘call’ is? The word for this is ‘charisms’. Charisms, or spiritual gifts, are special abilities given to all Christians by the Holy Spirit. It gives power to both represent Christ and to be a channel of God's goodness. Extraordinary or ordinary, all charisms ought to be exercised in the service of God (See: CCC 799-801). St Ignatius can help with our questions, introspection and discovery. The heart of Christian discernment involves bringing available options to prayer and seeing which option gives the greatest sense of God’s presence, peace and joy. Strive to increase your inner goodness, your ‘light’. Living our virtues becomes our way of being, doing and speaking.