Last Sunday the Church celebrated the Feast of the Epiphany of the Lord. God’s revelation to the nations is represented by the Wise Men, coming from the East, to pay honor to the “King of the Jews”. Coinciding with that important celebration, Rev. Hector Cruz, S.M., at the 10:00 am Mass, had the “Rite of Acceptance into the Order of Catechumens” for nine candidates from different classes of our Religious Education Programs. From now on, at this Mass, up to the Easter Vigil celebration, where these candidates are to receive the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation and Communion), we will have special rites for them, as part of their journey of preparation.
These rites, that the Catechumens will go through, are very ancient, but they were lost in the course of the history of the Church and retaken after Council Vatican II. They, at first, may seem strange to us. But, to experience these rites, will help all of us to deepen in our own faith journey. Our Catechumens’ names are to be inscribed in a special book, “The Book of the Elect”, and will need to examine (scrutinize) how they are doing in this process; the areas of their lives where they are tempted, failing, or in need of conversion. Our Catechumens will really need to receive strength, so they will be anointed with the “Oil of Catechumens” and receive the support of their sisters and brothers in this community of faith. Let us then pray for them and ask the Lord, He continues working in them and in all of us, in the process of our transformation, giving us perseverance and strength.
