By: Bernadette Parrott
Welcome to our Faith Renewal Series that is exploring The ABCs of Being Catholic. We are invited on a journey through the alphabet to explore Catholic terms, beliefs, and traditions. In this post we focus on the letter “E”. Each day we will add another term beginning with “E” to this post.
If you missed our Introduction to this series <click here>. To go back to the letter “D” <click here>. To go to the letter “F” <click here>.
Evangelization
January 7, 2021
– It all begins with each one of us –
So, it appears that there is one time when we, as individuals, can be the center of the universe. That time is when we evangelize. We are called into a mission at our Baptism: to zealously proclaim the Gospel even to the ends of the earth. This zealous proclamation of faith affords us the opportunity to proclaim the Good News – and to transform humanity, making it new – and it does begin with ourselves.
As we begin to evangelize ourselves, we then reach out into our families, our parish, our community and into the world. There are three distinctive elements to evangelization:
- Interior conversion to Christ and His Church
- Which affects not only an individual person, but the whole culture
- Which changes this culture and its institutions to make them more Christ centered
How do we go about deepening our own faith with a true commitment to the Gospel message? Especially now, many are experiencing a crisis of faith, but outside of this pandemic we are, as Catholics, being persecuted, silently sometimes, and are faith is being eroded because of it. If we make a commitment to renew our personal relationship with Jesus and His Church, the rest will follow naturally. We won’t turn into “bible preachers”, but we will shine; we will reflect the light of Jesus. It is this light that attracts people to Jesus. They do indeed want what we have!
The Holy Spirit will call us to seek a deeper understanding of what the Catholic faith really believes. He will change our attitude to Beatitude. He will affect everything from our language, our personality, our behaviour, our thoughts, and even our worship to be one with God and His Holy Church. This change of heart, this conversion, comes through the gift of Holy Spirit, comes through the ordinary relationships we have with our family and friends, comes through taking part in religious education programs, such as parish missions, and today, being actively engaged with our online Masses and drive through Holy Communion opportunities each and every day.
If we take what we receive each and every day and share that with those we encounter, we have evangelized. Then Jesus’ greeting of “Peace be with you”, will be embraced and we will have shared holiness, justice, spirituality, love and peace. This evangelization does not come because we understand all that the Holy Church teaches – it comes we have opened our hearts and minds to the Gospel message.
Let’s go back to the beginning….
How can I evangelize to myself? I live a life of faith. I take part in the Sacraments of the Church, especially the Eucharist as it truly is our source and our summit. I actively seek and take part in the Sunday Liturgy. I live my faith so others can experience it and share in it. I find time to learn more of the richness of the Catholic faith, to study its beauty and its strength.
How can I evangelize to my family? Love begins in the home. As a parent, I am the first and primary example of holiness to my family members. Through me, my spouse, my children and my extended family members will see this example brought to life. I should actively work to bringing the life of Church into my home by celebrating the Liturgical Calendar events, by encouraging and inviting family to join me in the life of faith.
How can I evangelize in my parish? My family of faith is my parish. I need this parish life to grown in my own faith, but I also need to be an active member of parish. Do I know other parishioners? Do I reach out to them in times I need spiritual support? Am I physically involved in the activities of parish life? On a personal note, you may know that normally I am a parishioner at St John Vianney. This pandemic, and the need for evangelization has called me out of that comfort zone. No longer a parishioner of St John, I now consider myself a parishioner of the Catholic Churches of Penticton. Without this outreach, I would never have met Sylvia (who is a registered parishioner at St Ann’s). I thank God everyday that this outreach has brought her into my life. I have been blessed with a deep friendship because I stepped into evangelization.
How can I evangelize in my community? How big is your “community”? Like you, I live my everyday life doing ordinary everyday things. I take care of my home, work, cook, clean, shop, attend Mass and with every ordinary thing I do I affect community. Have I shared a smile, laughed with someone, greeted someone, spent a moment speaking with the grocery store cashier, said thank you to a delivery person or someone who opened a door for me? All these moments are moments of evangelization. You would be surprized how such small encounters can open a door that allows for sharing your faith, for sharing the love of Jesus. These moments can be springboards that open up to amazing moments of communication and connection.
How can I evangelize to the world? “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.” (Matt 28:19). Well, that can most certainly be intimidating! We have so many opportunities to reach the ends of the world through simple acts of charity and generosity. Sponsoring a family or child through organizations such as Save a Family Plan, or donating through Chalice, a Catholic organization, these are all reaching the world without preaching to the multitudes. But, when someone asks you who the people are in the picture you have in your living room, or what kind of gift you gave at Christmas, you can tell them… ”that’s the family we are supporting in India, and we gave a family in Ethiopia the gift of clean water by sponsoring a well for their village. Then you have evangelized…you have shared your faith.
I invite you to build on foundation of evangelization – start with “you” and extend to the world.
It’s not always easy, but this command from our Lord is a lifestyle we choose and with the help of the Holy Spirit, each one of us can be effective at being Catholic evangelists.
Elizabeth and Zechariah
December 27, 2020
Today we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family. Let us consider the encounter Our Mother had with her cousin. How does this encounter herald in our lives our relationship with Mary, Our Mother, Joseph, the foster father of our Saviour and Jesus, Emmanuel?
I don’t often reflect upon the people of the Bible but, as the liturgical season of Advent has ended and we now celebrate the Christmas Season, I thought it would be wonderful to look back at the story of Elizabeth and her husband Zachariah. We find their story recorded in the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 1.
Zechariah was a priest and while praying in the temple, he is visited by the Angel Gabriel and told that even in their old age, his barren wife Elizabeth would conceive a son and they were to name him John. As you may know, when I read Scripture, I like to put myself into the story, and imagine myself as not just a bystander, but an active participant in it. This is a great example of when I find this practice so important to me.
Why is it important that the Bible tells us that Elizabeth is “advanced in years” and is barren? In Biblical times, fertility was viewed as a gift from God, and if one was barren, it was understood that the divine was withholding a blessing, that the woman was being punished by God, and too that these women were held in low regard. That she and Zechariah were “advanced in years”, held that this curse upon them had been with them for a very long time. Despite all this we are reminded that both of them were ‘upright in the sight of God and impeccably carried out all the commandments and observances of the Lord.’
How often do we feel that we are being denied gifts from Heaven that we think we deserve? Do we run from God or do we continue in our faith and follow the incredible example of Elizabeth and John and remain faithful? For me, this part of the story reminds me that nothing is impossible for God.
Zechariah’s response to Gabriel is one of disbelief. He has just been told that he will have a son and that he will be their joy and delight and great in the sight of the Lord, filled with the Holy Spirit. However, his lack of faith comes with a repercussion. Until his son is born, Zechariah was stuck mute and could no longer speak.
The second incredible moment is that the Angel has given Zechariah the name of his Son – John. This is also important for the practice at the time was to name your child after family members, continuing the family line. There was no one in their family named John.
In Elizabeth’s sixth month of pregnancy, this same Angel appears to a young woman is Nazareth. This young woman, a cousin to Elizabeth, is told of Elizabeth’s pregnancy and that she too will conceive a son and name him Jesus. Her response is much different that Zechariah’s. Mary leaves a quickly as she can and travels to be with her cousin. Here’s the part of the story that bring a smile to face and joy to my heart every time I experience it.
“As soon as Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. She gave a loud cry and said, ‘Of all women you are the most blessed, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. Why should I be honoured with a visit from the mother of my Lord? Look, the moment your greeting reached my ears, the child in my womb leapt for joy. Yes, blessed is she who believed that the promise made her by the Lord would be fulfilled.”
I remember when I knew I was I pregnant with my boys. There was an incredible sense of deep joy, that love itself had become a child who we would be responsible for, who we would teach all the things of earth and heaven to. God had truly given us a gift. As soon we knew, we shared that excitement with the whole of our family and all of our friends. This great new story unfolding in our lives could not be contained. And as we presented our children for Baptism, we knew that the Holy Spirit would be with them.
Mary didn’t tell Elizabeth about her pregnancy, that was revealed to her by God. She recognized the holiness of the child that Mary carried. She recognized the holiness of Mary, the Mother of God.
Just as Mary responded ‘yes’ to the call of God to be the Christ Bearer, she now recognizes the remarkable changes that will take place in her life with her Magnificat, her prayer of praise.
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour.
For he has looked with favour on his lowly servant.
From this day, all generations will call me blessed:
The Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name,
He has mercy on those who fear him in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm, he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel for he has remembered his promise of mercy, the promise he made to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his children for ever.
When John was presented for circumcision, I can just imagine the conversation taking place about his name. Everyone gathered were going to name him Zechariah after his father. Since Zechariah could not speak, the crowd gathered all centered on Elizabeth for a response. She continually repeated John. His name is John. Zechariah finally asked for a writing tablet and wrote for all to see “His name is John.” With this proclamation of affirmation from the original visit from the Angel Gabriel, Zechariah was able to speak again.
The story of Elizabeth and Zechariah is one of patience, of love, of acceptance, and of faith. What is our story calling us to?
Ecumenical Council
November 27, 2020
There has been 21 Ecumenical Councils of the Roman Catholic Church, each of them called to deal with a particular matter of faith including heresies that had arisen. The Ecumenical Council is a worldwide gathering called by the Pope of all the Church leaders. All bishops are called to participate, but others can also be invited. Of course, there are ‘procedures’ that need to be followed. First, a reason to hold the Council needs to be identified. Second, its goals are established. Then the Church prepares for the Council, the Council then takes place and finally the Council’s decisions are put into practice. This putting into practice can take some time. Just as you plant a seed, you need to water it, patiently wait as it matures and grows and then reap the joys and benefits.
Imagine having to fight for your religious beliefs and freedoms. Imagine starting from the beginning and having to define who you are as Church. Fortunately, there was a beginning. There was God. There was Jesus. There was the Holy Spirit. There were the apostles. There was Peter. There was Paul. There was the foundation and the teachings that came from Jesus. Today, we are most certainly still fighting for our religious beliefs and freedoms. We are being attacked and surrounded. It’s now, more than ever that we turn to the Councils formed so long ago and hold on tightly to what they stood for and what we now perhaps take for granted.
Not listed in the 21 Ecumenical Councils is the very first general gathering of the bishops of the Church – the Council of Jerusalem in AD 50 (Acts 15). Some councils, such as Ephesus, focused mainly on doctrinal work, others like Vatican II were mainly pastoral.
The first Council was Nicaea I in 325 AD. It condemned Arianism, which denied the divinity of Christ, the Holy Spirit, and the consubstantiality of the Father and the Son. It fixed a date for Easter and began the formulation of the Nicene Creed.
The third Council was Ephesus in 431. It condemned Nestorianism, which denied the unity of the divine and human in Christ, defined that Mary is the Mother of God (Theotokos), and condemned Pelagianism, which held that man could earn his own salvation through his natural powers.
In 451 the fourth council of Chalcedon was called. It condemned Monophysitism, which denied Christ’s human nature.
In 787, the seventh Council in Nicaea II was held. It condemned Adoptionism, which held that Christ was not the Son of God by nature but only by adoption.
In 1139 the tenth council of Lateran II reaffirmed baptism of infants, reaffirmed the sacramental nature of the priesthood, marriage, and the Eucharist and decreed that holy orders is an impediment to marriage, making the attempted marriage of a priest invalid.
In 1215, the twelfth council at Lateran IV ordered annual reception of penance and the Eucharist; and used the term “transubstantiation” to explain the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist.
In 1414, the council of Constance ended the Great Schism, opposed the teachings of John Wycliffe, who taught ‘sola scriptura’, denied the authority of the pope and bishops, denied the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist and wrote against penance and indulgences. It condemned as a heretic John Huss, who denied papal authority and taught wrongly about the nature of the Church. In 1457 his followers established what became known commonly as the Moravian Church, which was the first independent Protestant church.
The nineteenth council of Trent convened three times as there was three separate popes. It affirmed the Catholic doctrines against the errors of the Protestant Reformers, affirmed teachings on the role of the Bible and Tradition, grace, sin, justification by faith, but not faith alone, the Mass as a real sacrifice, purgatory, indulgences, jurisdiction of the pope, initiated the Counter-Reformation, reformed the clergy and morals; promoted religious instruction, ordered the establishment of seminaries for future training of priests.
In 1869 the twentieth council Vatican I took place. It was cut short by war and its work would be completed by Vatican II. It defined papal infallibility and primacy and condemned errors regarding the relationship between faith and reason.
In 1962, Vatican II took place. Not so long ago! I am a child of Vatican II as I was born in 1962. I vividly recall moments of change in the celebration of the Liturgy. Pastoral documents on the renewal and reform of the Church were issued intending to make the Church more effective in dealing with the contemporary world. I remember the language of the Mass changing from Latin to English (or the language of the people it was reaching). I remember the priest turning around and facing the people when saying Mass. I remember the Mass missal being placed into the hands of the parishioners attending Mass. I remember the day I received the call that I could be trained as an Altar Server. Today, we are still implementing the call of Vatican II.
Yet, Lord, you are our father, we are the clay and you our potter:
we are all the work of you hand. (Isaiah 64:7)
Easter Vigil
November 26, 2020
Yes, we are a long way from Easter, however this is a great time to talk about the beautiful celebration of the Easter Vigil. Many of us will consider Christmas to be the highlight of the year, but in our Liturgical Calendar that is not the case. It is Easter. The Easter Vigil is the most solemn memorial of the Liturgical Year. It concludes the Triduum and ushers in Easter Sunday – the Resurrection of Our Lord. I’ll cover this in more detail later in the series.
I have been intimately involved in the Easter Vigil since I became a member of the RCIA teams in Quesnel and Penticton. It is on this night that those who have journeyed through the RCIA process receive their Sacraments of Initiation. My words will never be able to express and convey the joy the fills my whole being on this night. To be a witness to the upwelling of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of those who have walked this journey and embark on their new one as members of the Catholic faith, enriches my own faith life.
The Vigil consists of four parts: Service of the Light, Liturgy of the Word, Liturgy of Baptism, and Liturgy of the Eucharist. The entire celebration takes place at night.
The Service of Light begins outside (weather permitting). A fire is lit and burning brightly. The priest is accompanied by his altar servers and a sacristan and the whole of the People of God gathered together surround this light. After the Greeting and Blessing of the Fire, our beautiful Easter Candle is prepared and lit from the fire burning before us. Now a single candle stands lit – the Easter (Paschal) Candle. As we enter the Church, that singular light is shared and passed on to each of us, the children of God and we too, light our vigil candles we have been cradling. We have entered a dark and empty church, but each candle illuminates the Church. The priest, who has been carrying the Easter Candle proclaims three times, “The Light of Christ” and our response is “Thanks be to God”. There can be no other response, as Christ is the One who illuminates our way to the Father. The Exsultet, the Easter Proclamation, closes the Service of Light. It is rich in symbolism and announces the dignity and meaning of the mystery of Easter is beautiful poetry. It tells of man’s sin, God’s mercy and the great love of Jesus.
The Liturgy of the Word during the Easter Vigil consists of seven readings, an Epistle and a Gospel. These readings open to us the wonderful works of God from the beginning of time. It is at this Mass we break out in song with our Solemn Alleluia, which has been silent since the beginning of Lent. Following the Homily, the Liturgy of Baptism begins.
The Liturgy of Baptism at the Easter Vigil is a beautiful, simple, and moving example of faith, of faith alive and growing. It is with one heart, that the community gathered, welcomes those who are not baptized to first experience the cleansing waters of Baptism, the seal of the Holy Spirit at their Confirmation and for those who have already been baptized in another faith, to embrace the richness of the Catholic Faith.
The Mass resumes with the Liturgy of the Eucharist and the whole community gathered is called to join in the reception of the Holy Eucharist, to take part in the Sacrifice of His death and resurrection. It is at this great celebration of the Church’s Liturgical Calendar that those who have been preparing to receive our Lord encounter him personally for the first time.
The Mass ends with the glorious and joyful “alleluia, alleluia, alleluia”.
If ever there is a time to celebrate our beautiful traditions and practices and richness contained in the Mass,
this is the night!
If you missed our Introduction to this series <click here>. To go back to the letter “D” <click here>. To go to the letter “F” <click here>.