On these Blogger pages we explore TOPICS in our desire to respond to Jesus' call to walk with Him in our world as his missionary disciples empowered by the Holy Spirit to bring to humanity the Good News of the Father's love manifested and given in Jesus, the Divine Mercy. G.S.
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There are 2 dimensions: social & personal
The Roman Catholic Church as "institution" requires preparation classes or formation on the part of those who seek or ask for sacraments. This is because the churches see here a challenge or contradiction in the "social dimension" of the faith, such as in the case of people who ask for sacraments but are not themselves practicing their faith; that is, they are not going to church much or at all.
Churches are under obligation to not treat the sacraments trivially, or with contempt, and to avoid making it easy for the people to also treat the sacraments - and therefore God - with contempt. In other words, proper care and attention must be given to people seeking sacraments to assure that they have the proper dispositions and motivations.
It is a contradiction to give the impression sacraments are important by asking for them, but then demonstrating that the sacraments are of no significance by ignoring them in actual practice of daily life, family life, family and work. This is how some parents give scandal to their children and harm their innocence by getting them excited about sacraments, but then rarely or never bringing them to church in order to grow in the experience of the sacraments and of God.
So, formation is an attempt, sometimes a feeble attempt, by churches - often with limited resources of finances and personnel - to accompany people seeking sacraments. In the early church, it was forbidden to say anything about the sacraments before they were received and experienced. They didn't want to give "spoilers" in advance; to leave people free to experience the sacraments with no advance indications. This was because those about to be baptized were adults, or at the very least youth, and it was very important for them to first experience the sacraments in a way that was "fresh". This heightened their attentiveness and allowed them to be more "sensitive" to the subtle ways in which God moves and works.
Only then, afterwards, were they given catecheses to help them reflect on what they had experienced. The Holy Spirit would help them recall what was happening within them during the celebration of the sacraments; as well as during the period of preparation leading up to the sacraments. These catecheses were called, in Greek, "mystagogia", which means "words about the mysteries" or about the "mysterious experience of God". This is because God always reveals something of himself, the Holy Trinity, through the sacraments. Every single time we receive sacraments, it is fresh, it is different, because we are different; who we were yesterday is gone, and who we are today is fresh and new. What we carry within us accumulates, making us different day by day. God's ultimate purpose is to bring us into an intimate personal relationship with the Most Holy Trinity, which introduces us into the eternal life which begins now and becomes fully experienced in heaven, in the permanent communion of saints in God.
That brings us to the second dimension, the "spiritual" or "mystical" dimension of the sacraments. We can be certain that God always does "his part" in the sacraments. New birth by water and the Holy Spirit is always given by God in Baptism; just as Jesus really communicates Himself to us in Holy Communion, as we participate in Holy Mass and receive his "transfusion of divine life and love" in Holy Communion.
What happens in Holy Communion is much like what happens when a baby nurses at its mother's breast: she gives of the "substance" of her life to her baby, but is not diminished by that. On the contrary, she becomes "more fully" mother in giving of herself to her baby in this way. So too does Jesus give of Himself to us in Holy Communion; it is really and truly a "transfusion of the divine life He has with the Father in the Holy Spirit". In this life, we cannot yet "retain" completely and fully his divine life in us; not as we will be able to do so in eternity.
So, for churches, the personal dimension raises such questions as: Are these people who are seeking sacraments also desiring a personal connection with God, or wanting to grow in their relationship with God, or else are they really not interested, but only wanting to go through the motions of cultural or family traditions; such as to please the grandparents, or for the pictures of milestone events?
So, the baptizing church wants to make sure parents and godparents are well disposed and personally motivated to participate in the sacraments; that they understand what they are seeking and that they intend to act in accordance with God's will.
Secondly, when the one being baptized is a baby or child, churches want to make sure parents and godparents are capable and fully intend to mentor their child into the future. We know God does his part, but a baby or child needs help to discover that God is real, God is present, God loves them, and they can have a personal connection with God in various ways. We all need to be mentored at every age and stage of life.
We can perceive God's majesty and power in the beauty and complexity of nature....
We can experience God's love through our parents, godparents, other family, friends, neighbours, and even strangers; such as in the church faith community.
We can open ourselves to God's love, beauty, goodness, and truth through contemplation of nature, in silence, going for a walk, at family meals, and in endless ways....
We can discover God's abiding presence, love, and help through the trials and difficulties of life: illness, weakness, disappointments, challenges, loneliness, misunderstandings, losses, tragedies, successes and failures, griefs and joys, etc.
We can open ourselves to God through prayer, personal private prayer - saying prayers, but also speaking and listening from our heart - and also communal prayer: at table with the family, together before bed, in church at Holy Mass Sundays and special seasons, and with others in other places and at other times....
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On these Blogger pages we explore TOPICS in our desire to respond to Jesus' call to walk with Him in our world as his missionary disciples empowered by the Holy Spirit to bring to humanity the Good News of the Father's love manifested and given in Jesus, the Divine Mercy. G.S.
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© 2006-2025 All rights reserved Fr. Gilles Surprenant, Associate Priest of Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montreal QC
© 2006-2025 Tous droits réservés Abbé Gilles Surprenant, Prêtre Associé de Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montréal QC
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