MYSTAGOGY - AN EXPERIENCE FOR ALL OF US - by Deacon Marty McIndoe

MYSTAGOGY – EXPERIENCING THE MYSTERIES

In the RCIA program, the period following the reception in to the Church is known as a period of Mystagogy. Mystagogy is a time where the mysteries of the Church are revealed to the new Catholics. It is revealed through their experience of the Sacraments and through all that the Church offers them. Although teaching is involved, experience and sharing about that experience is the way the mysteries are revealed. The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (Chicago, 1988) manual states: “. The purpose of the mystagogy is to enable the newly baptized to draw from their sacramental experience a new sense of the faith, the Church, and the world”. As a leader in the RCIA program in my parish, I try to encourage our Neophytes to experience as much as they can, the resources that the Church offers them. Truly, I believe that this is good for all the people of the Church as well.

Those who have gone through the RCIA program have experienced at Easter NEW LIFE. They are, in a spiritual sense, born anew. I have truly seen, throughout the years, a big change in them. They are more alive in the faith. We established Catholics have also been enlivened by experiencing all that Lent and Easter has given us. Our faith should truly be renewed. I believe that a period of mystagogy is appropriate for us too. We need to experience all that the Church offers us, and there is so much. We are constantly called to grow in our faith by using the sacraments and other tools that the Church gives us. When we grow in our faith we become more of who God wants us to be. When we do that, we become happier, more fulfilled and more at peace. We can grow in our experience of all that the Holy Spirit gives us by receiving the Spirit’s gifts and fruits. Literally, we can set the world on fire.

I would like to share some of my thoughts on how to do this. I thought that I would do this in a list format. Sometimes it is good to have a list of some of the things that the Church can offer to us so that we can grow in our faith. Here is a list (certainly not a full one) of things that will help us to grow in our faith:

TWELVE STEPS TO HELP US GROW IN OUR FAITH

1 – Go to mass at least every Sunday. The mass is the Summit and Source of our faith. In the mass we hear God’s Word proclaimed and explained and we receive the most precious gift of His Body and Blood. We pray together and experience community and are sent forth. I attend daily mass because I believe it can do more for me than anything else.

2 – Pray. When you are in Love with someone, communication is a natural expression of that Love and a way that Love can grow. Prayer is communication with God. There are so many ways to pray. I love praying the Liturgy of the Hours. It is now so easy to do and so available by placing an app on your smart phone. I use the ibreviary app. It is a no cost app. Try it out, you will be glad that you do. I would suggest at least praying Morning prayer and Evening prayer.

I also like to use what I call “gut” prayer. This is totally spontaneous and can be done at any time. It comes from deep within us, our “gut”. Sometimes my gut prayer is filled with praise and thanksgiving. Often it is filled with “why me God?” And “why are you allowing this to happen?” It is a prayer of honesty and truth and feelings.

3 – Eucharistic Adoration. This is also a form of prayer, but it goes beyond regular prayer. It is a time to adore the Lord as he is present to us in His Risen Body in the Eucharist. It is certainly a time for prayers of thanksgiving and praise but can also be a time for prayers of supplication. I go to Eucharistic Adoration at least once a week.

4 – The Sacrament of Reconciliation. St. Paul tells us that we have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God. All means all. Christians too sin. Even the Pope goes to confession. There is no doubt that when I do something that I know is wrong, or more often, fail to do something I know that I should have done, I immediately ask for God’s forgiveness. However, it is very freeing to regularly confess our sins to a priest and to hear him give us God’s forgiveness.

5 – The Rosary. I love praying the rosary. I try to do it every day. In the rosary you can meditate on the mysteries of God’s touch to mankind. The rosary is meant to be a meditative prayer where we literally focus on many of the stories from the scriptures about our salvation. I look at it as a mini-course on God’s love and action.

6 – The Bible. The Bible is a special gift that the Church has given to the world. In it we hear God’s Word and receive direction and support for our lives. Every liturgy that the Church does has at least one reading from the Bible. We should listen closely to it at every liturgy but it also should have a special place in our homes. The Catholic Church has given us the Bible and it is up to the Catholic Church to help us understand it. I highly recommend using a Catholic study guide; My favorite is The Word Among us. Going to a good Catholic Bible study is great (stay away from Protestant ones as they can misinterpret the Bible). There are many online resources to help us (see last page).

7 – Charity and Service. Every Christian is called to be a person of action. We are called to feed the poor, heal the sick, visit the lonely and those in prisons etc. Every parish has some sort of ministry to help us do that. Check it out and become involved. Put your faith in to action.

8 – The Blessed Virgin Mary. The Lord literally gave His mother to us to help us in our journey towards Him. Since the very beginnings of the Church Mary has been held in high esteem and has helped the Church and all Christians in many ways. It is good to learn about Mary and to ask her intercession in your life. She loves you as her own son or daughter.

9 – The Saints. The Saints were all ordinary people just like you and me. They struggled with the same things we struggled with and they were able to grow so close to Jesus and follow Him that the Church assures us that they are in heaven. They intercede for us in prayer and they love it when we ask them to do so. Try to learn as much as you can about the Saints and learn from them how to follow the Lord.

10 – Go on a Retreat. A retreat is simply a time set aside for you to get away from the normal distractions in life and to draw closer to the Love that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit have for you. Some retreats have themes, and some are simply quiet time with the Lord. Try one, you will love it.

11 – Visit Holy Sites. Throughout the world there are places that one would consider a Holy Site. It might be one because of its history and what happened there, or it could be just an ordinary place that has been set aside for people to visit and grow closer to God. I have been fortunate to visit many Holy Sites throughout the world, including the Holy Land, Rome and several places where Mary has appeared. I have one Holy Site nearby, The Shrine of Our Lady of the Island that I love to visit and spend time with the Lord.

12 – Be Proud to be Catholic. The more you learn about the Church, the prouder you will be. Yes, the Church is not perfect (the priest sex scandal shows us that), but it is something that Jesus Himself started and maintains. No other organization on this planet has lasted as long as the Church has. It is an instrument of God’s grace. Let your pride in the Church show. Tell others about it.

There are so many other resources that the Church offers us that we should take advantage of. I have compiled a partial list of some important Internet Resources and include that here. There are also so many great books out there that you could (should) read. Perhaps another time I will look in to that. May our good Lord bless you in your walk with Him.

CATHOLIC INTERNET RESOURCES

CATHOLIC WEB SITES

SITES EVERY CATHOLIC SHOULD USE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THEIR FAITH:

The Vatican: www.vatican.va (choose English in the menu at top right)

EWTN: www.ewtn.com

New Advent: www.newadvent.org

Catechism of the Catholic Church: www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm

US Conference of Bishops: www.usccb.org

Catholic Answers: www.catholic.com

News Vatican: www.news.va

Catholic News Service: www.catholicnews.com

Rome Reports: (video news) www.romereports.com Choose English at top right