March 11, 2009
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Breaking Open the Word By James Cavanagh March 15: Third Sunday of Lent Overview: For catechumens preparing for baptism at Easter, Lent is a time of purification and enlightenment. This Sunday the first “Scrutiny” will be celebrated as part of that process. The Scrutinies are special rites “meant to uncover, then heal all that is weak, defective or sinful in the hearts of the elect” (RCIA, p. 78). In the first Scrutiny, God drives out Satan and the “spirit of deceit” so that the catechumens “may attain purity of heart and advance on the way to salvation” (RCIA, p. 84). This week’s readings shed light on these rites, especially the Gospel where Jesus drives out the money changers from the Temple. John’s placement of the cleansing of the Temple at the beginning of his Gospel is significant as it symbolizes the cleansing of one’s soul in preparation for Christian initiation. The baptismal theme is accentuated by the fact that the cleansing occurs between the wedding at Cana where Jesus turns water into wine, and the story of Nicodemas who is told, “Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of heaven” (Jn 3:5). In order for one to be “born again” and receive the “new wine” of God’s kingdom, God must first “drive out” evil. In the first reading, the Ten Commandments are given to enlighten the people so they can “advance on the way to salvation.” The commandments “point out the conditions of a life freed from the slavery of sin” (Catechism No. 2057). To those whose lives are governed by secular values, however, following Christ and obeying God’s commandments is sheer folly (second reading). Key verse: “He made a whip out of cords and drove them all out of the temple area” (Jn 2:15). “Catechism of the Catholic Church”: “Since baptism signifies liberation from sin and from its instigator the devil, one or more exorcisms are pronounced over the candidate. The celebrant then anoints him with the oil of catechumens, or lays his hands on him, and he explicitly renounces Satan. Thus prepared, he is able to confess the faith of the Church, to which he will be “entrusted” by baptism” (No. 1237). Pope Benedict XVI: “The whole of man is required for the knowledge of God: understanding, will and heart. In practical terms, that means that living in accordance with the commandments is a part of belonging to the pilgrim fellowship of faith, the fellowship of those traveling toward God” (Benedictus, Jan. 17). Application: Catechumens and those who will be entering into full communion with the Catholic Church at Easter are a real inspiration to the rest of us, and a blessing to the Church. By their actions and the rites that prepare them for the Easter sacraments, we are reminded that following Christ takes courage and conviction. The world may judge them as “fools” for taking their faith so seriously, but once a person is purified from “the spirit of deceit” and enlightened with the truth of the Gospel, there’s no turning back. |
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