By Melissa Zint
Catechetical Sunday reflection
Catechetical Sunday is an opportunity to reflect on the role that each of us plays in the sharing of our faith and the ability to bear witness to the personal story God has written on our hearts within our daily interactions with Him. It is an opportunity for all to rededicate themselves to the mission of being a community of faith-filled people looking to touch the lives of our fellow Christians and non-believers.
After wandering along in my faith for several years, I entered the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults also known as RCIA six years ago during the fall of 2013 and became a member of the Catholic Church during the Easter season of 2014 through Holy Rosary Parish. Embracing the beauty of the sacraments, absorbing the educational aspect and understanding the historical relevance of the foundation of the Catholic Church became my mission during that time.
Several life events contributed to that specific moment of clarity as I was propelled to a place that allowed peace to settle in my soul. In due time, I recognized that in all the years of seeking elsewhere, my soul had found its way home. Inviting the Lord to lead in the uncertain moments allows one to recognize that He was laying the path, and the presence of the Holy Spirit offered a pure sense of peace that surpassed every ounce of my understanding.
Six years later I reflect on my personal experience within the RCIA process as I continue to help people who were seeking the way I had been searching. I chose to gladly accept the role of “sponsor” when the opportunity arose despite how busy my life appeared at that time. This opportunity is a faith-filled experience that I highly encourage one to say “Yes” to because the blessings will be evident in ways you never expected.
In becoming an active RCIA team member and trusting the Lord to work out all the details, I have been blessed with incredible people full of unwavering faith who are part of my church family but more importantly part of my life. Through faith sharing, not only is the opportunity to continue religious education in your personal faith journey available; but the ability to walk alongside people seeking to find the missing element in their life that has their soul craving for a deeper walk in their faith is worth every minute of time spent with the RCIA team.
My spirit feels an explosion of excitement each fall as I bear witness to new people stepping forward in faith and taking a leap into a space that is unknown and quite possibly uncomfortable. They say yes to RCIA in the expectation of joining in the body of Christ at the ultimate supper table during the Easter Vigil.
Faith sharing can leave a person breathless and in awe when thinking of the love that God has for each of us. Sharing your faith does not have to be complicated or fancy. His want for all is to be in union with Him as we were created as human beings to love Him. For many, the road taken may not always be easy and the burden may not feel light; but in the end, you will always have your faith to trust and lean into, and the ability to bring the Church’s teachings to the world.
It has been said that faith is daring the soul to go beyond what the eyes can see and from my perspective, there is no better opportunity to see faith in motion than when people make a choice to step forward in faith and say yes to the endless love that the Lord has for His children.
Find Melissa Zint on the service-oriented Facebook page **See a Need, Fill a Need** and join in her effort to serve the needs of our community. She is a member of Holy Rosary Parish in Evansville and volunteers in the RCIA program.