Looking At The Historical Dynamics Of Lent And The RCIA
In Apostolic times, Lent was unknown in the Church. The Acts of the Apostles tells us that on Pentecost Day, 5,000 were baptized. The need for instructions was not necessary because the Jewish people understood the meaning of the Savior’s coming. So it was easy for them to accept Peter’s preaching – and be converted to the Gospel and be baptized. When the Church spread into pagan lands, they didn’t know the history of God’s People. More instruction about the promised Christ was required.
In the earliest days of Church, there were many Church centers, “independent” of one another (e.g., Rome, Jerusalem, Constantinople, and Alexandria in Egypt). Each local Church developed its own liturgical customs, sharing them with each other. In 3rd century Rome, Lent was a one-week period (Palm Sunday to Holy Saturday) to prepare new members for initiation into the Church during the Easter Vigil. During this week, the Church offered prayers for the new members, final instructions were given, and baths of purification were taken. By the 4th century, Lent became a 40-day preparation period.
In 4th century Alexandria, Egypt, a penitential season was observed for the purpose of reconciling penitents before Holy Thursday so they could participate in the Eucharist during the Sacred Triduum (Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter). Lent imitated Jesus’ 40-day fast in the desert after his baptism. In Alexandria, Lent had no connection with baptism.
In Rome, Holy Saturday’s Easter Vigil was the only celebration of the year when new members were initiated as they celebrated “the Lord’s Passover” from this world to the Father. In baptism new Christians joined in the Lord’s Passover from death to life, promising to die to sin and a self-centered life and to live for God in Christ within the Church community. Their initiation on Holy Saturday was a visible sign that the risen Christ was calling new disciples into the Church.
When the Church became well-established in Rome, fewer adults were baptized. The 3-year catechumenate of instruction into the Church ended because parents now brought their infants for baptism. The original meaning of baptism as conversion, accepting Christ’s Gospel, and becoming active members of Christ’s visible Body naturally was de-emphasized. Infants cannot make such a personal commitment.
The Church faced a new situation. Infant baptism required the development of a theology to explain the necessity for infant baptism. The Church taught that baptism washes away the stain of original sin. Unfortunately, baptism became a more individualistic approach to salvation, and the connection to becoming a visible member of Christ’s Body on earth lost emphasis. It’s easy to see how parents could bring their infants for baptism “to wash away original sin” without desiring to be active members of the Church, or raising their children in the Church’s faith (a problem persisting to this day).
Vatican II restored the baptismal character to Lent. Lent is a time of purifying ourselves and asking God to enlighten us in the ways of Christ, which begins in the Rite of Election (RCIA, par 138). Our bishop celebrates the Rite of Election on the First Sunday of Lent in the Cathedral with those to be initiated on Holy Saturday. This rite celebrates our belief that faith is God’s gift to us; we have done nothing to deserve it.
Celebrating this rite as a diocese reminds us that we are members not only in our parishes, but in our diocese and the worldwide church. Pope Leo I added the four days prior to the First Sunday of Lent, beginning on Ash Wednesday. The RCIA seems to imply that that Rite of Election “officially” opens the Lenten Season. The days prior to this Rite could be understood as “warm-up days.”
Joggers do stretching exercises to avoid getting leg cramps. We might consider these “warm-up” days as we move into Lent. We don’t take these days less seriously, but we know it takes time to move into the season of Lent.
