Renewing Our Entire Community During Lent
Last time we showed how the season of Lent in the Roman Church was always connected with baptism as a period of preparation for new members for initiation into the Church during the Easter Vigil. We must always remember that the sacraments are never just for those who “receive” them. They are also for the entire assembly who participate in their celebration.
Therefore, the RCIA ritual continues with this instruction: “In the liturgy and the liturgical catechesis of Lent the reminder of baptism already received or the preparation for its reception, as well as the theme of repentance, renew the entire community along with those being prepared to celebrate the Lord’s death and resurrection, in which each of the elect will share through the sacraments of initiation. For both the elect and the community, therefore, the Lenten season is a time for spiritual recollection in preparation for the celebration of the Lord’s death and resurrection” (par 138).
The baptismal character of Lent is now restored for all Catholics. Once again we see that if Catholics enter into the season of Lent with faith and active participation, they will be renewed by God just as the new members are renewed both in their faith-sharing sessions and the rituals celebrated during Lent.
According to the RCIA, Lent is “a period of more intense spiritual preparation; more interior reflection than catechetical instruction … to purify the minds and hearts of the elect as they search their consciences and do penance. It is also intended to enlighten their minds and hearts with a deeper knowledge of Christ the Savior” (par 139). Lent serves the same purpose for all Catholics who are also renewed by searching their consciences to see how they are living as faith-filled baptized Christians by doing penance. We also ask the Holy Spirit to enlighten us about how we can serve the Lord with greater generosity. The journey of those to be initiated on Holy Saturday is also our journey because on Easter Sunday, we will also renew our baptismal promises.
Two rituals are celebrated for new members during Lent. The first is a “Penitential Rite” that takes place on the Second Sunday of Lent following the homily for those already baptized (called candidates, not “converts”). The candidates come forward with their sponsors before the assembly. The priest invites the Church silently to pray asking God to give the candidates a spirit of repentance, a deepened awareness of sin, and the true freedom of the children of God (par 468). The priest then invites the candidates to pray silently and, as a sign of their inner spirit of repentance, they bow their heads or kneel.
Intercessions for the candidates follow. The Church recognizes that Christ has already given them new life in their baptism. Now we pray for their sins to be forgiven and for the healing of any weakness within them. We pray that they may 1) come to a deeper appreciation of their baptism, 2) embrace the discipline of Lent as a means of purification and approach the sacrament of reconciliation with trust in God, 3) grow to love and seek virtue and holiness of life, 4) renounce self and put others first, 5) accept the call to conversion with an open heart and not hesitate to make any personal changes God asks of them, that the Holy Spirit help them overcome their weakness through his power. We also pray for ourselves that, in preparation for the Easter feast we too may seek a change of heart, give ourselves to prayer, and persevere in our good works.
Now what Catholic standing in prayer for these candidates will not recognize in their own lives the things we have prayed for in our candidates and perhaps be moved to change our lives as together we move towards Easter? The sacraments are never just for those who receive them, but for the whole church.
