- The time right after initiation, the Honeymoon by way of analogy, is a time where falling away can occur. Learning and receiving the initiating Sacraments are a necessary but brief part of the Christian walk. Every Christian needs ongoing Catechesis with an objective measure of progress. Church provides the anchoring.
KJV Prov 25:2 It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.
We are kings and queens, seated in heavenly places (Eph 2:6). Chronicles of Narnia (Lucy, Peter, Susan, Edmund (who does not follow the rightful command of Aslan, with sorrowful consequences). Recall Baltimore Catechism council for the Church Militant of following the orders of our King & Queen to govern effectively in our sphere of influence.
Adult converts are different than a cradle Catholic. You are so blessed never lived a day without the Eucharist. Normative. The child slow awakening of senses and intellect. Post reception period treated with profound reverence, gentler and accepting with the new Catholics. They have a right to infancy, slow growth with nurturing of them.
Liturgy re-presentation of Calvary. We have lost Sodalities, confraternities, coffees, picnics…
VII. Wellspring of Worship[1] gives a beautiful illustration of what this Walk should look like and be infused with.
Jean Corbon, heavily influenced the CCC 2nd edition. French priest, with the Greek- Catholic eparchy of Beirut. These brief quotes are but a taste of the text. Mine is heavily marked and was hard to know where to stop!
“According to the felicitous formula of the Fathers (Apostle’s Creed my clarification) and the early councils, only via the economy do we enter the theology; that is the Blessed Trinity reveals itself to us only in its love-inspired plan that is carried out for the sake of man and in conjunction with him.”
Trinity reveals Itself to us and for us. Prepositions matter.
Maximus the Confessor (580-662) monk, theologian, and scholar. Venerated in the East, West, Anglicans, and Lutherans. Maximus states, “only in the liturgy do we experience the theology and know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you sent. (Jn 17:3)”
Only in the Eucharist do we find Jesus physically present.
Mystagogy, ongoing catechesis, study of the economy of salvation, work of the Father.
“He who “has been begotten before all ages” leads us into the mystery and makes known to us that the living and true God is a Father.
God is Father, speaks the Word, and Breathes the Word.
River of Life, heart of history, which leads to Communion.
[1] The Wellspring of Worship, Jean Corbon trans. Matthew J. O’Connell (Ignatius Press: San Francisco 1988) 30-32
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