“Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations,…teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” we hear the risen Lord instruct his followers after his Resurrection. We, the descendants of those first followers, are given the same command. Not only are we to live according to the Gospel ourselves, we are called to share the Good News of our salvation with everyone, call them to discipleship and teach them all that our Lord taught us.
This weekend, we join with the Church throughout our nation and around the world in celebrating Catechetical Sunday. This year, the theme is “Enlisting Witnesses for Jesus Christ.” Those whom the community has designated to serve as catechists will be called forth at the 9:30am Mass to be commissioned for their ministry. And, I will ask God’s blessing on all parents who are present as well, praying that God may strengthen them in their resolve to share the precious gift of their faith with their children.
Catechetical Sunday is an important opportunity to reflect on the role that each person plays – by virtue of Baptism – in handing on the faith and being a witness to the Gospel. It is a moment for all of us to rededicate ourselves to this mission as a community of faith. And, at this moment, as we all continue to struggle with the recent Grand Jury Report and the fallout from the mishandling of clergy sex abuse issues by some of our bishops and Cardinals and, perhaps even Pope Francis, we need to remind ourselves about who we are, as a Church. As George Weigel wrote so well in an article that appeared in the 31 August 2018 edition of the Wall Street Journal, we aren’t – or shouldn’t be – at Mass on Sunday because we admire the pope of the day, or our local bishop, or our pastor. We come to Mass on Sunday to hear what we believe to be the Word of God in Scripture and to enter into what we believe to be communion with God because of Jesus Christ. As we heard Peter declare just a few Sundays ago when Jesus asked him, “Do you also want to leave?” Peter’s response is critical for us today: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words to eternal life” (Jn 6:69).
Since we believe in Jesus, the Word of Life, it is especially important for the parents of our children to reflect on this and rededicate themselves to this essential aspect of their responsibility toward their children – being witnesses for Jesus Christ. As the Second Vatican Council states so clearly, “parents must be acknowledged as the first and foremost educators of their children.” To emphasize this point, it goes on to say that “their role is so decisive that scarcely anything can compensate for their failure in it” (Declaration on Christian Education, §3). The Catechists who will be commissioned this week can only reinforce and codify the lessons that parents teach their children at home, both by word and example. We, the parish staff, recognize this and so we try to work closely with the parents of our students in both our parish school and our parish religious education program (PREP) so that each of us can fulfill our proper role in raising our children in the ways of the faith.
Catechesis is a distinct and special ministry in the Church. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church makes clear, “Catechesis is intimately bound up with the whole of the Church’s life . . . her inner growth and correspondence with God’s plan depend essentially on catechesis” (§ 7). This ministry of teaching in the name of the Church has a profound dignity, which is why catechists are formally commissioned by the Church. It is most appropriate that we set aside a day to highlight this ministry and invite the entire Church community to think about our responsibility to share our faith with others.
For those of you who are unclear as to the meaning of “catechesis”, allow me to clarify; it might be more familiar than you think. It comes from the same word from which we derive “catechism” and we all know that a catechism is a compendium of the Church’s teachings. The latest version of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, published in 1997, should be next to your Bible on your bookshelf or among your Favorites on your computer for easy and frequent reference. The root word, κατα-καλεώ, is a Greek word meaning “to echo, or resound.” Catechesis is the act of resounding or bringing the Church’s teachings to the world. A catechist is one who teaches in the name of the Church. That’s why it’s essential that every catechist, whether he or she is a parent or one commissioned by the Church, knows well and accepts the teaching of the Church. Only then, can he or she be a faithful witness for Jesus Christ.
Catechesis provides the basic teachings of our Church to help us develop a spiritual foundation upon which we will be able to address the issues we all face in our lives. In a world where so many have forgotten God or turned away from God, catechesis leads us to understand that God is very important to us. Especially today, when so many people live simply according to their feelings and for their personal gain, catechesis teaches that we are made in the image and likeness of God and that true happiness is found in following His commands, especially the command to love God and our neighbor. After all, God has made us all for Himself and, as St. Augustine said so well, our hearts are restless until they rest in God.
As we begin another school year, let’s all rededicate ourselves to learning about and deepening our faith so that, as witnesses for Jesus Christ, we may lead others – especially our children – to him with renewed zeal. And, let me take this opportunity, in the name of our entire parish, to thank those who have heard the call to become catechists for our children; it is such an extremely important role you play in passing on the precious gift of our faith!