RCIA, Session 14 - Lent and the Scrutinies

RCIA – Lent and the Scrutinies #14

Week #14

Lent andthe Scrutinies


The Seasonof Lent


About the Season of Lent

� Lent is a forty-day period during which Roman Catholics prepare themselves to celebrate the Easter mysteries. It is also the period during which adults are prepared to receive the SACRAMENTS OF INITIATION at the Easter Vigil.



� The Season of Lent runs from Ash Wednesday up to the night of the Sacred Triduum (Holy Thursday). The forty days do not include the Sundays that fall during that period because Sundays, the day commemorating the Lord's resurrection cannot be days of fasting and abstinence.



� During Lent, Catholics devote time to prayer, perform works of charity and mercy and deny themselves by fulfilling obligations more faithfully.

� During Lent all Christians are called to strengthen their resolve to turn away from sin and to embrace God's grace.



� In the periodical Today's Catholic Answer (May/June 2006), Fr. Francis Hoffman offers the traditional formulation for the forty days of Lent:



� "The forty days of Lent begin on Ash Wednesday and finish at Sundown Holy Saturday, or at the moment the Easter Vigil begins. The Sundays of Lent are not counted in the forty days of Lent because Sunday is always a feast day and is not regarded as a day of fasting and penance."


When Does Lent Finish?

� Lent ends at the beginning of the Sacred Triduum (the night of Holy Thursday), when Christians commemorate JESUS' LAST SUPPER, PASSION, DEATH AND RESURRECTION.


The Word "Lent"

� Lent is an Anglo-Saxon word referring to the season when the days become longer, i.e., Spring.


The Word "Lent"

� The Latin word for Lent is Quadragesima meaning the fortieth hour. The early church had a period of forty hours of fasting prior to the Easter celebration.


The Word "Lent"

� The Early Church by 4th - 5th Centurieshad a period of forty days of daily instruction to prepare people to be baptized on Easter. During this period, the rest of the church prayed and fasted in solidarity with them.


The Season of Lent� As Christianity became the state religion,

the emphasis was more on the fast and practice of self-renunciation in order to bring and keep new converts more securely in the fold.

� Six weeks of Lent was only a preparation to a fast of exceptional severity maintained during Holy Week. ns, attending Mass more frequently, daily examination of conscience.


Why Forty Days?

� Jesus spent forty days in the wilderness fasting and praying in preparation for his ministry.

� Moses and Elijah fasted for forty days in the wilderness.

� It recalls the forty years the Jews spent wandering in the desert being prepared to enter the Promised Land.


Ash Wednesday� Use of Ashes was a devotional imitation of

practices observed by Public Penitents.� Palm Fronds from the previous year's Palm

Sunday are burned.� Symbol of mourning (sackcloth and ashes

in the Old Testament)� Remembrance of mortality (from Ash

Wednesday – "Remember you are dust and unto dust you shall return").


Why Forty Days?

� Jonah gave Nineveh forty days of grace to repent or face destruction.

� Noah saw the earth washed for forty days of rain and flood as God prepared to make a new covenant with man.


About Easter

� The annual celebration of Easter is not an Apostolic Tradition. Rather, the early church celebrated the resurrection every Sunday and each Friday was for fasting in remembrance of the Lord's Death on Friday.


About Easter

� Easter is celebrated on the Sunday after the first full full moon following the Spring Equinox. It can be as early as March 23rd

and as late as April 25th.


Lent Today

� Over a forty-day period through penance and acts of charity, mercy and self-denial Catholics deepen their commitment to Christ and recall their Baptism.


What to do During Lent

� The Church had a variety of disciplines and approaches to celebrating Easter that evolved over time.

� In the past, Christians would give up all ‘rich' food and drink during Lent. This meant foods such as meat, eggs, fats and milk products weren't eaten.


What to do During Lent

� During Lent, many Christians try to ‘give up' or ‘stop having' something they like. Faithful might be sacrifice chocolate or something like video games.

� They do this to remember Jesus' struggles in the desert, when he didn't have food or drink and also to see if they can resist being tempted, like Jesus did in the desert.


To Give Up for Lent

� Lent is a time for Christians to remember Jesus' struggles in the desert and how he didn't give in to temptation.

� If you were giving up something for Lent, what would it be?

� Why would it be difficult for you to give it up?


To Give Up for Lent� FRIDAYS are special throughout the year.

In memory of Christ's suffering and death, the Church prescribes Friday throughout the year as a penitential day but during Lent laws of abstinence apply to all Fridays.

� FASTING is required for all Catholics age 18-60 on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. To fast means to have only 1 full meal per day.


To Give Up for Lent

� ABSTINENCE from eating MEAT is required for all Catholics from age 14years and older. Abstain from any meat on Ash Wednesday and all Fridays. MEAT includes all beef, chicken, pork and fowl. It does not include fish or dairy products.


To Give Up for Lent

� GROWTH IN THE LORD IS ENCOURAGED BY OBSERVING PENITENTIAL PRACTICES THAT:

◦ Strengthen our ability to resist temptation

◦ Allow us to express sorrow for our sins◦ Repair damage caused by sin.


Practices from Matthew 6

� PRAYER – (Mt 6: 1-4) open yourself daily to God. Remember others in need. Daily Scripture Reading or devotions, attending Mass more frequently, daily examination of conscience.


Practices from Matthew 6� FASTING – (Mt 6: 16-18) Deal with

areas of servitude such as smoking, drinking, misuse of sexuality, gambling, inordinate use of TV or internet, gluttony etc. Going on a diet to lose weight does not qualify. Giving up candy while watching hours of TV a day is missing the point.


Practices from Matthew 6� ALMSGIVING – (Mt 6: 1-4) The giving of

your Time, Talent and Treasure to your parish and community.


The Sacred Triduum


The Sacred Triduum

� "The Triduum embraces the liturgical services of the Lord's Supper (Holy Thursday evening) and the Lord's Passion (Good Friday) and concludes with the Easter Vigil…


Holy Thursday

� "Holy Thursday is typically not a day of fast and abstinence because it is a great feast day commemorating the institution of the Holy Eucharist."


Good Friday

� "Good Friday is a day of fast and abstinence and those who are able are encouraged to continue the fast and abstinence on Holy Saturday."


The Triduum

� "It's important to distinguish here between the forty-day Lenten Season of Penance, which extends from Ash Wednesday through Holy Saturday (apart from Sundays) and the liturgical services of the Triduum, which take place in the concluding days of that season."


The Lenten Scrutinies


The RCIA Process

� The Catholic Church is the fastest growing (in number of new converts) Church in America (200,000 converts per year). As of 2006, there are 63 million Catholicstoday in the United States.


What is a Scrutiny?

� The Second Vatican Council (Vatican II) restored the emphasis on preparation for those receiving the Sacraments of Initiation.


What is a Scrutiny?

� During Lent, adults who are seeking to become Catholics enter into a period called "Purification and Enlightenment." These adults are called the "elect."

� These elect are preparing to receive the Sacraments of Baptism, the Eucharist and Confirmation at the Easter Vigil liturgy.


What is a Scrutiny?

� WHAT IS A SCRUTINY? WHAT ARE THE TWO KEY DIMENSIONS FOUND IN THE CONTEMPORARY RITES FOR THE SCRUTINIES?


What is a Scrutiny?� A SCRUTINY reminds people of an

examination, whereby the examiner publicly scrutinizes their every word and deed. The Latin word, Scrutinum, refers to a piercing of the heart. It involves being penetrated by the word of God so that one is moved to renounce sin and seek God's assistance to come to a full conversion.


What is a Scrutiny?

� The Scrutiny Rites are also an attempt to heal all that is weak and sinful in their hearts and to strengthen all that is upright and good. The two key dimensions are:

1. TURNING FROM SIN2. TURNING TO CHRIST.


What is a Scrutiny?

� On the Third, Fourth and Fifth Sundays of Lent, the elect celebrate the Scrutinies. These are prayerful rites that occur during Mass in which the elect examine the hold sin has on their lives and seek the healing grace that restores their relationship with God.


What is a Scrutiny?

� A SCRUTINY is defined as a searching study, an inquiry and an examination.

� The Scrutinies "are meant to uncover, then heal, all that is weak … or sinful in the hearts of the elect."


What is a Scrutiny?

� Lent "is intended as well to enlighten the minds and hearts of the elect with a deeper knowledge of Christ the Savior."


What is a Scrutiny?

� Carefully chosen passages from the Gospel of John are read on the Lenten Sundays for The Rite of Scrutiny. These Gospel Passages invite us to identify what binds us to sin, blinds us to truth and takes away our freedom to live in perfect relationship with God.


The First Scrutiny

� The Gospel for the FIRST SCRUTINY is John 4: 4–42, the Samaritan Woman at the Well.


The First Scrutiny

� Jesus touches the heart of the sinful woman and she receives his living water. Through her testimony others are drawn to seek out Jesus, the Lord.


The Second Scrutiny

� The Gospel for the SECOND SCRUTINY is John 9: 1–41, Jesus and the man born blind.

� Jesus leads the man born blind to the Kingdom of Light. Others remain blind to the false values surrounding them.


The Third Scrutiny

� The Gospel for the THIRD SCRUTINY is John 11: 1–44, Jesus raising Lazarus from the Dead.


The Third Scrutiny

� Jesus is sent to save us from death and sin and to lead us to a new life lived in full communion with the Holy Trinity. Freed from the power of evil, we bear witness to new life in the Risen Christ.


The Our Father & Nicene Creed

� WHAT IS THE PURPOSE BEHIND THE PRESENTATIONS OF THE CREED AND THE OUR FATHER? WHY ARE THESE RITES CALLED "TRADITIONES."



� THE PRESENTATIONS OF THE CREED AND THE OUR FATHER are the final major instructional events of the catechumenate. According to RCIA #147, "The presentations, by which the church hands on to the elect its ancient documents of faith and prayer lead them to enlightenment or illumination."



� The Profession of Faith (Creed) recalls the wonderful work of God for the salvation of man; it deepens the faith and joy of the elect. In the Lord's Prayer, they acknowledge more firmly the new spirit of sonship by which they will call God their Father, especially in the midst of the congregation assembled for the Eucharist.


About "Presentation"� The Latin term for Presentations is

Traditiones, or the handing over of our sacred traditions of beliefs and prayer. Here, we share with the candidates something precious to the community. Our traditions come from the heart. They stand as a symbol of our faith, our living relationship with God and serve as a guarantee of authentic faith.


Symbolism of the Fish


Symbolism of the Fish� The fish is an ancient Christian symbol

known from the 1st century catacombs in Rome. The first literary reference to a fish as a Christian symbol is from Clement of Alexandria (born c. 150) in Paedogogus, III, xi. During times of persecution, early Christians would scratch a fish symbol on the ground as a means to distinguish friend from foe.


Symbolism of the Fish

� The symbol itself may have come from the miraculous Story of the Loaves and Fishes (Jn 6: 1-13) or from the meal of fish Jesusshared with His disciples at the Sea of Galilee after the Resurrection (Jn 21:1-13).

RCIA, Session 14 - Lent and the Scrutinies

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