R.C.I.A.R.C.I.A.

Saint Mary Our Lady of GraceSaint Mary Our Lady of Grace

April 21April 21stst

Melissa HendrickMelissa Hendrick

Prayer RockPrayer Rock

I’m your little prayer rock and this is what I’ll I’m your little prayer rock and this is what I’ll do. Just put me on your pillow till the day do. Just put me on your pillow till the day is through. Then turn back the covers and is through. Then turn back the covers and climb into bed, and whack! Your little climb into bed, and whack! Your little prayer rock will hit you in the head. Then prayer rock will hit you in the head. Then you will remember as the day is through, you will remember as the day is through, to kneel and say your prayers as you to kneel and say your prayers as you wanted to.wanted to.

Then when you are finished just dump me Then when you are finished just dump me on the floor. I’ll stay the night to give you on the floor. I’ll stay the night to give you help once more. And when you get up the help once more. And when you get up the next morning…Clunk! I’ll stub your toe. next morning…Clunk! I’ll stub your toe. So you will remember your morning So you will remember your morning prayers right before you go.prayers right before you go.

Put me back upon your pillow when your Put me back upon your pillow when your bed is made and your clever little prayer bed is made and your clever little prayer rock will continue your aid. Because your rock will continue your aid. Because your heavenly Father cares and loves you so, heavenly Father cares and loves you so, He wants you to remember to talk to Him He wants you to remember to talk to Him you know.you know.

Jesus is “in love with us”Jesus is “in love with us”

How does it make you feel to know that How does it make you feel to know that someone of a higher being with power so someone of a higher being with power so great such as Jesus is “in love with you?”great such as Jesus is “in love with you?”

Knowing what you know about those who Knowing what you know about those who are in love with others what does that say are in love with others what does that say about how is going to treat you, take care about how is going to treat you, take care of you, and handle your needs?of you, and handle your needs?

Daily ReflectionsDaily Reflections

Reflections LinkReflections Link

Reflect on how this may impact Reflect on how this may impact

your daily life.your daily life.

Sacraments of InitiationSacraments of Initiation

““This is the Lamb of God,” proclaims the priest, This is the Lamb of God,” proclaims the priest, as the holds up the consecrated host. “Lord I as the holds up the consecrated host. “Lord I am not worthy, “ responds the congregation, as am not worthy, “ responds the congregation, as they prepare to receive Jesus in Holy they prepare to receive Jesus in Holy Communion.Communion.A notable feature of Catholicism is our belief in A notable feature of Catholicism is our belief in sacraments, physical signs in which point to sacraments, physical signs in which point to spiritual realities. Jesus taught that God touches spiritual realities. Jesus taught that God touches us through created things. Faith opens our eyes us through created things. Faith opens our eyes to see Christ and to meet him in the sacraments to see Christ and to meet him in the sacraments and liturgy of the Church.and liturgy of the Church.

God the Father, God the Son…God the Father, God the Son…

God the father is the source of all God the father is the source of all blessings granted in the liturgy. These blessings granted in the liturgy. These include everything God has said and done include everything God has said and done for us, from creation, through the Old for us, from creation, through the Old Testament, to the salvation granted in Testament, to the salvation granted in Christ.Christ.

God the Son, is not limited by time or God the Son, is not limited by time or space, nor is the paschal mystery of his space, nor is the paschal mystery of his passion. He speaks through scripture and passion. He speaks through scripture and acts through the sacraments.acts through the sacraments.

……God the Holy SpiritGod the Holy Spirit

God enables us to receive Christ’s life in the God enables us to receive Christ’s life in the liturgy in four special ways. First, the spirit liturgy in four special ways. First, the spirit prepares us to receive Christ by recalling the prepares us to receive Christ by recalling the attitudes of those who waited for the Savior. attitudes of those who waited for the Savior. Second, the Spirit calls to mind what Christ has Second, the Spirit calls to mind what Christ has done for us.done for us.Third, the Spirit empowers us to participate in Third, the Spirit empowers us to participate in Christ’s paschal mystery.Christ’s paschal mystery.Fourth, the Spirit unites us to Christ and to one Fourth, the Spirit unites us to Christ and to one another.another.

The Seven SacramentsThe Seven Sacraments

The Church calls us to recognize seven The Church calls us to recognize seven sacraments instituted by Christ: Baptism, sacraments instituted by Christ: Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Penance, Anointing of Confirmation, Eucharist, Penance, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Matrimony.the Sick, Holy Orders, and Matrimony.

Christ sent his apostles to evangelize so that Christ sent his apostles to evangelize so that people might be baptized and receive the people might be baptized and receive the sacraments. Christ acts through the sacraments sacraments. Christ acts through the sacraments so they can confer the grace they signify.so they can confer the grace they signify.

BaptismBaptism

Baptism is our entry into Christian life. Baptism is our entry into Christian life. Baptism comes form the Greek word Baptism comes form the Greek word baptisein, meaning “to immerse” or “to baptisein, meaning “to immerse” or “to plunge” into water. It symbolizes our plunge” into water. It symbolizes our participation in Christ’s death and participation in Christ’s death and Resurrection. Being immersed or washed Resurrection. Being immersed or washed in water signifies the removal (the “death”) in water signifies the removal (the “death”) of sin. Rising from the water symbolizes of sin. Rising from the water symbolizes our rising to the new life of grace. Baptism our rising to the new life of grace. Baptism is foreshadowed in the Old Testament. is foreshadowed in the Old Testament.

Foreshadowing of BaptismForeshadowing of Baptism

Noah’s ark saved humanity and brought a new Noah’s ark saved humanity and brought a new beginning, as does Baptism. The Exodus and beginning, as does Baptism. The Exodus and crossing of the Red Sea liberated the Israelites crossing of the Red Sea liberated the Israelites from slavery, as Baptism liberates us from sin. from slavery, as Baptism liberates us from sin. The crossing of the Jordan symbolizes our entry The crossing of the Jordan symbolizes our entry through Baptism into the Promised Land of through Baptism into the Promised Land of heaven.heaven.

The water and blood flowing from His side as He The water and blood flowing from His side as He died on the cross are signs of Baptism and the died on the cross are signs of Baptism and the Eucharist.Eucharist.

Baptism LinkBaptism Link

Think about those Baptism’s you may Think about those Baptism’s you may have witnessed in your lifetime. have witnessed in your lifetime.

What made it special?What made it special?

Why are there so many rituals when it Why are there so many rituals when it comes to celebrating a sacrament?comes to celebrating a sacrament?

ConfirmationConfirmation

““When two or three meet in my name, I When two or three meet in my name, I shall be there with them.”shall be there with them.”

Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit, Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit, and when he was baptized by John, the and when he was baptized by John, the Spirit descended upon him.Spirit descended upon him.

Christ gave the Holy Spirit to his followers Christ gave the Holy Spirit to his followers on Easter and at Pentecost.on Easter and at Pentecost.

Anointing with ChrismAnointing with Chrism

Anointing with chrism at Confirmation signifies Anointing with chrism at Confirmation signifies consecration to the mission of Christ and the consecration to the mission of Christ and the Spirit’s strength given for this mission. Spirit’s strength given for this mission. Confirmation is a seal that marks us as Confirmation is a seal that marks us as belonging to Christ as he belonged to the belonging to Christ as he belonged to the Father.Father.Confirmation brings the full outpouring of the Confirmation brings the full outpouring of the Holy Spirit as at Pentecost. It increases Holy Spirit as at Pentecost. It increases baptismal grace, joins us more closely to God baptismal grace, joins us more closely to God and the Church, augments the gifts of the Spirit, and the Church, augments the gifts of the Spirit, and strengthens us to spread and defend the and strengthens us to spread and defend the faith.faith.

EucharistEucharist

The Eucharist completes Christian The Eucharist completes Christian initiation and is the source and summit of initiation and is the source and summit of Christian life, for the sacrament is Christ.Christian life, for the sacrament is Christ.

In the Eucharist, bread and wine become In the Eucharist, bread and wine become Christ’s body and blood.Christ’s body and blood.

The Church sees the Eucharist prefigured The Church sees the Eucharist prefigured in Melchizedek’s offering of bread and in Melchizedek’s offering of bread and wine. (Genesis 14:18)wine. (Genesis 14:18)

Old Covenant Foreshadowing'sOld Covenant Foreshadowing's

Sacrificial offerings of bread and wineSacrificial offerings of bread and wine

Manna in the desertManna in the desert

Passover meal’s unleavened bread and Passover meal’s unleavened bread and cup of blessingcup of blessing

Jesus prefigured the Eucharist when he Jesus prefigured the Eucharist when he multiplied food for hungry crowds and multiplied food for hungry crowds and announced it at Capernaumannounced it at Capernaum

Thanksgiving and PraiseThanksgiving and Praise

The Eucharist is Thanksgiving and PraiseThe Eucharist is Thanksgiving and PraiseThe Eucharist is a sacrificial memorial. At The Eucharist is a sacrificial memorial. At mass we remember and proclaim Christ’s mass we remember and proclaim Christ’s sacrificial death and glorious Resurrection. sacrificial death and glorious Resurrection. We worship the Eucharistic Christ in many We worship the Eucharistic Christ in many ways: genuflecting and bowing, adoring ways: genuflecting and bowing, adoring Jesus at mass and outside Mass, Jesus at mass and outside Mass, exposing the host for veneration, and exposing the host for veneration, and carrying it in procession.carrying it in procession.

Eucharist LinkEucharist Link

Please take a moment to reflect on the Please take a moment to reflect on the previous presentation on the Eucharist.previous presentation on the Eucharist.

To Christ Our Only TeacherTo Christ Our Only Teacher Thank you, Jesus, for bringing me this far. In Thank you, Jesus, for bringing me this far. In

your light I see the light of my life. Your teaching your light I see the light of my life. Your teaching is brief and to the point: You persuade us to is brief and to the point: You persuade us to trust in our heavenly father; you command us to trust in our heavenly father; you command us to love one another. What is easier than to believe love one another. What is easier than to believe in God? What is sweeter than to love him? in God? What is sweeter than to love him? Your yoke is pleasant, your burden is light, you, Your yoke is pleasant, your burden is light, you, the one and only Teacher! You promise the one and only Teacher! You promise everything to those who obey your teaching; you everything to those who obey your teaching; you ask nothing too heard for a believer, nothing a ask nothing too heard for a believer, nothing a lover can refuse. Your promises to your lover can refuse. Your promises to your disciples are true, entirely true, nothing but the disciples are true, entirely true, nothing but the truth. Even more, you promise us yourself, the truth. Even more, you promise us yourself, the perfection of all that can be made perfect. perfection of all that can be made perfect. Thank you, Jesus now and always. Amen.Thank you, Jesus now and always. Amen.