RCIA Rewards

Every Sunday morning I help out with the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults program for the Hispanic Community at Saint Barbara Parish.  While our job as stewards is to toil and till sometimes God allows us to see the fruits of our labor to motivate and inspire us.  Yesterday, as my spiritual kiddos took the stage to present a short bio on the saint they choose during the program – my heart puffed with pride.  I thought about how each began a few months back reluctant, distrustful and so ignorant concerning spiritual matters – and now all have grown in their faith and love for God and His church.  Love is based on trust and trust is based on truth- as the truth of God has taken root in their hearts their trust in the Lord has improved noticeably and this gravitational pull towards holiness, goodness and God is extremely visible.  While some have progressed faster and deeper in their spiritual journey all have matured in faith and love.

I love working with the Hispanic community at this parish, because the people have very humble origins.  Some come from indigenous groups in Mexico with very little formal education, some are illiterate and most are materially poor.  Yet, they are some of the most honorable people that I have ever come across.  Working with them keeps me grounded.  I love their simplicity – they remind me of an old, endangered way of life where community and family ruled- where one’s word meant something. Yesterday, I joked with them about how they are becoming fast theologians and they burst out laughing- which really describes the atmosphere of our classes – full of laughter.  Sometimes in more affluent parishes I feel like this humble spirit is missing.

When I lived my retreat with Jovenes Para Cristo in 2007, I remembered being so arrogant thinking what will these people teach me?  I have more formal education than any of their speakers and am very well read… Yet their capacity to love me broke down the walls and before the weekend was over these simple people with their limited classroom education and resources became my heroes.  To this day- they are some of the people I most admire and respect.  I see that integrity in my students and am so pleased to recognize that God makes us all equal.