WHY IS THE COMMUNITY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RCIA (38)

In the last article, I discussed the relationship between the Christian community and the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA). I pointed out that the Church leaves no doubt that the responsibility for the RCIA is that of the entire Christian community. But why should it be so? Should not the responsibility for initiating new members be that of the parish priest or those specially assigned to this task, namely, members of the RCIA team?

Let us recall what the Church says about this matter. That is, “… the people of God, as represented by the local Church, should understand and show by their concern that the initiation of adults is the responsibility of all the baptised” (RCIA, 9). The key words here are “all the baptised”. By virtue of the sacrament of Baptism, all baptised members of the Christian community should be aware and be involved in the adult initiation process. The involvement of the community is not an option but an obligation. This is because Baptism places upon members of the community two major imperatives. They are baptised are to be holy and to be on mission.

To be holy

Baptism entails upon members of the Christian community the vocation to live a life of on-going conversion and holiness. When a person is baptised, he or she is “immersed” into the baptismal water which symbolises his or her burial into Christ’s death, from which he or she rises with him as a ‘new’ creature to become a child of God. To be a child of God compels the baptised person to live a holy and blameless life (Eph. 1:4). Although faith is ultimately a gift from God, every member of the Christian community has the responsibility to grow in holiness in his or her life.

By striving to be holy, members of the community, in turn, witness their own lived faith experience to those seeking initiation into the Church. As stated in the RCIA, “By joining the catechumens in reflecting on the value of the paschal mystery and by renewing their own conversion, the faithful provide an example that help the catechumens to obey the Holy Spirit more generously” (RCIA, 4). By seeking constantly to grow in holiness, members of the community can serve as examples and as witnesses to the catechumens.

To be on mission

The RCIA also states that, “… the community must always be fully prepared in the pursuit of its apostolic vocation to give help to those who are searching for Christ” (RCIA, 9). It means that all baptised persons are called to be ready at all times to partake in the mission that Christ mandated to the apostles. Before his ascension, Jesus commanded the apostles to preach the Gospel to all the nations (Mt. 28:19-20). From her beginning the Church has remained faithful to this command. In present times, through their baptism, in communion with the Holy Spirit, the baptised also have the mandate to proclaim and to witness the Gospel to all, including those journeying in the RCIA.

Through baptism, they also become members of the People of God of whom Christ is the Head and High Priest. They are established as “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation … who at times were not a people, but now are the People of God” (1 Pet. 2:9-10). As such, they share in the three-fold ministry of Christ as prophet, priest and king. The Second Vatican Council states that every member of the Church is to carry out these offices entrusted to him or her by God so that, “in this way the Christian community will become a sign of God’s presence in the world” (Ad gentes, 15).

Through exercising their priestly ministry, the baptised “present themselves as a sacrifice, living, holy and pleasing to God” (Rom 12:1). As a people sharing in Christ’s prophetic ministry, they proclaim the Good News and “bear witness to Christ and give an answer to everyone who asks a reason for the hope of an eternal life which is theirs (Lumen gentium, 10). As sharers in the kingly mission of Christ, God makes “them fit and ready to undertake the various tasks and offices for the renewal and building up of the Church” and to serve human society as leaven and salt (Lumen gentium, 12).

To be in community is to be on mission

Precisely because the call to mission is derived from being members of the Christian community, the participation of the faithful in the mission of the Church has to be realised within the community and for the good of the community. The sacrament of Baptism, while incorporating an individual into a local Christian community, also obliges him or her to be concerned for the whole community, as well as, for those who wish to become her members. Their participation in RCIA, therefore, is for the benefit of the entire community.

Ultimately, it is God who takes the initiative to call, convert and form those wishing to be initiated into the Christian community. However, God does this within and through a human community. The members of the community are to help individuals to hear God’s call, to discern and support their readiness to respond to this call. The call to participation in the RCIA also signifies that God wants to use the Christian community His as instrument through which He continues to the act of calling and saving all humanity.

Conclusion

Participation in the RCIA is a call to a life of holiness and to mission on the part of all members of the Christian community. Through their involvement in the initiation process, members are to live and share their faith by exercising their priestly, kingly and prophetic roles. As baptised members, they can share and witness to the Good News of salvation to those who wish to know Christ. In this way, God can use them as His primary agents of the RCIA.