RCIA Archives - My Pocketful of Thoughts

photo credit: merwing✿little dear via photopin cc

If you tuned in last Sunday, I discussed the announcement of a new series in Putting Life Into Perspective with Father Ian Jeremiah. Last Saturday I attended an RCIA Congress, where we discussed a program that helps adults seeking to know more about the Catholic faith. I had been reluctant to go that morning because it was early and I wasn’t sure what it was. However, once the morning started, and I finished listening to Father Ian, I was happy that I was there. He really had a way of putting things into perspective. Today I share with you the story of Chicken and Pig .

Chicken and Pig

On Sunday Morning, Chicken and Pig were discussing leaving the church for the day to walk around the neighborhood. On their walk, they came across a group of chicks. These chicks were very thin, lacking from a bath, but full of eager excitement to see Chicken and Pig.

Chicken pulled Pig aside and softly said, “Pig, I think we should make these hungry chicks some breakfast.”

Pig agreeing asked, “Well, what should we make?”

Chicken suggested, “How about we make them Eggs and Bacon?”

Pig smiled, “Well, it might take you a while to lay an egg, so why not chicken fajitas?”

Chicken smiled back with a wider grin, “Yes!”

Chicken and Pig left church that morning with the intention of following a path in Jesus’ footsteps. One of the things that we are to do as Catholics is to feed the hungry and give to the poor. It is one of the Fourteen works of mercy. They set out to do just that and had the chance to say WWJD when they came upon the small hungry chickens. Some are willing to give a little of themselves to do God’s work, like volunteering to cook breakfast. While others, commit themselves fully to doing God’s work, like being the breakfast. When Chicken suggested to Pig, lets make them Eggs and Bacon, Chicken would only have to give part of itself. Well, to make bacon, Pig would have to commit itself fully to the breakfast, would it not? Knowing this, Pig suggest that laying eggs might take too long if they were going to make them breakfast and suggested chicken fajitas, which requires no bacon at all. In this moment, Chicken decided to give its entire being to doing God’s work without hesitation. This is truly following in the footsteps of Jesus Christ, our Savior, who died to save all of us.

When I first heard the story of Chicken and Pig, I saw that they needed to both give something of themselves to make the breakfast, but I honestly did not expect the explanation before Father Ian gave it. It is true in life in general, there are those who give their all and some just enough, its often referred to as the 80/20 rule. Where 20% of the people will do 100% of the work and the other 80% will either do nothing at all or just enough. In this life, right now, I cannot admit to being the Chicken but I am working on it. WWJD. What would Jesus do?

I’ll leave you with today’s second reading:

Heb 10: 11-14, 18 [Jesus in Glory]

Jesus, unlike the other priests, offered only one sacrifice for sin and took his place forever at God’s right hand. He has perfected those who are being sanctified.

A reading from the Letter to the Hebrews

Brothers and sisters: Every priest stands daily at his ministry, offering frequently those same sacrifices that can never take away sins. But this one offered one sacrifice for sins, and took his seat forever at the right hand of God; now he waits until his enemies are made his footstool. For by one offering he has made perfect forever those who are being consecrated.

Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer offering for sin.

-The word of the Lord.

-Thanks be to God.

Let it marinate.

Until then,

*The story of Chicken and Pig has been modified slightly as I did not take exact notes of the story line.

If you like what you’ve read, warm my heart and follow the blog! Likes are great for those who don’t want to comment. Just go to right side panel, look for FOLLOWERS and click Join This Site!

Join the My Pocketful of Thoughts community by giving a LIKE to the FB Page! Just hit like and feel free to share it with lovely like minded people by hitting send below.

Join in on the conversation, click here to get started.

It’s Soulful Sunday here on My Pocketful Of Thoughts and it is only right to take a moment and give thanks for all the great things going on in our lives right now. Let us also take this moment to recognize all the phenomenal men and women who have served our country. We have much to be thankful for, yes?

Friday night I was reminded of a conference for the RCIA Congress, I had to attend for Saturday morning at 8 am. The event had completely slipped my mind. I had made all these plans for Saturday morning and was thrown off a bit. I am that person who needs to plan everything out in order to feel at peace with day. I can handle changes but it takes a moment or two to adjust.

I woke up on Saturday morning, after a few hours of sleep, reluctant to start the day. I admit that I had to drag myself there. The day started with Mass, which I suggest if you do not do it now, start off your day with God. When the alarm goes off in the morning, take a minute or two to say Thank You for all the things in your life now, that you’re thankful for. Then there was a half hour-ish break to eat a pastry and a cup of coffee. This was my first time attending the RCIA Congress and I haven’t explained what it is yet because at that point of the morning I myself was not sure what it was. Have you ever been told you have to attending something that you’ve never heard of? Do you not have some reluctance? I do not like that about me, but I am human. So at this point I am thinking, Are we starting yet? I looked around the room and saw a little over 100 people in attendance and I began to feel bad for taking up three seats with myself and my stuff. :/

9:15 am we started with prayer and were introduced to the day. RCIA is an acronym that stands for Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. It outlines the steps for the formation for one to receive instruction about the Christian religion. It is the class I am teaching at my church. So, yes, this was a good reason to be at this event.

My reluctance of the event melted away with the first speaker, Father Ian Jeremiah. He captivated the audience with his stories of perspective on life and I could not stop taking notes. He was hilarious in his presentation but more importantly his words stayed with me. It is my wish to share them with you, not today but starting next week, My Pocketful of Thoughts will begin a short series titled Putting Life Into Perspective with Father Ian Jeremiah.

photo credit: Fr. Stephen, MSC via photopin cc

The one thing I will share with you today is that he reminded the group that we should take advantage of the Year of Faith. The Year of Faith, which began on October 11th and will run until November 24, 2013, is a year especially dedicated to the profession of the faith, through readings of the Bible and the Catechism of the Catholic Church. While this is something I have been doing for the past couple of years, it feels a little different this year because I am going to be teaching this to others. So no longer am I just taking it in, I have to also understand it and be able to explain it in a way that it is understood by others.

The more I learn the more I want to share it with you. I ask that you not be reluctant, like I was on Saturday morning, but that you be open and just take it in. For a long time I was having an inner war with myself, I could not understand why I was so unhappy and angry. I had so many things to be thankful for, but I never looked at it that way. I kept thinking to myself, ‘I’m here, doing so much to better myself and I don’t understand why all these bad things happen to me‘. It only seemed to bring more bad things. After a long absence from church, I started to go again. I sat quietly in the back pews and I just took it in. Then one day it clicked. It wasn’t right away. It was over a year of going to Mass every Sunday. When it clicked I decided I was ready to become Confirmed in the Catholic faith. I studied for one year with Sister Alta Gracia. So I want to share that with others, but especially you, that sometimes you have to just take it in. Perhaps you’ll read something that will compel you to do the same and share.

I’ll leave you today with today’s second reading.

Heb 9:24-28 [Christ’s Sacrifice for Sin]

Christ entered into heaven to appear before God, not for sacrifice again, but to take away sin by his sacrifice. Christ will not die again but he will come to bring about salvation for those who wait for him.

A reading from the Letter to the Hebrews

Christ did not enter into a sanctuary made by hands, a copy of the true one, but heaven itself, that he might now appear before God on our behalf. Not that he might offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters each year into the sanctuary with blood that is not his own; if that were so, he would have had to suffer repeatedly from the foundation of the world. But now once for all he has appeared at the end of the ages to take away sin by his sacrifice. Just as it is appointed that human beings die once, and after this the judgement, so also Christ, offered once to take away the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to take away sin but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await him.

-The word of the Lord.
–Thanks be to God.

Let it marinate.

Until then,

PS. If you like what you’ve read, warm my heart and follow the blog! Likes are great for those who don’t want to comment. Just go to right side panel, look for FOLLOWERS and click Join This Site!

Join the My Pocketful of Thoughts community by giving a LIKE to the FB Page! Just hit like and feel free to share it with lovely like minded people by hitting send below.

Join in on the conversation, click here to get started.