Rcia Journey: Finding God Through the Creed

By Steve McCoy-Thompson

From his self-described spiritual fence to the source and summit of faith, Steve McCoy-Thompson takes us on a personal journey of conversion that is moving, funny and very practical. RCIA Journey is a joyful, challenging, sometimes painful story of his year as a candidate experiencing the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. Throughout this journey, the Nicene Creed serves as a touchstone to ask and ultimately answer the fundamental questions many of us have when approaching the Catholic faith. With sections like Steves First Letter to the Pasadenians (to his parents) and a fresh perspective on timeless questions of free will, heaven, prayer, miracles and the meaning of the sacraments, RCIA Journey is the perfect book for everyone on the journey to a deeper faith.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Sep 19, 2016
• ISBN: 9781524622497

Steve McCoy-Thompson

Steve McCoy-Thompson is the author of four books, including Fuel: Catholic Men, Living the Faith; A Small Group Guide (Ave Maria Press, 2008) and two books of historical fiction for young readers: Weather Boy: A Story of D-Day and Map Bay: Christmas at the Battle of the Bulge. When not writing, he leads community and economic development programs both in the U.S. and around the world. He lives with his wife in Pleasanton, California and has two children.

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© 2016 Steve McCoy-Thompson. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse  09/19/2016

ISBN: 978-1-5246-2250-3 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5246-2249-7 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2016912607

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Contents

Prologue

Chapter 1    Wedding Invitations

Chapter 2    Faith-Based Insanity and the Spiritual Fence

Chapter 3    First Meeting

Chapter 4    One God

Chapter 5    Behind Good and Evil

Chapter 6    A Face and a Prayer

Chapter 7    Creation and the Body Snatchers

Chapter 8    Heaven is Where the Heart Is

Chapter 9    The Second Step

Chapter 10    Steve’s First Letter to the Pasadenians

Chapter 11    Dying and Rising in Christ

Chapter 12    Being Judged

Chapter 13    Free Will and the Flood of Faith

Chapter 14    Who Are These Guys?

Chapter 15    Sacraments and Rituals

Chapter 16    Source and Summit

Chapter 17    Amen to Mystagogy

Acknowledgement

To Meri for all things,

and to my children, Matthias and Marie,

for their joy and inspiration.

Faith is an island in the setting sun.

- Paul Simon

Prologue

RCIA Journey is a personal story about my profound, life-changing year in the Right of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA). It is also a companion for those seeking answers to some fundamental questions of faith and Catholicism – from Catholic teaching on evolution and free will to the significance of the sacraments and saints and on to the heart of the matter: the nature of God, Jesus and the Resurrection. Over the course of a year with the RCIA, my own journey went from religious skeptic to committed Catholic, so I had a LOT of questions.

To avoid getting lost along the way, I used the Nicene Creed to frame these questions. The Creed is an ancient text, still recited during Mass, in which the church distills its most fundamental beliefs. To me, the Nicene Creed was a kind of beacon that lit my path, helping me to confront issues that were never easy. My hope is that this framework will help others find their way to faith. If you are looking for a more definitive guide about how to implement or experience the RCIA, there are a range of other useful books, including a couple cited here.¹

RCIA Journey also represents the second edition of an earlier book, first published as Journey Into Belief by Liguori Publications. This second edition reflects the revised language of the Nicene Creed, which was updated after I participated in 2001. In fact, a number of changes (or clarifications) to the RCIA process have occurred since then. I note these differences throughout the book, but they largely center on a clearer distinction among those who enter the RCIA and what programs and rites are appropriate for them. For example, the RCIA distinguishes among the following people:

• Unbaptized – such people are called Catechumens, which comes from a Greek word for oral teaching and is a church term for those preparing for baptism and confirmation. The RCIA is specifically designed to help the unbaptized learn about and form a deep and abiding faith.

• Baptized but uncatechized – that was me, someone who was baptized, but not raised in any faith. Such people are called Candidates. In some churches, a separate process is provided for Candidates. There is a good reason for this, as the church only recognizes one baptism, regardless of the Christian faith tradition. So if a person has already been baptized, there is no need to participate in all the rites of the RCIA process, such as the Rite of Election, In my church, at the time, we were grouped together with the unbaptized and, thus, I participated in many of the same rites, including the Rite of Election.

• Baptized as a Christian and catechized in a non-Catholic faith tradition – such people don’t actually need to go through the RCIA as they have already had religious education and participated in their church. Again, there is good reason for this distinction. In addition to recognizing only one baptism, the church respects the Christian teaching of other faith traditions. However, some churches still offer the RCIA to these people, as mine did when I went through the process. Even for people catechized in another Christian tradition, the RCIA can be helpful in giving them a deeper faith and better understanding of Catholicism.

In short, a few things have changed since I took the Big Leap, but the beauty and importance of the journey remain. I wish you the best with yours. Let’s begin.

Chapter 1

Wedding Invitations

Is the Creator a personal, loving God?

I do not know, yet.

Is Jesus the Son of Man, as well as the Son of God?

Let’s consider.

For the past several months, a small group of inquiring minds have approached such questions through a church-based Q&A session called ‘Inquiry.’ This inquiry period has no fixed timetable or structure and is designed for people who want to know more about Catholic teaching, or its history, or the intricacies of the church service. But it is also for people like me who are considering the Big Leap, as in faith.

Faith, according to the songwriter Paul Simon, is like a distant island before a setting sun. Conversion is the act of getting there. The journey comes with no set navigation chart and, for me, is filled with obstacles – from questions about the Resurrection to ignorance of church practice to deep doubts from my extended family. This call to Christianity, and its underlying command for everlasting commitment, is daunting. It is also exciting, and terrifying. In other words, it’s a lot like getting married.

In Catholic tradition, Jesus Christ is considered the bridegroom to the church, who is the bride. This is a beautiful image that speaks to the care and love that we hope to find in every family. It also speaks to the many souls who have come to this altar of faith and are contemplating a lifetime relationship.

In my case, the ‘wedding’ is a public ceremony at our parish church on Easter weekend. During the ceremony, those who have said yes will be covered in holy water and/or anointed with oil, depending on their circumstances, before a thousand onlookers. My problem with this union, however, is potentially quite serious. For after years of tentative courtship, I still don’t know the bride very well.

She has some habits I do not understand. She believes things – and insists I believe them too – that I’m unsure about. My wife loves her despite her faults. But my side of the family does not. In other words, it’s a typical wedding, full of doubts and divisions.

Still, there are aspects of this marriage that are wonderfully captivating. I am attracted by the community, the caring, and the commitment to something that will certainly change my life. In the quiet recesses of my soul, I have longed for each of these things. It’s as if a tiny seed had been planted long before I was born and is striving to take root. As if my DNA had been hard-wired by God for this journey.

The Taoist philosopher Laozi once said that the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. In my case, I can anticipate four – each an important milestone on the way to this distant island.

1. The first decision, coming soon, is whether to join the RCIA. If Inquiry has been a gentle path, then the RCIA is a rising road to profound change. The road begins with a public declaration of my intentions before the entire church. So I’m a little nervous. For once declared, I will shift from being an inquirer to a committed Candidate.

2. My second decision involves how to inform my extended family – my parents and siblings – who do not yet know about this journey and will certainly not understand. We have a lot to talk about and I hope the RCIA will help me find the words.

3. Next is the Rite of Election, which is a public commitment, in the presence of a bishop, to join the Catholic Church. At this point, there is no going back.²

4. Finally, there is the moment of truth. After months of preparation, I will celebrate the sacraments of initiation, including the Eucharist at Easter Vigil, with my fellow seekers. My wife and children will be there, along with the entire community, so it’s a big deal. I will need to be sure.

All in all, it is a journey of soul searching for those deeper answers that have evaded me for years. Or perhaps I have evaded them. Which makes the journey itself so important.

And so, with my time in Inquiry drawing to a close, the first step is now. The wedding invitations are waiting. The church and priest have been reserved for months in advance for the celebration. The bride is ready.

Am I?

Chapter 2

Faith-Based Insanity and the Spiritual Fence

I imagine Joseph lying in his bed and wondering how he can reasonably get out of his mess. His fiancée is pregnant, but not by him. He’s sure of that. But he’s not sure who else knows. Probably everyone.

Then an angel comes in a dream and says, Fear not.

And, miracle of miracles, Joseph does not fear. Instead, he follows. Joseph doesn’t know where he is going. He doesn’t