Christ Our Light Catholic Church - Loudonville, NY

From Deacon Dick

Today is Catechetical Sunday and it marks the beginning of our Faith Formation year for our young people.  “Catechesis” comes from the Greek word katechesisis.  It’s a word that may sound very “churchy,” but it simply means oral instruction.  Today we bless and thank our catechists who have agreed to share their faith with those who will come after us … we bless our children and their backpacks that they carry with them to school.  And as the blessing of our faith community goes with them, so does a card we ask them to place in their backpack … a card that reminds them that God is always with them.

Catechetical Sunday reminds us not only of the Lord’s work that our catechists perform, but reminds each of us that our baptism calls us to be the Light of Christ to all those we encounter in our world.  Our baptismal rite includes the prayer called the “Ephphetha:”  The Lord Jesus made the deaf hear and the mute speak.  May he soon touch your ears to receive his word, and your mouth to proclaim his faith, to the praise and glory of God the Father.  As individuals and as a community of faith, may we proclaim … may we catechize … may we evangelize … as we respond to Jesus invitation to “follow me.”