Missing the Opportunity to Teach
from the Pulpit
It's safe to say religious education stopped at high
school for the majority of Catholic Mass goers. (At Confirmation for those that
didn't go to parochial school.)Yet in all my years of attending Mass (in the
Midwest, Pacific Northwest, Northern and Southern California) I can count on
two hands the number of times the celebrant used the Scripture reading to
explain Catholic doctrine. (And most of those involved a shamrock on Trinity
Sunday.)
What wasted opportunity!
The bible readings for so many Masses are full of
scriptural foundations for so many Catholic and mainstream Christian teachings
like the divinity of Christ, apostolic succession, Transubstantiation, Tradition,
the Immaculate Conception, purgatory and the Sacrament of Reconciliation
(formerly Penance.) Yet the priest preaching rarely points them out for this
purpose.
A few years ago I was prepping to teach a class on the
"Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist " for parents preparing
their children for First Holy Communion. (Our pastor made it a requirement for
all parents of first Communicants to be their religious ed teachers that year.)
I discovered a reputable national survey that found "only 33% of Catholics
believed that Christ was actually present in the Communion host they
received."
What a disturbing statistic! Belief in the Real Presence
is what defines us as Catholics.
Sometimes I have nightmares of David Letterman doing
"man on the street" interviews with Catholics, asking them to explain
definitive Catholic teachings like the Immaculate Conception. Sometimes those
cornered would laughingly say "it's all about the Holy Spirit getting the
Virgin Mary pregnant."
It's no laughing matter that many Catholics believe that
to be the case.
Next time you shake hands with father after Mass,
suggest that he use the Scripture reading to teach us about Catholic teachings.
(Priests are always looking for relevant sermon material) If he did, thank him
for doing it, and encourage him to keep up the practice.When he doesn't, take
the opportunity to do it yourself. Make that trip in the car back from church
productive. If "Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church
and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" is mentioned in the
Gospel reading, tell your kids it's the basis for our Catholic teachings on the
pope and apostolic succession. If the Gospel of John, Chapter 6, verses 51-54
is featured, explain how they're the scriptural foundation of the Real Presence
of Christ in the Eucharist.
Don't let your religious education stop at Baltimore. Make
yourself a lifelong learner.
Take the attitude that the religious education of your
children is your responsibility.
It is.
Sad fact is: most converts to other denominations are Catholics who
didn't appreciate or who didn't understand how to explain and defend their
precious gift of Faith.
