Focus on God's transforming presence, Bishop Wester urges at retreat for newly elect

Friday, Apr. 03, 2015

DRAPER — Jesus calls Christians to suffer with him his death on the cross, surrender their lives to God, and be transformed by the Resurrection, the Most Rev. John C. Wester, Bishop of Salt Lake City, said March 29 during the annual retreat for those in the RCIA program.

About 150 people, including the newly elect, godparents, sponsors and RCIA team members, gathered at Saint John the Baptist Catholic Church for the morning-long retreat.

The Rite of Christian Initiation calls the elect to attend a retreat to prepare themselves spiritually for the Easter vigil, at which they will be fully accepted into the Catholic Church. Some of the elect attend a retreat at their parish, while others choose to attend both their parish retreat and the one presented by the bishop, said Ruth Dillon, the diocesan director of liturgy.

Easter is at the center of every sacrament, Bishop Wester said at the retreat. 

“Jesus came to conquer sin and death, and he did that through the Pascal mystery,” he said, adding that through his death Jesus made the ultimate surrender to his Father’s will.

In today’s society, suffering is a difficult topic to discuss because no one wants to feel pain, Bishop Wester said, but all growth – including spiritual development – involves some discomfort.

Opening one’s self to God is painful, but this suffering is a way to make room for God, the bishop said. One should embrace rather than suppress the discomfort, believing that “it has a purpose and it will lead us to eternal life,” Bishop Wester said.

Catholics should also remember that, even in their suffering, Christ is present with them, the bishop said. “People say misery loves company. What better company than Jesus Christ? … We believe that we go through the pain, that it has a purpose and it’s going to lead us to eternal life eventually, and to a deeper fulfillment and happiness in this one. … The banquet will be an important part of the kingdom of God, but first we have to go with him to Calvary.”

Bishop Wester also spoke of the need to surrender to God’s will. Mary, the mother of Jesus, personifies the idea of surrender with her response to the angel at the Annunciation, he said. “Mary makes a conscious decision to put herself completely into God’s hands because what’s asked of her is impossible for her to do alone. … She trusted that God, in his loving provenance, would do what needed to be done.” 

Similarly, “we give ourselves actively and willingly to the will of God” with charitable acts, Bishop Wester said. Catholics speak of the Church as the bride of Christ, he said, and “you are friends of the bridegroom. You are called to make the Church beautiful for Christ, the bridegroom, by making yourselves and your brothers and sisters beautiful, like John the Baptist did for Jesus.”

In the final portion of the retreat, Bishop Wester spoke of the transformative experience of the Resurrection. He suggested that the elect meditate on how they will be transformed by their baptism or being fully received into the Church at the Easter vigil. He recommended that they listen to Christ calling them to abide with him and in him; to be attentive to the ways in which he is asking them to be transformed. He also suggested that they recognize the parts of them that are dying, to grieve for it, give thanks for it, and then embrace their new life.

“Jesus is always calling us to new life,” Bishop Wester said. “To be transformed in Christ – that’s what we’re all about.”