Final retreat helps Elect prepare for Easter Vigil

Friday, Mar. 25, 2016

DRAPER — Adults and children attended a Lenten retreat for the Elect with their godparents, sponsors and RCIA teams at St. John the Baptist Parish in Draper March 19. They began preparation for Holy Week and reception of the sacraments at the Easter Vigil.

Deacon Scott Dodge, of St. Olaf Parish in Bountiful, led the adults and reviewed their journey that began as inquirers into the Catholic Church, through rites where they were received, welcomed and enrolled into the Book of the Elect and professed to follow Christ and to be in full communion with the Church.

“Deacon Scott painted a beautiful portrait of Jesus preparing for his journey into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday toward his death and resurrection, and how the Elect, along with their godparents and sponsors, are also preparing for their journey through Holy Week toward the Easter Vigil,” said Ruth Dillon, Office of Liturgy director for the Diocese of Salt Lake City, who sponsored the retreat.

The past 40 days of Lent have been a time for reflection and listening, with the middle weeks an experience for the Elect in the scrutinies; which are meant to further perceive sin, develop a deeper desire for salvation and delivery from sin, said Deacon Dodge.

“Most of our lives happen outside the church, but our life happens as a result of how we are formed in the Church,” he said. He asked the Elect to reflect on the scrutinies during Holy Week by reflecting on what they would like to change in their lives.

Lent is the period of purification and enlightenment leading to the Triduum: Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday. This is a time of intensive self-reflection celebrated in order for the Elect to receive intimate knowledge of Christ. The Masses and liturgies during this time “are our teacher,” Deacon Dodge said.

He focused on the Gospel account of the encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well and its significance during the first scrutiny as well as during the period of purification and enlightenment. The Samaritan woman was called to repent of her sins; Jesus forgave her and told her to “go and sin no more,” Deacon Dodge said.

“We, too, have to repent and be committed to living a new way of life before we can come to Christ,” Deacon Dodge said. “Through the Holy Spirit, Christ remains in us and forgives us.”

At the Easter Vigil, the Elect will be baptized and clothed in Christ to live in Christ, Deacon Dodge said.

Melanie Jensen, an Elect from St. Joseph Parish in Ogden, is excited to be baptized and receive the Eucharist; “to receive Jesus, the living water,” she said. “I will remember that as I dip my fingers in the holy water when I enter the church.”  

Ron Sperle, an Elect from St. John the Baptist Parish, focused on the symbolism of the Catholic Church. The water jars the Samaritan woman left at the well symbolized faith for him; Jesus would fill the jars with his living water and the Samaritan woman would always have them, he said. 

The children attending also discussed having a relationship with Jesus.

Arthur Romo, the RCIA coordinator at St. Therese of the Child Jesus Parish in Midvale, addressed the scrutinies, Holy Thursday and how God feeds his people with his Word in Scripture and his body and blood in the Eucharist, he said. 

“Just like in the Gospel of the woman who was hemorrhaging and touched Jesus’ garment, we are broken people and need to be healed,” Romo said. “In the Creed, we say we belong to a holy Catholic Church; it is holy because God is present. When we receive the sacraments we become holy; we go to church because God is there.” 

When the children receive God through the Holy Spirit during the Easter Vigil, “Jesus will be truly present,” Romo reminded them. 

Eddie Delarosa, a seventh-grader from St. Therese of the Child Jesus Parish, said the people were scared of Jesus, but he helped others. 

Miguel Perez, a fourth-grader also from St. Therese of the Child Jesus Parish, said the people thought Jesus wanted to be king, but he was “really the son of God and his kingdom was in heaven.”