by Joe Paprocki, D.Min
Bestselling author, expert catechist, and host of www.catechistsjourney.com.
On Sunday, September 20, 2009, the Church celebrates Catechetical Sunday. This year’s theme is “Catechesis and the Proclamation of the Word”, which reminds us that, in catechesis, we are proclaiming a living Person—Jesus Christ, the Word made Flesh. To be a catechist is to teach much more than a subject; it is to teach a way of life patterned after Jesus. In fact, it is not so much teaching as it is mentoring: an apprenticeship or initiation into a life of discipleship.
By proclaiming God’s Word—in the person of Jesus Christ, the incarnate Word, and in Sacred Scripture, the revealed Word of God—catechists invite others to become disciples of God’s Word by doing three key things:
1. Hearing—In order for us to hear God’s Word, we need to remove the noisy distractions that surround us. Catechists teach God’s people to open their ears to hear the often subtle Word of God being spoken to them.
2. Understanding—God’s Word comforts us in times of sorrow and despair, but it also challenges us when we grow too comfortable in the ways of the world. Catechists help God’s people understand how the Word of God brings comfort in difficult times as well as how that same Word offers a challenge to the status quo of our lives.
3. Applying—Because the Word of God is a Living Word, it must be put into practice and lived. Catechists teach the People of God to apply God’s Word to their everyday lives by practicing mercy, charity, and virtue.
On Catechetical Sunday, whether or not we are formally serving as catechists, we are reminded of our collective responsibility as baptized Christians to proclaim God’s Word to others in word and deed. Like Mary, it is through our own “yes” to God’s invitation that the Word becomes Flesh and dwells among us. And just as Mary immediately went forth to announce the Good News to her cousin Elizabeth, may we eagerly go forth to proclaim God’s Word to those we meet. In doing so, we grow closer to the very Word we are proclaiming—Jesus Christ.
Catechetical Resources by Joe Paprocki, D.Min