It's "That" Time of Year for Us

"No,

 not this week.
The first Scrutiny is next Sunday."
As I walked into the sacristy (Google that if you don't know!) last weekend at the parish where I was helping out, that is what I heard one sacristan telling the other. The whole conversation was as casual as two people talking about the weather or the Michigan State basketball game. OK, maybe the game might generate a bit more emotion, but there these two were, talking about the coming Scrutinies.
I have been thinking about that conversation this week.
I can remember a time when the word Scrutiny was not a part of the average Catholic vocabulary. Say, "Scrutiny," and expect in reply, "What?"
We didn't have Scrutinies. We didn't know Scrutinies. We had lost them somewhere in our history well over a thousand years back.
Scrutinies were gone. The RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) was gone. A huge part of our ancient heritage had just disappeared.
But not totally.
We had hints and fragments of ancient writings. We had hints, strong hints that things had not "always been this way."
It was only as we approached the Second Vatican Council that the scholarship and research behind the scenes was producing for us more than just a glimpse of the way things used to be. We were gaining a clear picture of a different time and a far different way of forming Christians.
There began to emerge the foundations for that RCIA and, I would suggest, those foundations are still emerging. I may address that particular comment at another time but for now let's go back to those words overheard in the sacristy.
It told me that the average woman and man in the pews were beginning to be increasingly aware of the RCIA and all of its parts.
And one of those key parts begins to unfold in parishes this weekend - Scrutinies.
We are learning or have learned the word.
Now the times comes to unfold the power of Scrutiny.
For the next three weeks each Sunday the assembled People of God will pray over and for those seeking the Waters of Baptism as we enter Easter.
For the next three Sundays we will have our chance to witness that we stand together as a community and we will profess our commitment to those about to join us - we will support you with our prayers and our example. That is what our praying those Scrutinies proclaims.
And for this time of Scrutiny we will publicly acknowledge that there is a force called "Evil" present strongly and seeking to destroy all that is truly of value. Evil does not want to see anyone washed in that life-giving Water of Baptism.
This thing called Evil sought on a Friday long ago to destroy Goodness Himself.
Evil lost then.
Ultimately, it can never win.
Our ancestors in faith crafted Scrutinies to lead us to those days of Death/Resurrection.
We have discovered that treasure.
We have reclaimed it.
It's "That" time of year for us.
It is time for The Scrutinies.
We are remembering anew who we are.
We are remembering anew the price God was willing to pay out of love for us.
We are confronting the forces that would seek to destroy us.
And we stand hand in hand at the foot of the cross. Hand in hand - a community and not isolated individuals.
We have learned the word.
Scrutinies.
Now let's learn and live the action!