Today, we celebrate the second of three Scrutinies that the Elect
will go through on their journey to become full members of the Catholic faith
community. The Scrutinies are more than
special liturgical rites for those preparing to be baptized at Easter. This is a designated period in their journey
that allows for a more intense soul-searching and careful consideration of
their decision. They need our prayers
and encouragement, for their decision ultimately leads to a different way of
life. Their choice makes me wonder
whether I would have done the same. Had
I not been born and raised Catholic, were I not a cradle Catholic as they say, I
wonder if I would choose to become Catholic? I’m not sure of the answer.
What leads a person to make that sort of decision is an interesting
question. When pressed for an explanation, some say that they have found a
spiritual home in the Catholic Church, many for the first time in their lives. Others say their spouse or their children inspired
them to become Catholic. Still others
claim that the teachings of the Church on issues close to their hearts are so
compelling that their choice was an easy one.
However one explains it, I suspect that such a choice ultimately boils
down to a matter of conscience. In one
way or another, the choice just has to feel right in your gut of guts, and that
is perhaps the only good reason to become Catholic.
What this conversion means, however, can be stated in different
ways. The more recent converts, for
example, are usually very enthusiastic in the practice of their newfound
faith. Their zeal stems from a deep
appreciation for what Catholicism has to offer.
The veteran Catholic, on the other hand, often takes a more low key approach
to practice. This can lead to the
perception that veteran Catholics do not fully appreciate what they have in the
faith. This approach has another meaning,
however. Many veteran Catholics have learned
to walk in faith without much flourish or fanfare. For them, this is part of what it means to be
Catholic. Thus, a low key approach to
practice does not necessarily reflect a lack of appreciation for what Catholicism
has to offer.
There is also more than one way to explain what “convert” means in
a Catholic sense. Although it is true
that a convert is one who comes to Catholicism from another faith tradition or
background, this is not the full story.
A true convert is one who has made the Catholic way of believing his or
her own. This is a necessary step for those
who become Catholic as much as it is for those who have been Catholic all of
their lives. Making the faith one’s own,
so to speak, is ordinarily the culmination of a spiritual process that often
takes place after one reaches adulthood. In this sense, it is more accurate to say that,
sooner or later, we are all converts to Catholicism.
Indeed, the gospel for today calls attention to the kind of faith conversion
that all of us must go through. The idea in this gospel story is to turn from
darkness to light by believing in Jesus.
The healing of the man born blind is a symbol for this turn, or
conversion in faith. The process is highlighted in the arguments that follow
the healing.
In these arguments, the central focus is on what happened and
who made it happen. The arguments
themselves are carried out primarily by three groups of people who cannot see. First are the disciples. They have been with
Jesus for a long time, and yet they cling to the assumption that sickness and disability
are punishment for sin. Jesus explains
to them that these are not punishment at all, but something that a true
follower of his will seek to alleviate. Jesus makes this point when he says to the
disciples, “We have to do the works of the one who sent me while it is day.” In other words, alleviating the suffering of
others goes to the heart and soul of what it means to be a true convert in
faith.
Second among those who cannot see is the blind man himself. Jesus touched the blind man in his physical weakness
in a way that eventually moved him to a spiritual awakening. This progression is revealed in what the man
says of Jesus when asked about his cure.
At first, the man only identifies Jesus by name as the one who cured his
blindness. Pressed for more details by
the Pharisees, the man digs deeper and describes Jesus as a prophet, as one
sent by God. Lastly, the man experiences
complete conversion when he later encounters Jesus for a second time and
confesses his belief in Jesus. The authenticity
of his conversion is revealed when the man worships Jesus. This progressive awakening in faith is often
the path that we too travel in our own spiritual journey. And like the man born blind, we can be sure
that Jesus will meet us where we are with his healing touch.
Our hope and prayer is to avoid the predicament of yet a third
group among those who cannot see, namely, the Pharisees. They claimed to know
God’s Word and God’s Law, but failed to live its spirit. Jesus condemns their blindness as the worst
sort because they refuse to see him as the light of the world. In fact, they find every reason not to
believe in Jesus. They try to explain
away the miracle of the healing rather than accept what their eyes were telling
them.
Spiritual enlightenment is one of the primary goals we focus on
during Lent. This is true for the Elect
as well as for those of us who are already Catholic. We all need to be enlightened and to grow in
faith. We still need conversion, and conversion
is what the Scrutinies are all about.
Conversion means leaving behind one way of life and taking up another. And, the way that we seek is the way of the
Lord. This conversion is a spiritual
rebirth and gift of faith from Jesus, the Light of the World. During Lent, we prepare to receive this light in
order to celebrate our gift of faith once again at Easter.
