TeamRCIA » Scrutinies

3 do’s and 6 don’ts for powerful scrutinies

Nick — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 18:16:48 +0000

I’m not sure why, but some places do stuff to the scrutinies that makes them less “scrutinish.”

The primary symbol—the main event—in this rite is the exorcism. You can find the exorcism at paragraphs 154, 168, and 175. There are three things that we need to do well to make the exorcisms as liturgically meaningful as possible.

1. Pay attention to the words

Use the exact words given in the text. Catechumenate ministers are used to adapting texts in the rite because we are so frequently encouraged to do so by the rite itself. However, this is not one of those times. Don’t tinker. And the presider needs to rehearse the text out loud. Focus on the verbs. Practice the gestures as you say the words. Imagine you are brand new to the faith and hearing these words for the first time. What is it the elect most need from these prayers? Focus on that.

2. Laying on of hands

The rite seems to make this optional. I don’t think it’s optional if you want to communicate the power of this rite. The presider should solemnly and prayerfully lay hands on each of the elect. You can add to the solemnity by having the director of the catechumenate also lay hands on each of the elect after the presider. And the godparents can lay hands on their own elect after the director. Solemnly. Prayerfully.

3. Silence is golden

If the laying on of hands is done is deep silence, the power of the exorcism is heightened. Do not underscore this action with music. Do not rush the silence. Let the silence seep into the bones of the elect.

What not to do

These are some elements I have heard that get added into the scrutinies in different places. These things detract from the primary symbolic action I just described. If you are not doing these, pat yourself on your ritual back. If you are doing them just because you’ve always done it that way, then it will be easy to simply stop doing them.

If you are doing one or more of these things because you love them, I’d suggest you take a hard second look at them. Try doing the ritual as given to us in the RCIA one year and then compare that with your adaptation of the rite. Here are some of the things that are added onto the scrutiny that may not serve the rite well.

1. Don’t change the exorcism prayer

Some communities rewrite the prayer or add additional words to the prayer. The three exorcism prayers, as given to us, are clear and powerful. There is no compelling reason to change them or add to them.

2. Don’t anoint the elect

The children’s adaptation of the scrutiny (starting at paragraph 295) does include an optional anointing of the catechumens. I don’t know why it is in there. It is not in the adult rite. I’ve discussed my difficulty with the children’s adaptations before, and this just adds fuel to my fire. In the children’s rite, if you do the anointing, you do not do a laying on of hands—which I think is a serious drawback. I think what usually happens in places where the anointing is done is there is both an anointing and a laying on of hands—of children and adults. This is too much stuff for this rite. The anointing seems to detract from the silent power of the hand laying.

3. Don’t add in the Presentations

The Presentation of the Creed is meant to be celebrated at a weekday Mass during the third week of Lent (see RCIA 157). The Presentation of the Lord’s Prayer is meant to take place at a weekday Mass during the fifth week of Lent (see RCIA 178). Adding them into or after the scrutiny rites detracts from the centrality of the exorcism and makes the liturgy seem cluttered.

If you want to celebrate the Presentations on a Sunday, consider doing them in winter Ordinary Time, just before Lent, with those catechumens who will be celebrating the Rite of Election (see RCIA 104).

4. Don’t scrutinize the baptized candidates

Fewer and fewer places seem to be doing this, which is good. This really is something that cannot be done. The scrutinies are only for the unbaptized (see National Statutes for the Catechumenate 31).

5. Don’t scrutinize the assembly

I’ve seen this happen. There were no elect, no baptized candidates, no children preparing for initiation. Just faithful, Communion-going Catholics who knelt down after the homily and scrutinized themselves. This is just not helpful. The scrutinies are not an examination of conscience or a penitential rite for Catholics. They are exorcism prayers in preparation for baptism. By blurring the lines like this, we create a great confusion about the real difference between the unbaptized and the baptized. And that, in turn, diminishes what we teach about true salvation given freely to us in the sacraments of initiation.

6. Reevaluate inviting the entire assembly to lay hands on the elect

I haven’t seen this done, but I’ve heard of places doing it. I’m ambivalent about it. I imagine it could add to the solemnity of the rite if it were done with the same reverence and grace that happens when we venerate the Cross on Good Friday. On the other hand, it seems to me it would extend the rite for an unacceptable amount of time. If you are doing it already, I’d suggest trying it one year without the assembly laying hands. Then compare the two experiences.

The best way to make the scrutinies do what they are supposed to do is to follow the rite. I’m not always in favor of slavishly following rubrics for the sake of sticking to the rules. However, when it comes to the scrutinies, adhering closely to the official rite will best serve our communities and the elect.

“Enough”—A Scrutiny Homily for the Woman at the Well

Diana — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 16:33:27 +0000

I think all of us at some point in our lives have someone—maybe our parents, a teacher, a certain group—someone we wanted so much to just love us as we were. We want someone who knows everything about us, all the good stuff and all the bad stuff, and who still wants us anyway.

But sometimes say to ourselves, I’m not smart enough, or tall enough, I’m not thin enough, or good enough, or beautiful enough. Perhaps we think I’m not popular enough, I could never take on a leadership role. I’m not holy enough, I couldn’t do anything at Mass. I’m not intelligent enough; I couldn’t go to grad school. Often we feel we aren’t enough, so we pretend to be someone we aren’t. Maybe if I drank more, people will like me; maybe if I made enough money, I’ll be happy; maybe if I sleep around enough, I won’t be alone.

Sometimes our world tell us: She’s too Black, he’s too White, they’re too conservative, they’re too liberal, you’re too old, too young, too dark, too different, you’re not holy enough, you’re divorced, you’re gay, you got pregnant, you messed up. Whatever you are, you are NOT ENOUGH.

Today, Christ says, enough! Enough of all of this fear, enough of all these barriers we’ve created. We have work to do, and we can’t do it if we’re divided.

In the Gospel, Jesus doesn’t care about barriers, or rules, or laws if they are meant to separate us. He doesn’t care about tradition if it’s meant to put other people down. In today’s story, all Jesus cared about was the Samaritan woman and her people. In those few moments, he showed her by his words and his actions that no matter what she thought, no matter what society thought, and no matter what the law thought, in his eyes she was enough.

Here, Christ does the same with us. We aren’t perfect, yet Christ speaks to us. We are human and he is God, yet Christ becomes intimately one with us. Our world might tell us we aren’t good enough, yet Christ confronts us in this meal with his love saying, The Body of Christ—you are good; The Blood of Christ—you are enough.

If we believe that, if we say Amen to that, we must then treat all people as Christ treats us—as enough, as worthy, as children of the same Father. There’s too much work to do—the harvest is ready. There are so many people thirsting to be known and loved for who they are. Every week God gives us that extravagant love, despite all our weakness and barriers. If we want our worship here to be authentic, to be worship in Spirit and Truth, then we must go out and tell others about this love, this gift of God.

Tonight in a concrete way the Church has a chance to show that love.

Dear Elect, in a few moments you will stand here before us and dare to reveal your own barriers. The Word of God has scrutinized you, and you will look into your hearts for your deepest longings. And you will turn to us, the Church, for encouragement, prayer, and support. Friends, no matter what the world has told you, no matter what your own fears have told you, here, you are enough.

We believe that about you not because of any deeds you have done, not because you’ve passed any tests or proven yourselves. We believe you are enough because of our faith in Christ and because of our hope in the glory of God. And that hope will not disappoint.

We believe that the God who brought the Israelites out of their slavery will also bring you out of the slavery of jealousy, pride, and being too busy.

We believe that the God who brought flowing water out of solid stone will also pour his love into your hearts so that they may not become hardened by isolation, laziness, distrust, and selfishness.

We believe that the God who revealed his true identity to an outcast will also reveal to you the truth about what’s really important and what really makes us holy in God’s eyes.

We believe this because of our baptism, because God is stronger than our sin. We know this because of the Holy Spirit, because God always gives us more than we expect. We know this because of the Eucharist, the bread we eat and the wine we drink Sunday after Sunday, because God makes even our imperfect lives into the Body and Blood of Christ.

For when God wants to know you, it will be completely, without boundaries, without rejection, without requiring you to be someone you aren’t. All that is asked is that you believe and have faith.

When you first came to us, it was because of a word someone had told you, because of a story from a modern-day Samaritan who spoke of one who knew everything she or he had done. Since that day, you’ve been gathering with us, hearing God’s word with us. We pray that you will no longer believe because of our word but because you have heard for yourselves, and have come to know that you are enough, that God is more than enough, and that Jesus is truly the savior of the world.

Passing By the Dragon

Rita Ferrone — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 20:11:38 +0000

Came across this recently in an essay by the American Catholic novelist, Flannery O’Connor (1925-1964):

Saint Cyril of Jerusalem, in instructing catechumens, wrote: The dragon sits by the side of the road watching those who pass. Beware lest he devour you. We go to the Father of Souls, but it is necessary to pass by the dragon. No matter what form the dragon may take, it is of this mysterious passage past him, or into his jaws, that stories of any depth will always be concerned to tell, and this being the case, it requires considerable courage at any time, in any country, not to turn away from the storyteller.

(Flannery O’Connor: Mystery and Manners, Occasional prose selected and edited by Sally and Robert Fitzgerald; New York: Farrar, Strauss & Giroux, 1957; p. 35)

Are the stories that we tell in the catechumenate “stories of any depth”? Would anyone guess that the journey of the Christian life “passes by the dragon” (whatever form this takes)?

Something to think about.

Why Three Scrutinies?

Rita Ferrone — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 20:03:31 +0000

This past fall I had the pleasure of working with Fr. Ron Lewinski at a couple of Forum institutes. Fr. Lewinski is a pastor and former director of the Office of Divine Worship in the Chicago Archdiocese. He was one of the early leaders in the catechumenate during its initial implementation in the 1970s and ’80s. Something he said about the Scrutinies impressed me, and I’d like to pursue the thought here further. The idea he presented was that the Scrutinies are about seeing something. They are a means of seeing sin in its true aspect, and seeing who Christ is for us. He is our liberator, and reigns over all.

Often enough, when people sin, they are not attempting to do something wicked. They are trying to attain some end which seems good, but they don’t see the full picture. They don’t see how pursuing it may engender other, negative consequences. The example he gave was of a man who took on extra work in order to get a promotion. His goal was to secure a better home for his family. His desire was for something good. But the time that his work took away from his daily life ultimately resulted in the break up of his family. He got his promotion, but at what a cost!

How Evil Works

This is often how evil works into our lives. We can all think of similar examples. Our striving after something we think is good can become something quite different, unless we see it rightly. Or sometimes we feel trapped; we can’t seem to move forward. We think the sinful or negative aspects of our lives are impossible to change. We don’t see how things could be different. Or, focused on our own needs, we don’t see that the needs of our neighbor also have a claim on us. Not only that—we may miss entirely the promise that responding to the needs of others will actually make our own lives better, freer, and more holy. We don’t see it. Giving without calculation looks like foolishness, a bad investment, when it really is the best use of our gifts.

How we see is important. And a Scrutiny is about seeing. When we see sin in its right aspect, we become free to choose something different, to step away from sin and into the light of Christ. When we call upon Jesus Christ to help us, all kinds of good things begin to happen.

The Scrutinies are therefore an exercise of sight and of letting the light in. They make an opening to new and better living. They open the eyes of our hearts and souls, so we can see what is truly good. The elect need to see how sin works in their own lives, in order to turn away from it, and walk into the light of Christ at Baptism.

The Worth of Repetition

I’d like to suggest two reasons why it is good that the Scrutinies are repeated (they are celebrated three times, unless some truly extraordinary circumstances prevent it). There are more than two reasons why the Scrutinies are repeated, of course—reasons from tradition and so on—but these two arise from the very nature of the human subject.

First, the Scrutinies need to be repeated because they are like an exercise. Only by doing them repeatedly do we get the hang of it. Spiritual therapy of this sort makes us stronger, just as physical exercise makes us strong in body. Scrutinies are a kind of exercise of the spirit. Discerning sin, and turning to receive God’s grace make us firmer in resolve, and strengthens our will for doing good.

Second, we repeat the Scrutinies because we don’t know how deep our trouble is until we start looking. We see more clearly, each time, that we still have a way to go. Recall the story of a healing in the eighth chapter of Saint Mark’s gospel. The evangelist tells of a blind man at Bethsaida whom Jesus heals, but the healing of his sight proceeds only in stages. Jesus puts saliva on his eyes, and lays hands on him, and asks him if he can see now. The man replies I can see people, but they look like trees, walking. (Mark 8:24). So Jesus lays his hands on him again, and only then does the healing become complete. It took more than one try.

How remarkable this episode of gradual healing is, for Mark. In the other stories Mark tells, things usually happen at lightening speed. His gospel uses the word immediately more than any other sacred author—thirty-four times! There is no waiting around in Mark’s gospel. But here it takes a second touch to free the man’s sight. A parable for us, indeed.

The Scrutinies—three of them—are experiences of the freeing touch of grace, which restores our sight, letting us see good and evil, sin and grace, as they really are. The Scrutinies are repeated so that we will learn to see well. Haste can short-circuit the process. We need to repeat the Scrutinies so that the elect will see sin and grace not just as shadows, trees walking, but in the contours of sharply defined people, places, and events.

After Initiation

The ritual and catechetical events of the initiation process prepare for the sacraments. But they also teach people the skills they will need for living as faithful disciples long after initiation. The goal of initiation is forming disciples who live the Christian life. Initiatory events are not left behind once they are over. Their echoes remain. Their pattern is retained in us, as the template for future experiences. They become part of ourselves as valuable ideas, worthy habits, learned responses, and treasured relationships that will be used and tested again and again in our ongoing human experience.

That is yet another reason why the Scrutinies must be celebrated well. Passionately. And with a clear sense of their purpose. The assembly too, year after year, has the benefit of these rites. The faithful do not receive a laying on of hands year after year—that is for the elect—but they too can pray for clearer sight. We all need it.

Do we have to use Year A readings for the RCIA scrutinies?

Diana — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 23:53:14 +0000

“Why can’t we use Year B readings this year for the Scrutinies?”

“The assembly is missing out on hearing the readings for Year C. How come we always have to do Year A at the Scrutinies?”

“We’ve written new scrutiny rites for the Year B readings. Can we use those?”

I hear those questions every year we aren’t in the Year A cycle of the Lectionary. (Recall that the readings we hear every Sunday are structured on a three-year rotation. In Year A we hear primarily from Matthew’s Gospel; in Year B, from Mark; and in Year C, from Luke. John’s Gospel is interspersed throughout each year.)

I can understand why some people have these questions. We’ve come a long way since before Vatican II when the amount of Scripture people heard at Mass over the course of a year was very limited (1% of the Old Testament and 17% of the New Testament) compared to today (14% of the Old Testament and 71% of the New Testament). When the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, 51, of Vatican II said that “[t]he treasures of the bible are to be opened up more lavishly, so that richer fare may be provided for the faithful at the table of God’s word,” the Church took it seriously, and the faithful have come to value more and more a fuller proclamation of the Word in the midst of the assembly.

Yet I think we still have a way to go when it comes to valuing the rites of initiation within the Sunday gathering of the assembly. The best way we can help the assembly—and their parish leaders—to grow in appreciation of these rites of initiation is to do the rites well and fully, consistently year after year.

What does the Rite say?
So, taking a look at the rubrics for the Scrutiny Rites, we read:

The scrutinies should take place within the ritual Masses “Christian Initiation: The Scrutinies,” which are celebrated on the Third, Fourth, and Fifth Sundays of Lent; the readings with their chants are those given for those Sundays in the Lectionary for Mass, Year A.In every case the ritual Masses “Christian Initiation: The Scrutinies” are celebrated and in this sequence: for the first scrutiny the Mass with the gospel of the Samaritan woman; for the second, the Mass with the gospel of the man born blind; for the third, the Mass with the gospel of Lazarus. (146)

Seems clear, yes? Yet perhaps still not compelling enough a reason for those who ask our opening questions. So let’s look at some reasons that may be more convincing.

What does history say?
In the oldest known Book of Gospels, called the Würzberg Evangelary (c. 645), the three passages from John’s Gospel listed in RCIA, 146, are included in the readings for Lent. This Evangelary scheduled John’s Gospel to be read semi-continuously during the last few weeks of Lent. However the stories of the man born blind and the raising of Lazarus were listed out of order, suggesting that they were used for specific rites. By the ninth century and possibly as early as the late seventh century, we have evidence that these three Gospel readings were moved to specific Sundays of Lent in both the Roman rite and the Ambrosian rite, again suggesting that they were used for particular lenten rites. We can trust that for the Church, these Johannine stories have had significant prominence in the preparation for Easter. Let’s examine why this is and why over the years these readings have been associated with the preparation of the elect.

What do the readings say?
Just as the scrutinies themselves are meant to be a series of rites spanning over an extended period of time, so too are these three Gospel readings meant to be “digested” little by little with time in between each set of readings. This is because the readings in their assigned sequence reflect the very purpose of the Scrutiny Rites. That is, little by little, these readings with their prescribed rites uncover what is weak and sinful and strengthen what is good and upright in the elect. Through them, “the elect are instructed gradually about the mystery of sin, from which the whole world and every person longs to be delivered…” (RCIA, 143).

In the story of the woman at the well, the Samaritan woman hears Jesus then goes and tells the villagers what she has heard, causing them to seek him out for themselves. The reading ends with the villagers saying to the woman, “We no longer believe because of your word; for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the savior of the world” (John 4:42). Was this not the starting point of every elect? They heard a word, a word that they discovered over time to be Christ. Upon discovering who was speaking to them, they no longer believed because of hearsay, obligation, or pressure, but because they heard Christ’s voice for themselves.

In the story of the man born blind, the man healed of his blindness gradually grows to see as Christ sees. He regains his sight right at the start of the story. But only because of the interrogation he receives from his neighbors and the Pharisees and his struggle to respond to them faithfully, does he little by little begin to see the identity of who it was who healed him. By the end of the story, the one who healed him was no longer to him just “the man called Jesus” (John 9:11) or simply “a prophet” (John 9:17) or “from God” (John 9:33). He was “Lord” (John 9:38) in whom he believed. For the elect this progression may be familiar. At the start of their catechumenate, their eyes are signed “that [they] may see the glory of God” (Rite of Acceptance, RCIA 56). Through their catechesis over the years and their experience with the community of believers they grow in understanding of what they see—who the man Jesus was, the prophetic words he spoke, his unique relationship with the Father, and finally his true identity as Lord.

Lastly, in the story of the raising of Lazarus, we come to the final days before the elect must stand before the font and profess their faith. In this reading, the miracle happens at the end of the story, but faith is already expressed long before the miracle takes place. Martha makes her profession of faith in Jesus the Messiah even as her brother is lying dead in the tomb. She needed no words and no miraculous deeds to believe in him; she only needed to believe. Period.

In this final story, we see what those who have been entrusted to continue Jesus’ work have hopefully been doing in order to prepare the elect to make their profession of faith. They have been preparing them, like Jesus prepared Martha and Mary, to understand the paschal mystery they would witness in the resurrection—that out of death comes new life in Christ. Only after Lazarus is revived and Jesus is raised from the dead will Martha truly understand the words of faith she professed. It is her belief in and love for Jesus that allow her to be ready for whatever he will do despite her human logic that death is death, for “Martha believes not in what she understands but in the one who has the words of eternal life” (Sandra Schneiders, Written That You May Believe, Crossroad Publishing Company, p. 158).

When the three scrutiny readings are examined in this way, we begin to understand what the RCIA means when it says that Lent “is intended as well to enlighten the minds and hearts of the elect with a deeper knowledge of Christ the Savior” (139). The Gospels assigned to the scrutinies are there to ask the elect:

Could he possibly be the Messiah?
Do you believe in the Son of Man?
Do you believe this?

The things that keep the elect from saying “yes!” are the things that must be scrutinized and exorcized, for in a few short weeks, they must respond “yes, I believe” as they stand at the edge of death at the font. The place where the elect learn to answer “yes!” is in the parish community. The assignment and order of the scrutiny Gospels from John reflect the community’s progressive and communal catechesis for the elect in order that they may hear and believe (Samaritan woman), see and believe (man born blind), and finally believe without proof (Martha and Lazarus).

Why B and C don’t work
Though well-intentioned and creative, when we create new scrutiny texts to match the readings from Year B or C, we have severed ourselves and our elect from the rich history and wisdom of the Church who over the centuries have understood the unique power of the three Johannine Gospel readings. Some will argue that the Year B readings are particularly apt for those preparing for baptism because each Sunday reading includes reference to some symbol from the baptismal rite: water in Noah and the flood; white garments in the Transfiguration; resurrection of the destroyed temple; Jesus teaching Nicodemus about the light; and death of the grain of wheat. Although this may be true, these readings cannot compare to the dramatic power of the three assigned Scrutiny readings. Furthermore, as RCIA 143 noted, Lent is a time for the elect to gradually learn about sin; the period after their baptism is the time for them to reflect on the baptismal symbols and their experience of initiation through mystagogical catechesis.

When we worry that the faithful are missing out on the readings of Year B or C on the Sundays of the scrutinies, we are forgetting that the faithful’s role in these rites is to pray fervently for the elect. All their focus should be upon the elect for it is in them that God is working most clearly. It is in the elect that the Word of Christ is evangelizing whole communities; it is in them that the world is beginning to see Christ present on earth; it is in them that we will witness new life spring forth from death. These elect will be elect only once in their lives. This will be the only time they will ever hear these three Gospel readings from John as elect, surrounded by the prayers of the community and overshadowed by the power of the Spirit. We, the baptized, have a responsibility to them at these critical moments of their lenten preparation to use the best our Church tradition has to offer. The best will be the assigned Year A readings.

Perhaps as preparation for taking on our assigned role in these Scrutiny Rites, we, the already-baptized, might read the assigned readings for Year B or Year C during the weeks leading up to the Scrutiny Rites, that these readings might open our ears, eyes, and hearts to hear the Year A readings anew with strengthened faith in Christ already at work in the elect.

History of the scrutinies: 3 things your RCIA team needs to know

Diana — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 22:30:12 +0000

The initiation rites of the third, fourth, and fifth Sundays of Lent don’t have the most comforting of names. On these days we engage the elect in rites and prayers called scrutinies and exorcisms. The first connotes probing and critical examination of one’s life, and the second—well, let’s just say many of us have had nightmares because of what Hollywood thinks exorcisms look like.

Yet if we understand the history of these initiation rites, we’ll see that they are both more pastoral and comforting than we may think.

To call the current rite with the elect “scrutiny” is a bit of a misnomer. Paul Turner gives a good overview of how we got where we are today in terms of the scrutinies.

Two related actions
In the earliest ritual books of the church, exorcisms and scrutinies seemed to be separate events celebrated sometimes on a daily basis. One of these early documents, called the Apostolic Tradition, notes that the catechumens’ conduct was examined at a time just before their baptism. After this examination, the bishop laid hands daily on the catechumens and led prayers of exorcism over them until their baptism. The scrutinizing of the catechumens’ lives was meant to prepare them for baptism, while the exorcisms served to prove that the scrutinies were working. The two rites were distinct yet related and were both loving acts of the church for the elect.

This is a brief, but effective overview of the development of the RCIA

History of the RCIA
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Nick Wagner
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As fewer adults were being initiated and the number of infant baptisms increased, these two rites were condensed into one liturgy, like we have today. Yet, no longer were these rites seen as preparation for baptism. Rather they became somewhat perfunctory rites done just before baptism as part of the tradition. By the 12th century, the elect participated only in an exorcism on Saturday morning right before the baptismal liturgy. By the 17th century, even this was moved to the beginning of the baptismal rite itself—we still do this in today’s Rite of Baptism of infants. Perhaps it was this diminishing, not only in time but also in meaning, that spurred on some of our more negative connotations of these two rituals.

Paul Turner summarizes the history of scrutinies best in this way:

They consistently served as a way of ritually assessing one’s readiness for baptism, but what they investigated changed from one generation to the next. They scrutinized spiritual development, moral behavior, intellectual understanding, and even the intelligence of godparents.By the time of the reforms of the Second Vatican Council the scrutinies had been transformed into a series of exorcisms invoked within the baptismal liturgy, in Latin, where no real scrutinizing was expected.

Renewing the purpose
In the renewal of the initiation rites, the scrutiny is meant not simply to critique and assess one’s readiness—remember that readiness was established at the Rite of Election with the godparents’ testimony and the bishop’s acceptance of the catechumens’ names. The purpose of each of the scrutinies is “to uncover, then heal all that is weak, defective, or sinful in the hearts of the elect” and “to bring out, then strengthen all that is upright, strong, and good” (RCIA, 141). The true pastoral sense of this two-fold act of uncovering and strengthening is emphasized in the next sentence of 141: “For the scrutinies are celebrated in order to deliver the elect from the power of sin and Satan, to protect them against temptation, and to give them strength in Christ.” At its core, the scrutinies are not about the sinfulness of the elect but about the overwhelming grace of God in Christ. The exorcisms are not fear-laden bouts with Satan but are grace-filled encounters with the healing power of the Spirit.

In the current rite, it is difficult to name what is the “scrutinizing” event. I would argue that the proclamation of Scripture, especially the gospel, serves to scrutinize the elect, for it is in the word proclaimed that we encounter Christ. As Rita Ferrone, one of our TeamRCIA writers, says, “A scrutiny is very different from submitting one’s conduct to the judgment of the church. Better to say that Jesus is the one who scrutinizes the elect, whom he loves and has called to himself” (“Lazarus, Come Out! The Story and Ritual of the Third Scrutiny” in Catechumenate: A Journal of Christian Initiation, Liturgy Training Publications, January 1992, p. 3.) Further, “next to the proclamation of the word, the intercessions are the crucial element within the ritual, for within them the cutting edge of the word is concretely focused on the human heart” (Michael Marchal, “Scrutinies: Words That Cut” in Catechumenate: A Journal of Christian Initiation, January 1993, p. 21).

What does this mean for us then? I think this brief look at the history and purpose of the scrutinies gives us three points to remember:

The scrutinies and their accompanying exorcisms are a series of rites that cannot be condensed in time; they need time “to work.” Nor should we diminish their ritual symbols of silence, posture, litany, and handlaying.

The scrutinies focus as much on the grace of God as on the sin of humanity. We can’t truly call a scrutiny a Christian rite of initiation unless our self-searching leads to acknowledgment and praise of Christ who saves us.

The scrutinies are for the elect, not for the baptized, for we believe that baptism matters. That is, when one is baptized, one is freed from the power of sin. The baptized are no longer enslaved by Satan. Those who have not yet entered the waters of the font are still vulnerable; they have not yet been clothed with Christ; they have not yet been reborn as new creations. That is why those who have already been released from the devil’s grip are able to pray these scrutinies and exorcisms for the elect.

How to rehearse the scrutinies

Nick — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 16:19:30 +0000

Rehearsal outline:

Scrutiny

RCIA 150-156, 164-170, 171-177

6:30 Before everyone arrives

Turn on lights and put out microphones.
Put the lectionary on the ambo.
Put the presider’s script or ritual book on his chair.
Put the catechumenate director’s script on her chair or pew.
Place name tags in the pews where you want the elect and their godparents to sit.
If necessary, mark the spots where the elect will stand with a piece of masking tape.

7:00 Welcome the participants: the presider, the director of the catechumenate, the godparents, and perhaps the musician. (The elect are not present.) Ask the presider, godparents, and catechumenate director to sit in their places. Lead a brief prayer.

7:10 Remind the godparents of these essential points; be lighthearted, but still convey the importance of the information:

Point out to the godparents that the scrutinies have two goals
- Uncover and heal all weakness in the elect
- Strengthen all that is strong and good in the elect (see RCIA 141)
There are three scrutinies, and all three are required, because one builds upon the next.
Godparents need to pick up the elect from home or meet them in front of the church before Mass.
Everyone needs to be in their seats 15 minutes before Mass starts.
From the minute they walk into the church, until the minute the elect are dismissed, the godparents need to be in physical contact with the elect. A hand on an arm or shoulder at all times.
It is the godparents’ responsibility to know the details of the rite. They need to project an air of confidence and always reassure the elect that things are under control.
Point out to them that Mass will begin as usual and will be “normal” up through the homily. After the homily ends, they need to be ready.

7:20 Invitation to silent prayer

After the homily, the godparents move the elect into place. There is no cue for them in the ritual text. You can write one for the presider to say, but do that before rehearsal. Have them mime bringing the elect to their spots.

The presider first invites the assembly to pray. No text is given. The presider can improvise or you can prepare a script ahead of time. In either case, have him say his lines now.

The presider then invites the elect to pray. Decide ahead of time if the elect are going to bow their heads or kneel. Have the presider read the line in the ritual text.

7:30 Intercessions for the elect

Note that the intercessions for the elect will be prayed at this point. (There is no need to actually read through them.)

Point out to the godparents that these are intercessions for the elect and not the prayer of the faithful that we usually do at Mass.

(Remind them to keep a hand on the elect.)

MUSIC NOTE: The intercessions could be chanted.

7:35 Exorcism

Point out to the godparents that the exorcism will follow. Explain to them this isn’t the kind of exorcism they may have seen in movies. It is a simple but profound prayer that the elect will be free of sin and temptation.

Have the presider go to each place where the elect will be and mime laying hands on their heads. The director of the catechumenate follows and likewise mimes the laying on of hands.

After the director has moved to the next place, the godparent steps in front of his or her elect and lays hands on the head of the elect. Walk through the entire laying on of hands.

The presider and the director return to their places, and the godparents return to standing next to the elect, hands on shoulders.

In the liturgy, the presider prays the conclusion of the exorcism with his arms outstretched. Have him practice now.

If the elect are kneeling, they would stand after the “Amen.” Tell the godparents they will need to remember that and help the elect to their feet.

7:45 Dismissal

The presider reads the dismissal line. (Write one or choose one of the options in the ritual text before rehearsal.)

The director of the catechumenate exits down the center aisle, carrying the lectionary.

Tell the godparents to tell the elect to follow the book. Remind them that even though the elect will be used to a dismissal, the flow of the liturgy will be new to them and they might be momentarily confused. The godparents should make sure the elect know what to do.

After the elect have left, the godparents will return to their seats in the assembly.

MUSIC NOTE: There would ordinarily be an acclamation as the catechumens leave.

7:50 End

Thank the godparents for their time and their commitment. Remind them to be in their seats 15 minutes early. Make sure they have your e-mail address and cell phone number in case they have any questions.

Children and the scrutinies

Nick — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 08:52:59 +0000

The adaptation of the scrutiny rites for child catechumens is confusing (RCIA 291). Instead of clearly labeling the rites as scrutinies, they are called “Penitential Rites (Scutinies).” And even though the title is plural, only one text is given with an instruction to write your own for a second, using the given text as a model. Nothing is said about a third scrutiny. There are nine readings listed as options for the liturgy of the word and, although the traditional Johannine gospels are listed among them, there is no requirement that they be used and no emphasis in the rite on the progressive nature of these three traditional scrutiny gospels.

Most parishes that have child catechumens simply include the children in the regular scrutinies with the adults. If the liturgy is celebrated well, it is as meaningful for the children as it is for the adults.

What are the proper prayers for the scrutinies?

Nick — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 16:46:16 +0000

We all know that we always use the readings from the Third, Fourth, and Fifth Sundays of Lent, Year A, for the scrutinies, right? But do you know what Mass prayers to use? They are not the Mass prayers from those Sundays. Instead, whenever the scrutinies are celebrated, we use the Mass prayers for “Christian Initiation: The Scrutinies” (see RCIA 146). You’ll find those in the back of the sacramentary in the section titled “Ritual Masses.”

"God Glasses" for the Man Born Blind—A Scrutiny Homily for the Fourth Sunday of Lent

Diana — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 07:50:00 +0000

The stories of the man born blind, the woman at the well and the raising of Lazarus from the dead are a set of readings that must always be proclaimed whenever we celebrate the Scrutinies. Why then are today’s readings so important for those who are preparing for initiation? Why are they so important for us who are already baptized?

These readings teach us about our baptismal promises. The story of the Samaritan woman at the well is not so much about the woman believing in Christ but about the woman fulfilling her role in proclaiming the Gospel. She reminds us that our baptism commits us to a life of evangelization. Likewise, the story of Lazarus is not so much about Jesus raising him from the dead but about having faith in Christ even when it looks like death has won. This story reminds us that we are committed to a life of faith and trust. And the story of the man born blind is not so much about the man being healed, but about seeing as God sees. Today’s Gospel reminds us that we are committed to a life that reveals God’s vision, to a life of constant conversion. This is what I mean by conversion.

If we are sincere about asking God to “open our eyes,” to see as God sees, then we must also be willing to change the way we live our lives so that our lives reflect God’s point to view, and not ours.

Here’s an example of how life changes once you’re given a new perspective. How many of you wear glasses or contact lenses? Then you might know what I am talking about. When I was in the 6th grade, I got my first pair of glasses. When I stepped out of the doctor’s office into the parking lot, the first thing I saw was this tree. Now, I had never in my life seen a tree like that. Before I got the glasses, I thought trees were just blobs of green and brown and red and orange. Theoretically, I knew what a tree looked like. I could see leaves and bark and such. But after I saw them through my new glasses, I realized that a tree was more than just leaves and bark. The leaves had lines, and edges, and curves. There were birds in the trees that I could see. There were cracks and grooves in the bark that I had missed before.

Finally being able to see the detail, the intricacies of nature, and its true beauty is like how God sees each of us. In the first reading, God told Samuel that God doesn’t see as humans see. We can only see part of the picture, what’s on the outside of a person. But God sees deeper, into the heart of that person. God sees the fullness of that person’s potential. God sees that person’s intricate and detailed beauty.

Jesus tells the blind man “you have seen the Son of Man, you have seen the Christ; the one speaking with you is he.” What if each of us could put on some glasses—”God glasses”—that allow us to see that intricate and detailed beauty of each person? Imagine how differently we would act if we remembered Jesus’ words (“you have seen Christ, he is speaking with you now”).

How differently we would act if each time we encountered our co-workers, we saw Christ. How differently we would treat our parents, our children, our spouse, and our classmates, our friends, our enemies. How differently we would treat the people who sit around us in church, the people we see here every week but to whom we never talk, the people who don’t speak our language, the people who don’t look, act, or think the way we do. How differently we would treat the beggar, the homeless, the people we label as failure, as sinner, the people we label as conservative, liberal, gay, straight, too old, too young, too dark, too light, too smart, too dumb, too much of something that doesn’t fit our point of view. Imagine if each time we encounter each other, each time we speak with one another, we “see” Christ, we “hear” Jesus. How different our world would be.

Our Elect are with us here today. In three weeks they will step into that water there in the font. They will be clothed in white and given the light of the Easter Candle. They will be anointed with oil as priest, prophet and king in Christ. And they will stand with us at this table to give thanks and break bread and drink wine, becoming with us what they eat, the Body and Blood of Christ.

Dear Elect, in a moment you will stand in our midst along with your godparents. We will pray for you that God’s light may heal the dark places of your lives and strengthen each of you. Your baptism will change you. It will change your identity. It will change the way you “see” the world, and thus, it will change the way you act within the world. For this is the duty of the baptized: to be imitators of Christ and to see as God sees.

We, the faithful, stand with each of you, not to judge you, not to test you, nor to evaluate you. No, we stand with you to give you the courage and strength that you will need to face those dark places. We will ask God to help you see those moments of failure and weakness as God sees them—not as reasons to condemn you, but as opportunities to love you with an even greater love. Seeing you as God sees you, we give thanks, for you are a sign to us that God is still making all things new.

There’s one thing about getting my glasses for the first time that I will never forget. When I saw that tree and I saw how beautiful it was, all I could do was be amazed and give praise for the awesome wonder of God’s creation. When we see as God sees, all we can do is stand and praise God for showing us a glimpse of heaven.