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FORMATION IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFEby Do you run and hide when the Jehovah’s Witnesses or Mormons walk up to your front door? Do you look for the nearest bathroom when someone says to you, “You’re a Catholic, right? Why do Catholics always…”? How many times have you broken out in a cold sweat when you are asked, “Where is so-and-so ever mentioned in the Bible?” The issue here is one of Formation, (or Study, as we old folks liked to call it). Generally speaking, I think that Cursillistas are very good when it comes to Holiness (Prayer), and reasonably good when it comes to Evangelization (Action), but surely Formation is the weak link in the tripod for many of us. Why is Formation important? The reason lies in the Scriptures; in I Peter 3:15—“Always be ready to give an account of the hope that is in you in Christ Jesus, gently and reverently.” In other words, we need to be ready to explain and defend. This takes real study indeed. For this reason I would insist that proper Formation is In-formation. Some of what passes for “Formation” in our Group Reunion sharing really should come under the rubric of “Holiness” instead. Devotional reading of the Bible, for example, or books on prayer are useful and wonderful. But they are not Formation. Such books are really forms of “Faith seeking expression,” while the classical definition of theology (and Formation) is “Faith seeking understanding.” So reading the Bible is not enough; Bible study (with a commentary or a guide) is required. How many times have we passed by the chance to attend Bible study in our parishes, either during the week or on Sunday mornings?! So many of us are “instinctive Catholics,” by which I mean those who know all the right things to do but aren’t sure why, or what they mean. We are a little like Tevye in Fiddler On The Roof, when talking about the prayer shawls they wear: “You may ask, ‘How did this tradition get started?’ I’ll tell you: I don’t know. But it’s a tradition!” We need to be able to supply a better answer to that kind of question, especially here in the Bible Belt where Catholics are looked at with amusement by some and with suspicion (or worse) by others. Come to know your Faith! It is a magnificent thing, and between Adult Faith Formation and RCIA (open to all, by the way) and Bible study, there is a wealth of ways for you to grow in Formation right in your own parish. Carpe diem—seize the opportunity and grow with it. Be a properly formed (an in-formed) Catholic. Be an effective Catholic. When you “bring a friend to Christ,” make sure you know the Catholic truth that we present in the name of Christ. Together, we advance in building the Kingdom. DE COLORES!
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