I attended RCIA for the first time the other day. It was an interesting time, part of me wanted to stand up and debate, i didnt though (wrong time and place, would have been rude) and is a feeling that I natrually expected to feel.
I arrived pretty early so I went into the sactuary to pray and then I meandered and studied the "stations of the cross" that were carved into the wall as well as the altar area which a church member said I could approach to have a closer look. The tabernacle where the consecrated eucharist is stored is a beautiful glimmering gold box and the altar was draped in gorgeous purple cloth. At the doors to the chapel their were bowls of what I believe are holy water which is pretty neat.
If not doctrine, Catholics certainly have us beat when it comes to setting the mood visually.
After that I meandered to the back of the building to find a cradle catholic waiting at the door named Mary Ann, a wonderful lady I might add. We went in and talked for about 20 minutes awaiting for the rest of the class.
When the teacher showed up we exchanged pleasentries and told each other about ourselves and how I went to the seminary down the road and had no intentions to convert. She smiled and thought it was awesome that I was there. Then the class came and she introduced me and said If I keep coming that I may be able to explain what I believe and add to the discussions a different perspective which surprised me, but I would love and jump at the chance to do so.
The priest came and he was a really nice man, and he taught on the Eucharist. He opened up with "If you have faith," says Jesus, "this is my body, this is my blood..." and introduced to us the idea of "real presence" and the idea of "re-presenting." He said that what happens at the altar is an "unbloody sacrifice" and is not a "re-sacrifice" of Jesus which he did once for all.
Then he went into historical background into the passover meal itself. I didnt write down what he said about the bread, but concerning the wine he said "the wine at the passover meal symbolized the blood of the lamb" that the israelites put over their doors. I found that to be an interesting tidbit.
One thing I found especially interesting was the reason he gave for the repition of the Lord's Prayer before recieving communion. He contrasted this:
Mat 5:23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you,
Mat 5:24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
with:
Mat 6:12 and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
One lady I talked to after the class didnt like me, she asked if I was converting, I said "no, I'm just here to learn." Then she asked me if I was going to be a baptist minister and when I said yes, her demeanor totally changed and she began to argue with me and implied I was there to take money some how. I told her I was confused and didnt know what she was talking about. She told me we'd "discuss it another day" and walked away.
My only beef with the priest was his use of "colorful language," the flippant use of "god" in his speech, and his brief refrence to liking the wine too much and disliking the wine they use for lent. Plus somehow we got into discussing nuclear weapons
.
Mary Ann drove me home which was very nice and said she'd pick me up and drive me back next week. I am going to take her up on it.
Thats it.. thats my experiance.
I arrived pretty early so I went into the sactuary to pray and then I meandered and studied the "stations of the cross" that were carved into the wall as well as the altar area which a church member said I could approach to have a closer look. The tabernacle where the consecrated eucharist is stored is a beautiful glimmering gold box and the altar was draped in gorgeous purple cloth. At the doors to the chapel their were bowls of what I believe are holy water which is pretty neat.
If not doctrine, Catholics certainly have us beat when it comes to setting the mood visually.
After that I meandered to the back of the building to find a cradle catholic waiting at the door named Mary Ann, a wonderful lady I might add. We went in and talked for about 20 minutes awaiting for the rest of the class.
When the teacher showed up we exchanged pleasentries and told each other about ourselves and how I went to the seminary down the road and had no intentions to convert. She smiled and thought it was awesome that I was there. Then the class came and she introduced me and said If I keep coming that I may be able to explain what I believe and add to the discussions a different perspective which surprised me, but I would love and jump at the chance to do so.
The priest came and he was a really nice man, and he taught on the Eucharist. He opened up with "If you have faith," says Jesus, "this is my body, this is my blood..." and introduced to us the idea of "real presence" and the idea of "re-presenting." He said that what happens at the altar is an "unbloody sacrifice" and is not a "re-sacrifice" of Jesus which he did once for all.
Then he went into historical background into the passover meal itself. I didnt write down what he said about the bread, but concerning the wine he said "the wine at the passover meal symbolized the blood of the lamb" that the israelites put over their doors. I found that to be an interesting tidbit.
One thing I found especially interesting was the reason he gave for the repition of the Lord's Prayer before recieving communion. He contrasted this:
Mat 5:23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you,
Mat 5:24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
with:
Mat 6:12 and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
One lady I talked to after the class didnt like me, she asked if I was converting, I said "no, I'm just here to learn." Then she asked me if I was going to be a baptist minister and when I said yes, her demeanor totally changed and she began to argue with me and implied I was there to take money some how. I told her I was confused and didnt know what she was talking about. She told me we'd "discuss it another day" and walked away.
My only beef with the priest was his use of "colorful language," the flippant use of "god" in his speech, and his brief refrence to liking the wine too much and disliking the wine they use for lent. Plus somehow we got into discussing nuclear weapons
.Mary Ann drove me home which was very nice and said she'd pick me up and drive me back next week. I am going to take her up on it.
Thats it.. thats my experiance.
That would have been nuts and certainly would have made for a more exciting story. 
