(newly planted)

from Greek

neos – New phytos – Planted (a new convert )

• Holy Thursday

• Good Friday

• Easter Sunday

• 4 distinct stages :-

– Service of the Light

– Liturgy of the Word

– Liturgy of Baptism

– Liturgy of the Eucharist

Blessing of the new fire

• The Celebrant blesses the new fire: the celebrant and faithful gather around it and experience the flames dispelling the darkness and lighting up the night.

• Central symbolic object

of the Vigil because it

represents the Risen Lord in

His glory.

It is blessed and inserted with the 5 grains of

incense now. The Easter candle is lighted from the

new fire.

It is a majestic proclamation of the Resurrection of Christ, a dramatic invitation to heaven and earth to join with the Church in joy and jubilation. It is the rite of sanctification of light and night, of place and time, of priest and faithful for the celebration of the Resurrection of our Lord

The Exsultet

The Easter proclamation has survived nearly 2000 years of Christian music and stands as one of the finest of liturgical poetry. It captures the whole Easter mystery placed within the context of the economy of salvation and celebrates the

resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Liturgy of the Word• 5 Readings and 4

Psalms– 4 from the Old

Testament– 2 from the New

Testament including the Gospel Reading

• Each reading is followed by an invitation to pray in silence, which is followed by a special prayer designed for that reading.

• These readings help us meditate on the wonderful works of God for his people since the beginning of time.

• The Gloria is sung before the reading of the Epistle of the Romans, and the Alleluia is sung before the Gospel.

Liturgy of Baptism – litany of the saints

A prayer in to and in honour of the saints, appealing to them for help and divine protection.

Blessing of water

The baptismal water is consecrated by a prayer of epiclesis. The Church asks God through his Son the power of the Holy Spirit may be sent upon the water, so that those who will be baptised in it may be “born of water and the spirit”.

Rite of baptism

The copious use of water during baptism is the most expressive outward sign of God’s gift of sanctifying grace in abundance: the water not only signifies the removal of but actually washes away original and all personal sins. Baptism makes the neophyte an adopted child of God and “partaker of the divine nature.”

• The white garment symbolises the purity of a soul cleansed from all sin: the person baptised has “put on Christ”, has risen with Christ.

• The Godparents will light their candle from the Paschal candle for the neophytes. It signifies that Christ has enlightened the neophyte. In Him, the baptised are “light of the world”.

Effects of the Sacraments of Christian Initiation - Baptism

• Through Baptism we are freed from sin ....• all sin, original sin & personal sin

and reborn as children of God; ....• we become members of Christ, .... • an identity “Christian” - sharers in the

prophetic, priestly and kingly mission of Christ.• are incorporated into the Church .... • as a baby is born into a family, so is the whole

Church our family• and made sharers in her mission....

Confirmation

LAYING OF HANDS AND ANOINTING

“The Eucharist is the source and summit of Christian life”. (CCC1324)

The Sacraments of Christian Initiation – Holy Eucharist

• Baptism is necessary to obtain a share in the life of God.

• The Eucharist is equally necessary to remain spiritually alive.

(“..unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you willl have no life in you… for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink.” – John 6: 52, 55)

Holy Eucharist• “Anyone who desires

to receive Christ in Eucharistic communion must be in the state of grace. Anyone aware of having sinned mortally must not receive communion without having received absolution in the sacrament of Penance.” CCC 1415

(“..Examine yourselves, and only then eat of the bread and drink of the cup.” –

1 Cor 11:28)

NEOPHYTENEOPHYTE

To summarise …

The sacraments of Christian initiation - Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist - lay the foundations of every Christian life. "The sharing in the divine nature given to men through the grace of Christ bears a certain likeness to the origin, development, and nourishing of natural life. the faithful are born anew by Baptism, strengthened by the sacrament of Confirmation, and receive in the Eucharist the food of eternal life. - CCC 1212

Sharing• Recall the night of your

baptism.• What was your

experience like?• What lingers in your

memory?• How did you feel?• What touched you?

Engaged you? Disengaged you?

• What did you hear, smell, see, taste?

The Period of Mystagogia

Mystagogia: an ancient Greek word meaning

"education in the sacred mysteries". It describes the life of a Christian believer after baptism and the first

initiation rites - that is, the growth of the mind and heart in the ancient Christian

faith.

The Fourth Phase: The Period of Mystagogia

The period of mystagogia is a time for:

living a sacramental life

living out the gospel way of life

becoming more involved in the parish

Living out the faith

Remain in me, as I remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me. – John 15:4

"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge."

Hosea 4:6

"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge."

Hosea 4:6

If we say, "We are without sin," we deceive If we say, "We are without sin," we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 1 JOHN 1: 81 JOHN 1: 8

If we say, "We have not sinned," we make If we say, "We have not sinned," we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.him a liar, and his word is not in us. 1 JOHN 1 :101 JOHN 1 :10

All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin which is not mortal.which is not mortal. 1 John 5:171 John 5:17

GROWTH IN THE SPIRITGROWTH IN THE SPIRIT(VERTICAL DIMENSION)(VERTICAL DIMENSION)

• SACRAMENT;SACRAMENT;

• STUDY;STUDY;

• SERVICE;SERVICE;

• SUPPORT GROUP SUPPORT GROUP & COMMUNITY;& COMMUNITY;

• SOLITUDE & SOLITUDE & PRAYER.PRAYER.

• MASSMASS

• RECONCILIATIONRECONCILIATION

What is sacramental living?

Living out of a normal Catholic spiritual life; a life within the Church in which the Christian fulfills his/her

vocation.(“vocare”– Latin – to call)

SACRAMENTAL LIVINGDo not be conformed

to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God- what is good, acceptable and perfect. – Rom 12:2

38

The point of all the sacraments is to The point of all the sacraments is to make us holy, to make us radiate make us holy, to make us radiate

with God's own life, and to bring us with God's own life, and to bring us to heaven. That is the great mission to heaven. That is the great mission

of the Holy Spirit. of the Holy Spirit.

39

God’s ultimate plan for us – that we may: ...attain to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ (Eph. 4:13)

"Our greatest wish and prayer is that you will become mature Christians." 2 Cor

13:9

…press on to maturity (Heb 6:1)40

The Charismatic The Charismatic Gifts empowers Gifts empowers

the "Doing“the "Doing“to build the to build the

ChurchChurch

The Sanctifying The Sanctifying Gifts roots the Gifts roots the

"Being“"Being“to bear fruitsto bear fruits41

42

““At the end of our lives, At the end of our lives, we will not be judged by we will not be judged by howhow many diplomas we many diplomas we have received, how much have received, how much money we have made or money we have made or

how many great things we have done. how many great things we have done. We will be judged by ‘I was hungry and We will be judged by ‘I was hungry and you gave me to eat. I was naked and you you gave me to eat. I was naked and you clothed me. I was homeless and you took clothed me. I was homeless and you took me in.’”  me in.’”  

““At the end of our lives, At the end of our lives, we will not be judged by we will not be judged by howhow many diplomas we many diplomas we have received, how much have received, how much money we have made or money we have made or

how many great things we have done. how many great things we have done. We will be judged by ‘I was hungry and We will be judged by ‘I was hungry and you gave me to eat. I was naked and you you gave me to eat. I was naked and you clothed me. I was homeless and you took clothed me. I was homeless and you took me in.’”  me in.’”  

43

If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all

knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move

mountains, but have not but have not love,love, I am nothing

1 Corinthians 13:2

"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love,but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or

a clanging cymbal."1 Corinthians 13:1

“ “ Charisms are therefore Charisms are therefore graces bestowed by the graces bestowed by the

Holy Spirit on certain Holy Spirit on certain members of the faithful to members of the faithful to prepare them to contribute prepare them to contribute to the common good of the to the common good of the

Church.”Church.”Pope John Paul IIPope John Paul II

Address to participants in the Address to participants in the Second International Conference Second International Conference of Ecclesial Movements, of Ecclesial Movements, 2 March 2 March

1987, 1987, L'Osservatore Romano L'Osservatore Romano English edition, 16 March 1987, English edition, 16 March 1987, 45

46

““Here am I, the servant of the Here am I, the servant of the Lord; Let it be with me Lord; Let it be with me

according to your word"according to your word" (Luke 1:38) (Luke 1:38) 47

You say: "It's impossible“

God says: All things are possible

(Lk18:27)

You say: "I'm too tired"

God says: I will give you

rest (Matt11:28-30)

You say: "Nobody loves me"

God says: I love you

(Jn3:16 & Jn13:34)

You say: "I can't go on"

God says: My grace is sufficient

(2Cor12:9)

You say: "I can't forgive myself"

God says: I FORGIVE YOU

(1Jn 1:9 & Rm8:1)

You say: "I can't manage"

God says: I will supply

all your needs.(Phil 4:19)

You say: "I can't do it"

God says: You can do all things

(Phil4:13)

You say: "I'm not able"

God says: I am able (2Cor9:8)

You say: "It's not worth it"

God says: It will be worth it

(Rm8:28)

You say:"I'm afraid"

God says: I have not given

you a spirit of fear (2Tim1:7)

You say: "I'm always

worried and frustrated"

God says: Cast all your cares

on ME (1Pet5:7)

You say: "I don't have enough faith"

God says: I've given everyone a measure of faith

(Rom12:3)

You say: "I feel all alone"

God says: I will never leave

you or forsake you

(Heb 13:5)