It’s Year C so the same “tired old arguments” will be rolled out to do all sorts of adaptations to the scrutinies that the rite does not allow for nor endorse.
Heading the list will be:
Sometimes it seems that 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?
Let’s look at the rubrics for the Scrutiny Rites. These are RCIA #128 – 133 (Australia and New Zealand)
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. (#133)
Seems clear, yes? Yet perhaps still not compelling enough a reason for those who ask our opening questions.
Why focus on these readings?
Just as the scrutinies themselves are meant to be a series of rites spanning over three weeks, so too are these three Gospel readings meant to be “digested” over the week be- tween 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, #128).
In one of his RCIA blogs on TeamRCIA.com, Nick Wagner explains the context of these 3 readings to the scrutinies and the elect’s faith journey:
“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 our- selves, and we know that this is truly the saviour 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 neighbours 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 be- lievers 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 pro- fession of faith. They have been preparing them, like Jesus prepared Martha and Mary, to understand the paschal mystery they would witness in the resurrec- tion—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).
The Church has selected these three reading for a particular purpose. RCIA #126 says that Lent “is intended as well to enlighten the minds and hearts of the elect with a deeper knowledge of Christ the Saviour” (#126). The Gospels assigned to the scrutinies are there to ask the elect:
It’s our dismissal discussion with the elect that should guide them in identifying the doubts, the things that make them reluctant to fully commit to a life in Christ.
These are the things that must be scrutinized and exorcized, for at the Easter vigil they must respond “yes, I believe” as they stand at the edge of death at the font. The Church uses these three gospels as a progressive 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). It is our job as RCIA leaders and catechists to use these gospels to get the elect to delve deeply into their hearts to seek and speak out, to articulate what freedom they want/need to be freed from, and what new life they pray for.
Why B and C don’t work
The first critical failure of using Year B or C readings and then using the scrutiny prayers is that there is no link between the scrutiny ritual and the readings the community have just heard.
One of the solutions offered by those who wish to use the reading from Year B or C is that they write new scrutiny texts to match the readings from Year B or C. However, this deprives the 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.
Worrying that the faithful are missing out on the readings of Year B or C on the Sundays of the scrutinies means we are overlooking the faithful’s role in these rites; 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 the community; it is through them that we see the mystery of Christ active in changing lives; it is in them that we will see new life created in the dying and rising with Christ at their initiation.
A Once in a Lifetime Experience
These elect can only be elect once in their life, this is the only time they can experience the three gospel reading from John, supported by their faith community’s prayers and overshadowed by the power of the Spirit as they are freed from the effects of sin and receive new strength to open their hearts to the gifts of the Saviour (RCIA # 131). We, the baptised, 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. The best way to make the scrutinies do what they are supposed to do is to follow the rite, adhering closely to the official rite will best serve our communities and the elect.
