2007 Neophytes
by Debbie King

I've had the privilege to accompany this year's RCIA candidates throughout the process. They each have grown in the spirit along their
paths, and one area of growth they've shared underlines the whole experience.

Courtney Grace began RCIA already a grade school teacher, working within a demography of low income and high crime. She was already engaged to

undertake the oaths and the Sacrament of a Roman Catholic marriage, and wore the enhanced look of a young person in love and expecting wonderful things in their life to come.

Melanie was already working to care for God's creature's with
kindness, as a groomer, when she began RCIA. She also was already an extremely talented poet, able to see the surrounding world in pictures and to "develop" those pictures with her words.

Ones asked if they felt they "had what it takes" to be a disciple of Christ, they both responded in the negative: they felt they had so much yet to learn, and their own lives were too imperfect, it would be "hypocritical" for them to represent Christ to others.

Over the course of the past year, however, they've come to see themselves as so completely loved by God that their self images as disciples have risen sharply. Learning of the Grace of God, they now see their talents as gifts from God; when used to help or inspire others their talents are sources of joy and celebration, not to be hidden under the proverbial bushel.

Every smile shared, unselfish deed done, encouraging word spoken, every pain comforted is a work of discipleship when inspired by love. A sense of ease with extending love even to strangers; and harder than that, an ease with believing they deserve to be loved in kind, has grown along within these candidates and shines from them as the face of
Christ.