Becoming a catechumen in the Orthodox Church is a formal process, as are most things in the church. The ceremony takes place in the threshold of entering the place where the believers stand in worship. It involves a renouncing of one's past life and obedience to the Devil, an exorcism, and an acknowledgement of the Lordship of Christ. By taking this step one is saying that he/she is serious about following the path of Christian obedience. It is a time of preparing oneself so that when the time for baptism comes one will have a better understanding of what it means, both at the moment and for the rest of one's life. One is given a new name, that of a saint.
My months as a catechumen were times of longing. It was very difficult to be present for the Divine Liturgy and not be able to participate in receiving the Body and Blood of Christ. The Divine Liturgy is, at least, a weekly event. And, when Fr. Michael was our priest it was not uncommon to celebrate it multiple times in the course of a week. I tried to be at the Liturgy as much as I could, as well as the other services of the church.
These months were filled with weekly classes in which the basics of Orthodoxy were discussed, as well as personal study of the writings of the Church Fathers. Involvement in the services of the church was expected, as was personal prayer and devotion. I found myself having to evaluate my previous understanding of basic concepts of the faith. There was much that was very familiar. And, there was much that was different. There is a great deal to have to digest: the church calendar, fasting, behavior during the services, the diversity within the services, and the protocols of being within a hierarchical church.
It was customary in the early years of the church to baptize catechumens on Lazarus Saturday, the day before Palm Sunday. As it turned out, that was to be the day of my baptism. We had some discussion early on as to whether or not I should be baptized. I had been baptized by immersion when I was in high school in a Baptist church. Our priest was very emphatic that three fold immersion, "in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit" was the proper way. I knew that I had only been put under the water one time, so it was determined that I would be baptized in the Orthodox manner.
It is easy to get caught up in the actions, and the concepts of a new type of faith. What cannot be lost is a living, breathing devotion and growing love for the true God. As I read the Church Fathers in conjunction with the Bible, I began to see that my concept of God was so very small. The Orthodox Church has such a greater appreciation of the greatness of God. The fathers say He is "uncircumscribed". I like that. And, as I studied, and as I prayed I found that God, or rather my understanding of what I don't know about Him, began to grow.
On this anniversary of the day that I first saw a Divine Liturgy, may God, through the prayers of Cosmas and Damian and all the saints, bless and bring us closer to His kingdom.
