As I mentioned in Friday’s post, I love this time of year and enjoy taking time to reflect on the year gone by. So, I’ve been thinking about how much I learned in 2013. The year was full of plenty of deep, soul-shifting realizations and searching. I’ve realized a lot about myself, my spirit, my heart. I’ve discovered a lot about God and the Church too, much of it life-changing for me. I’m pondering these new insights and savoring them this week.
And I’ve also been thinking about some of the little things I’ve learned. Small facts about history and Christian faith. I enjoy thinking about these because it’s funny to me just how much I didn’t know. And humbling how much I still have to learn.
Just this week I learned a new fact when reading 150 Bible Verses Every Catholic Should Know. The author mentions the father of John the Apostle, Zebedee. I had to go back and read again, because I was shocked that his dad wasn’t Zechariah! I always thought that John the Apostle and John the Baptist were one and the same. Even after reading again I still wanted to check the information, so I asked my husband. Of course, he confirmed that they were two different people. Huh.
I don’t know why I thought they were the same. Simple mistake I suppose.
I’ve also learned some very elementary, essential, how-did-I-not-know-that? Christian information as well in the past four months.
For example, during one of my very first RCIA classes we split up into groups to discuss the readings for the week. When we got to the Gospel reading everyone started talking about “Gospel this” and “The Gospels that.”
Then there’s me: “Um, I have a question. What are the Gospels?”
Them: “Matthew, Mark, Luke, John.”
Me: “Okay thanks. But uh, what are they?”
I actually didn’t know why they are important. Now I do. So you can see that I really started at the beginning when RCIA began.
In the past few months I have sometimes wondered if some of the other folks in my RCIA class are amused when we do exercises in finding Bible verses and our instructor makes comments like “This is good practice for learning how to use your Bibles.” Most of the people in the class are Lutheran converts who are probably already know the Bible quite well. Me? Well, not so much. I did read the Bible some when I was younger and had a basic understanding of how to find things in it even before beginning RCIA, but that’s about it.
One time in RCIA when we were doing one of these exercises in looking up verses relevant to the lesson of the week, I was discussing these with my sponsor (who is just delightful, by the way) and we came across a passage mentioning the Ark of the Covenant. She began talking animatedly about the Ark of the Covenant, and I just drew a blank. I didn’t want to ask, because it seemed like a very basic thing that I ought to know, right? But I didn’t (know). So I did (ask). “Soooo, what exactly is the Ark of the Covenant?” If you don’t ask you don’t learn, I say. Now I know.
Just yesterday I Googled “What does Hosanna mean?” I always thought it was just a girl’s name, but since we sing it in a song every week during Mass I knew it had to be something else. Exclamation “used to express adoration, praise, or joy.” I love that.
I never knew that “Immaculate Conception” refers to Mary’s conception, not that of Jesus.
I could go on and on with examples of the little tidbits I’ve been learning. Small (and big) things that I’ve never thought about before. Just in three Bible study meetings I’ve learned a ton about the Mass.
And the wonderful thing is that I am finding this stuff fascinating. It’s like food for my soul and I can’t get enough of it.
I’m going to classes/meetings, reading, Googling, asking. With every piece of information that I come across and don’t understand, I want to find out. I’m thinking about things in new ways and it feels good.
I imagine myself a year ago and am kind of blown away. What a difference a year makes.
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