[THE ANGLICAN CATECHIST A Column for Catechists or Teachers who share their Christian faith with children, youth and adults in congregations of the Episcopal Church.] 

The Infinite Treasure of Christ

By: The Rev. Joseph C. Neiman

Would that they understood! That's a thought which passes regularly through the minds of most catechists when they look around at the beginning of the class and find many who had enrolled are frequently absent. Yes, we know, parents are responsible for "seeing that the child (they) present is brought up in the Christian faith and life." That's what was promised during the rites of Holy Baptism (BCP p. 302), and we know many parents who seek to fulfill that promise faithfully. But we, the Parish Family, pledged also to "do all in (y)our power to support these persons in their life in Christ (BCP 303)," and that is why we have a parish religious education program organized and running. That's why we're here week after week.

Would that they understood! If a child comes faithfully to the parish's Church school program week after week, he or she will receive about 36 hours of instruction a year. Then given the fact that most do not attend after the 7th or 8th grade, that's about 250 hours of formal learning in the parish context. Is that enough? That's enough to learn the Lord's Prayer, the names of a few Biblical characters, a few Parables, perhaps the structure of Holy Eucharist and a few tidbits about the other sacramental actions of the Church, but what about coming to understand what St. Paul terms "the infinite treasure of Christ" (Eph 3.8)?

Granted it takes a life time to enter into that "mystery of Christ" - to use another Pauline term, but must we resign ourselves to feeding our children and youth the elementary "milk" of faith rather than introduce them - even in part - to the "solid food" of which St. Paul speaks (1 Cor 3.1-2)?

Would that they understood! How do we reach a covenant with the families of our parishes wherein each of us knows our part, family and parish, in seeing that our children are brought up in the Christian faith and life? And then how we achieve a greater degree of faithfulness to that covenant?

Attendance taking time is over. Time to get about today's learning experience. But where are those who come so infrequently. Would that they understood "the infinite treasure of Christ!" Who will teach them?

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