RCIA week 12

This week's RCIA focused on some basic things like the liturgical calendar and traditions within the Church. But most importantly, we practiced for our Rite of Welcoming that will be this Sunday. In the service they will announce our first and middle name. We will stand and say "present". Then the priest will say some things and ask us two other questions and I know that the answers are "faith" and "eternal life". And then at some point they ask if we are ready to take the steps into the Church and we answer "I am". Then our sponsors and the congregation affirm that they will help us on the journey. After that, we'll receive a blessing from the priest and our sponsors who will cross various parts of our body (ears, eyes, mouth, shoulders, heart, and feet... I think) And then we're presented to the congregation as Catechumens... or those being instructed in the Catholic faith.
As we practiced the steps, I was excited about taking this next step. I can't explain it, but I am truly excited about becoming part of this Church. And it some ways it still doesn't make any sense but I'm certainly not questioning God. And don't get me wrong... it's not that the faith doesn't make sense... it actually makes the most sense of any faith to me. It's the fact that I even got to this point.
For example: Tonight I was looking for some of my Christmas CD's. As I was going through a stack of CD's I found another stack of Christian CD's that I had put aside a while back, because I was simply not interested in anything religious. I pretty much wanted it to be as far as possible from me. I had turned my back on it for the most part. But luckily I hadn't closed the door... or at least all the way, because God has certainly opened it and I am so elated with Catholicism. It just seems to fit. It feels right. It is exciting to me.
As I was sitting at Josh's concert tonight, a group of people sat down behind me and were having a conversation before the concert started. They were talking about going to mass today because it is a Holy Day of obligation and another guy mentioned that his father and brother-in-law had recently come into the Church. Then a lady said something like how wonderful that was and she was happy about it and how good it was for them. And I just smiled as I listened to them. I didn't recognize them and I think they went to church in either Amarillo or Umbarger, but I just couldn't help but smile. I wanted to turn around and tell them that I was in the process of coming into the Church myself, but I was a bit too shy for that. But as I get involved with Church, attend classes and mass, the more meaningful it becomes for me. And I simply can't wait! And I know time will fly by and soon it will be Easter. But I am relishing it in the meantime.
My sponsor commented on my enthusiasm during our practice. I just can't help but be excited about it. And how I wish I had more time to delve into more books and prayer and research and writing and all of that. I also want to respond to Bret's comments about my entry on free will. But it will probably have to wait until Christmas break. With class, choir practice, teaching, concerts, speech tournaments, Christmas parties, shopping, cleaning, and getting some sleep somewhere in there... I'll just have to wait for some of those things.