Advice for those to be baptized at Easter Vigil?

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peaceofchrist

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Hello all.

I am entering the Church this Easter Vigil. When I started RCIA in September, Easter seemed so far away, but now it seems to have come up so fast. It seems kind of surreal that it is only 8 days away.

Does anyone have any words of advice for me over the next 8 days? Anything I should do to prepare? Any helpful books I should read between now and then? Anything I need for the Mass that I don’t know about?

Thanks for any help!
 
peaceofchrist said:
Hello all.

I am entering the Church this Easter Vigil. When I started RCIA in September, Easter seemed so far away, but now it seems to have come up so fast. It seems kind of surreal that it is only 8 days away.

Does anyone have any words of advice for me over the next 8 days? Anything I should do to prepare? Any helpful books I should read between now and then? Anything I need for the Mass that I don’t know about?

Thanks for any help!
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Hi, and welcome home!

The first advice I can give you is to relax. Appreciate your impending committment to the Lord with happiness and determination. This is the start of your Christian journey, not it’s end.

The second advice I’d give you is something you may already know. Continue your Catholic understanding through Catholic Answers Live, it’s books and EWTN.

The last bit is to attend Holy Thursday and Good Friday service. Thursday begins the Triduum, the shortest liturgical season that will give you a good sensation of what you are entering. Thursday through Easter Vigil is one, entire Mass, with the priest only saying “The Mass is ended, go in peace” only on Saturday. You will enter into the spiritual darkness with Christ as your past life fades, then comes the Light of Easter, your Sacraments and your First Communion. Awesomeness will ensue. 🙂

I came into the faith in 2005. Seems like yesterday, sometimes. Funny how much more now that I know than back then, and how much more I will understand and love God later. God bless you and welcome again!
 
Welcome Home!

Seconding this great advice : “attend Holy Thursday and Good Friday service.” Both truly beautiful!
 
My biggest advice is just try not to stress and just enjoy the experience. Don’t get caught up in worrying about what is going to happen next and just go with the flow. Along those lines, know that at some point something isn’t going to go quite as planned, but you will come out of it baptized and confirmed and having received holy communion, so don’t stress the details.

Also, not so much for the next week, but more for everything after that, here is a really good article about pitfalls for new converts, kind of heads up on what to expect in the next couple of years as a new Catholic. Be sure to read the comments too, there are some more good ideas there. 👍
 
peaceofchrist said:
Hello all.

I am entering the Church this Easter Vigil. When I started RCIA in September, Easter seemed so far away, but now it seems to have come up so fast. It seems kind of surreal that it is only 8 days away.

Does anyone have any words of advice for me over the next 8 days? Anything I should do to prepare? Any helpful books I should read between now and then? Anything I need for the Mass that I don’t know about?

Thanks for any help!
Click to expand...
Go to church on Holy Thursday and Good Friday. Those are two of the most beautiful liturgies of the Church year. Also, pray a lot. Thank God for bringing you to this moment, and ask Him to give you the grace to keep your faith to the very end. Another thing you can do is think about the saint you will choose- ask them to pray for you at this time, and to welcome you into God’s family. Most of all- be excited, because you are about to receive gifts that are precious beyond all imagination.
 
At one of our RCIA sessions I asked those who were baptized a year ago to talk with those being baptized this year. Part of the discussion was along the lines of what do you wish someone had told you before your baptism.

The two things that came out were 1) I wish I had spent more time relaxing, praying, and preparing on Holy Saturday and 2) I wish we had taken better pictures afterward.

The person who said she wished she had been more quiet on Holy Saturday put on a big dinner before the Easter Vigil for the family and friends who were coming that night.

And we stress to people that they shouldn’t take pictures during the Mass, but they can take pictures afterward with the pastor and anyone else they would like, but by the time it was over they were on such a high from receiving the sacraments that they forgot all about pictures.
 
Welcome home, peaceofchrist!
I came into the Church two years ago, myself. I agree that you should go to church on Holy Thursday and Good Friday. I did and the entire Triduum was a profound exerience. Other than that, I recommend prayer, especially the Rosary, and reflection. God bless!
 
If you are going to be baptized, try to stay in the moment of the baptism. I was so shocked at how cold the water was (it was probably room temperature) that I couldn’t concentrate on the baptism and what it meant. I almost wish I could do it over, in a more prayerful state.
 
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