The third pillar of Discipleship and Stewardship is Formation. The Synod describes this pillar with the following words:
Formation – to study the Bible and learn more about Jesus and our Catholic faith;
Having worked with seminarians for most of my time as a priest, I have come to appreciate the Church’s broad view of the term ‘formation.’ In the short definition given by Synod, one might think that formation is just another word for study, especially since the definition uses those two words of study and learn.
When the Church speaks about formation, however, she does so in a more all-encompassing way. When we look at the word formation, we think about the process of creating something, like an artist forming some raw material into a piece of art. There is a development and a transformation that is taking place. This is the same when we speak about formation in our faith. Though it is important to learn facts about our Catholic belief, that is only a part of what formation aims at. Under the Lord’s guidance, we desire to be formed to be more and more like Him, which entails the transformation of our entire lives, not just our minds.
The definition given by the Synod explicitly references the Bible, as the Sacred Scriptures are a special means by which this transformation is effected in us. We learn more about who Jesus is through our study of the Word of God, and that learning is at the service of our entering into a deeper relationship with Him, a relationship of friendship. A true friend would never be content just knowing facts about another person. No, a true friend seeks to spend time with the other, sharing on a deeper level their hopes and desires. As is usually the case, the more time we spend with a friend, the more we begin to direct our lives based on that friendship – how we spend our time, what excites us , what saddens us, what we think about, and how we act.
Any formation, therefore, that takes place here at the parish should have that in mind, namely fostering a deeper relationship with the person of Jesus. As mentioned, studying the Bible is an important means for that, and we have a few different Bible studies that are taking place in our parish, thanks be to God. As you likely know, our parish has a subscription to the online formation platform called FORMED. There are a variety of programs available for every level, in addition to offering audiobooks, talks from Catholic speakers, and Catholic movies. Among the topics included are some series on prayer, which is another form of formation. By spending time with the Lord in prayer, our hearts will be formed to be more and more like His.
As you can see, formation is meant to be understood in a broad way, as anything that serves to help us deepen our relationship with Jesus and His Church, so that, with the grace of the Holy Spirit, we can be transformed to live in greater likeness to Him, who has called us to friendship. Perhaps the words of St. Paul best express what we hope to accomplish through this pillar of formation: “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Gal 2:20)
Father Alford