short stories:young adult: kasey's decision
kasey's decision
By Kelsey Gallant (2011)
(dates changed in actual story to make it more current)
(dates changed in actual story to make it more current)
September 2015:
It had been a turbulent time in Kasey’s life, and she needed something to hold on to. Her neighbor Amanda had it so easy. Amanda never seemed perturbed by anything. She was the same age as Kasey, seventeen, and yet seemed older somehow. Insults didn’t bother her. She could deal with tough situations with a smile on her face. She was just as poor as anyone else in the neighborhood, and yet didn’t seem to desire anything more.
Kasey had asked Amanda once why she was so happy all the time when it seemed like the whole world was against her. Amanda had smiled and responded, “Because I have Jesus in my life. I try to always live the way He did. What more do I need?”
Kasey hadn’t understood then. But now, while her parents were in the midst of a divorce, and everything seemed so insecure, she needed something stable, something that would never change.
She walked through the trailer park and came to Amanda’s door. She knocked. Amanda answered, with a smile on her face, as always. “Hi, Kasey,” she said.
“Hi, Amanda,” said Kasey. “ Can I come to church with you this Sunday?”
November 2015:
By the time Kasey had been going to church with Amanda for two months, she had decided that she wanted to become a member of the Catholic Church. It was now time for the Rite of Acceptance. The priest had explained to Kasey, when she asked, what this meant: “The stage you have been in is called the Inquiry period. You have been learning about our faith and have been meeting with the others in your position to discuss it. Now, the Rite of Acceptance is the first formal step to becoming Catholic. It is when the current members of the Church welcome you into the Church. You will be coming to our church for the next several weeks, attending services, learning about what it means to be Catholic, and deciding whether that is really what you want in your life. Following Jesus isn’t something you do halfheartedly or only sometimes. It’s a lifelong commitment. When you become a member of this church, you are stating that you are ready to live your life the way that Jesus did.”
January 2016:
The Rite of Acceptance had passed very smoothly. Kasey was enjoying her time as a catechumen, a student of Christianity. She went to meetings every Tuesday night with the other catechumens and some members of the church. She also still attended the services every Sunday morning, but was not permitted to stay for the Eucharist. She and the other catechumens were always dismissed after the homily, and given a blessing as they left. Then they would go into a separate room together and meditate on and study the Scriptures, usually those which had been the subject of the homily. During one of these meditation sessions, she asked one of the faithful who had accompanied them, “Why are we not allowed to celebrate the Eucharist until we become members of the church?”
“Good question, Kasey,” said the man she had asked. “I believe that it is because the Eucharist is when we feast on the very body and blood of Jesus Christ. Those who feast on His body and blood are completely serious about Him. They are following in His commandments: ‘Do this in remembrance of me’. They have already made the decision that will change their lives forever. You, on the other hand, haven’t yet fully reached the decision.”
“Yes, I have!” exclaimed Kasey vehemently. “I do want to be a Christian. I do want to be part of this church.”
“It’s just that the Eucharist is a very serious thing,” he said. “I know that you want to be a Christian, and if you truly believe in Christ Jesus as Lord then you already are. You just haven’t been initiated yet. We want to give you all the information, and make sure you really understand it, before you can take part in the body and blood of Jesus. It is the covenant of new life. The ritual of having the catechumens leave before the Eucharist is kind of a symbol of the old life and the new—plus, of course, it’s an opportunity for you to get some more meditation and reflection in. Remember, some catechumens still aren’t sure at this point whether they really want to take this step of faith.”
“I am sure, though.”
“Well, you will get to publicly announce that during the Rite of Election.”
February 2016:
It was finally time for the Rite of Election, the point in which the catechumens state publicly to the congregation that they want to become part of the Catholic Church, that they are ready to give up their old lives and start the new. This is it, Kasey thought to herself. This is the time when we make our big decision known. I’ve made my decision; I made it a while ago. Becoming Catholic isn’t just something I think I might do anymore; it’s something I know I want to do.
The Rite of Election, as was tradition, was taking place at the beginning of Lent. Kasey was pretty sure she understood why it took place specifically at the start of Lent. It was because Lent was the time when the other members of the church were reflecting on their relationship with God, giving things up to remember Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross and to rid their lives of things that distracted them from Him. Similarly, the catechumens were now ready to start focusing their lives on God, and placing Him first in their lives.
“Kasey Finch?” Kasey took a deep breath and walked forward. The bishop asked her some questions. Then Amanda’s parents, who were Kasey’s sponsors, stood and testified that Kasey was indeed worthy to participate in the Easter Vigil Rite. She was now an “elect”, a “chosen of God”. Her life would never be the same again.
April 2016:
Soon it was the Easter Vigil, the most exciting time of Kasey’s life. Everyone gathered together for the service of light, and watched as the new fire was lit. This new fire symbolizes my new life, thought Kasey. Off with the old, on with the new. I am from now on going to live as a Christian, fully devoted to Christ.
Stories were told, many stories, about Creation, about God’s followers though the years, and about Jesus’ birth, life, death, and resurrection. Then the moment Kasey had been waiting for was upon her. “I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,” the priest said, as he baptized her. “Amen.”
After being baptized, Kasey went up for confirmation, and renewed the vows which she had just made before being baptized. Then, with the joy of new life inside her, she joined the rest of the congregation in the partaking of the Lord’s Supper. I have died with Him, and have risen with Him, she thought. Just like it says in the Bible, “dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus”. (Romans 6.11). I am a Christian now!
March 2017:
It has now been almost an entire year since Kasey joined the Catholic Church. Although her life isn’t perfect, and she still has as many struggles as she did a year ago, she has a much more positive outlook on life. She knows that she always has God to turn to, as well as all the people she knows from church. She is part of a huge family that supports her and loves her, and is working together with them to bring others into that family so that they too can know the inexpressible joy of following Jesus.
It had been a turbulent time in Kasey’s life, and she needed something to hold on to. Her neighbor Amanda had it so easy. Amanda never seemed perturbed by anything. She was the same age as Kasey, seventeen, and yet seemed older somehow. Insults didn’t bother her. She could deal with tough situations with a smile on her face. She was just as poor as anyone else in the neighborhood, and yet didn’t seem to desire anything more.
Kasey had asked Amanda once why she was so happy all the time when it seemed like the whole world was against her. Amanda had smiled and responded, “Because I have Jesus in my life. I try to always live the way He did. What more do I need?”
Kasey hadn’t understood then. But now, while her parents were in the midst of a divorce, and everything seemed so insecure, she needed something stable, something that would never change.
She walked through the trailer park and came to Amanda’s door. She knocked. Amanda answered, with a smile on her face, as always. “Hi, Kasey,” she said.
“Hi, Amanda,” said Kasey. “ Can I come to church with you this Sunday?”
November 2015:
By the time Kasey had been going to church with Amanda for two months, she had decided that she wanted to become a member of the Catholic Church. It was now time for the Rite of Acceptance. The priest had explained to Kasey, when she asked, what this meant: “The stage you have been in is called the Inquiry period. You have been learning about our faith and have been meeting with the others in your position to discuss it. Now, the Rite of Acceptance is the first formal step to becoming Catholic. It is when the current members of the Church welcome you into the Church. You will be coming to our church for the next several weeks, attending services, learning about what it means to be Catholic, and deciding whether that is really what you want in your life. Following Jesus isn’t something you do halfheartedly or only sometimes. It’s a lifelong commitment. When you become a member of this church, you are stating that you are ready to live your life the way that Jesus did.”
January 2016:
The Rite of Acceptance had passed very smoothly. Kasey was enjoying her time as a catechumen, a student of Christianity. She went to meetings every Tuesday night with the other catechumens and some members of the church. She also still attended the services every Sunday morning, but was not permitted to stay for the Eucharist. She and the other catechumens were always dismissed after the homily, and given a blessing as they left. Then they would go into a separate room together and meditate on and study the Scriptures, usually those which had been the subject of the homily. During one of these meditation sessions, she asked one of the faithful who had accompanied them, “Why are we not allowed to celebrate the Eucharist until we become members of the church?”
“Good question, Kasey,” said the man she had asked. “I believe that it is because the Eucharist is when we feast on the very body and blood of Jesus Christ. Those who feast on His body and blood are completely serious about Him. They are following in His commandments: ‘Do this in remembrance of me’. They have already made the decision that will change their lives forever. You, on the other hand, haven’t yet fully reached the decision.”
“Yes, I have!” exclaimed Kasey vehemently. “I do want to be a Christian. I do want to be part of this church.”
“It’s just that the Eucharist is a very serious thing,” he said. “I know that you want to be a Christian, and if you truly believe in Christ Jesus as Lord then you already are. You just haven’t been initiated yet. We want to give you all the information, and make sure you really understand it, before you can take part in the body and blood of Jesus. It is the covenant of new life. The ritual of having the catechumens leave before the Eucharist is kind of a symbol of the old life and the new—plus, of course, it’s an opportunity for you to get some more meditation and reflection in. Remember, some catechumens still aren’t sure at this point whether they really want to take this step of faith.”
“I am sure, though.”
“Well, you will get to publicly announce that during the Rite of Election.”
February 2016:
It was finally time for the Rite of Election, the point in which the catechumens state publicly to the congregation that they want to become part of the Catholic Church, that they are ready to give up their old lives and start the new. This is it, Kasey thought to herself. This is the time when we make our big decision known. I’ve made my decision; I made it a while ago. Becoming Catholic isn’t just something I think I might do anymore; it’s something I know I want to do.
The Rite of Election, as was tradition, was taking place at the beginning of Lent. Kasey was pretty sure she understood why it took place specifically at the start of Lent. It was because Lent was the time when the other members of the church were reflecting on their relationship with God, giving things up to remember Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross and to rid their lives of things that distracted them from Him. Similarly, the catechumens were now ready to start focusing their lives on God, and placing Him first in their lives.
“Kasey Finch?” Kasey took a deep breath and walked forward. The bishop asked her some questions. Then Amanda’s parents, who were Kasey’s sponsors, stood and testified that Kasey was indeed worthy to participate in the Easter Vigil Rite. She was now an “elect”, a “chosen of God”. Her life would never be the same again.
April 2016:
Soon it was the Easter Vigil, the most exciting time of Kasey’s life. Everyone gathered together for the service of light, and watched as the new fire was lit. This new fire symbolizes my new life, thought Kasey. Off with the old, on with the new. I am from now on going to live as a Christian, fully devoted to Christ.
Stories were told, many stories, about Creation, about God’s followers though the years, and about Jesus’ birth, life, death, and resurrection. Then the moment Kasey had been waiting for was upon her. “I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,” the priest said, as he baptized her. “Amen.”
After being baptized, Kasey went up for confirmation, and renewed the vows which she had just made before being baptized. Then, with the joy of new life inside her, she joined the rest of the congregation in the partaking of the Lord’s Supper. I have died with Him, and have risen with Him, she thought. Just like it says in the Bible, “dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus”. (Romans 6.11). I am a Christian now!
March 2017:
It has now been almost an entire year since Kasey joined the Catholic Church. Although her life isn’t perfect, and she still has as many struggles as she did a year ago, she has a much more positive outlook on life. She knows that she always has God to turn to, as well as all the people she knows from church. She is part of a huge family that supports her and loves her, and is working together with them to bring others into that family so that they too can know the inexpressible joy of following Jesus.
A Catholic church I visited in Jinotega, Nicaragua!
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The Story Behind The Story:
This one was from a Religion class, where the assignment was to describe the process of initiation into the Catholic Church. I am not Catholic. I don't even agree with everything the Catholic Church believes in. However, I am a Christian, so I chose to focus on the universal Christian aspects of this story--such as how great it feels to have Jesus in your life. The invitation is open for anyone, and you don't need to take part in a fancy initiation process like Kasey chose to do in this story. Just admit that you're a sinner and ask Him into your heart as your Savior. Whatever you're going through right now, God is the answer. He loves you more than you can imagine. |
"Those who aim for Heaven get Earth thrown in and those who aim for earth get neither."
- C.S. Lewis
