Good morning, I want to thank Fr. Kim for this opportunity to deliver a homily today about my experience as a catechist in celebration of Catechetical Sunday. Today, all Catholics across the country celebrate Catechetical Sunday.
       It’s a wonderful time to thank catechists for their work and reflect on their call to share and live out their faith. Each year, Catechetical Sunday is celebrated with a different theme. Last year we celebrated with the theme, "Say the Word and My Soul Shall be Healed.” This year, “This is my body given for you.” And I want to emphasize the word “Given.”
       How many of you here like to receive or prefer to receive than give? How many of you like to give or prefer to give than receive? I think it’s human nature and desire to have a longing to receive rather than give. Jesus gave everything, even his life, for us. And we received our life in exchange and everything else we have. I want to share with you how I was inspired to become a catechist.
       When I first came to St. Matthew, I was on hiatus from all voluntary church work I had done for years to focus on raising my three children. In the beginning, I liked it. I had more time to spend with my kids because I only needed to come to mass. All was well, except that my faith life was stagnating. Still, water or stagnant water boils or rots. The children were growing healthy, my job was great, and we were doing well. However, I was not happy, and I always felt an emptiness in my heart. I realized I had become irate, impatient, and hostile at home.
       I also realized that I had stopped smiling at my children. Instead, I was venting out on them, who were more vulnerable and weaker than me. I felt depressed, worthless, useless, needless, and miserable. What hit me was a complete lack of belongingness and needlessness. I thought I could not live another day feeling this way and desperately needed to find a way to get myself out of this misery.
       Then one Sunday, I was in mass with my youngest, who was about 3-4 years old, and other parents with many non-school-aged children in the baby room. It was like a zoo, chaos. Kids were whining and crying, and none of the parents in the room could be entirely devoted to mass.
       Then a little thought crossed my mind. What if one person can volunteer to take all these children to a separate room and care for them? Then the rest of the people could participate in mass without any commotion. So I suggested to Mrs. Yim, then the director of REP at the time, to open a Sunday School class for preschoolers and Kinders, and I heard a faint whispering in my ears saying, “how about you.” I volunteered myself, and that’s how I got to where I am today. I only made a spark, and God turned it into a blaze. Through this experience as a catechist, I realized how bad of a parent I was (selfrealization).
       I repented for how I had hurt God by having negative thoughts and mistreating my children, who were gifts from God, and not being proactive and misusing the time God gave to me. I became more understanding, generous, kind, and caring for my children. I want to say that my relationship with my children got better, stronger, and closer.
       God showed me, and I realized how my life should be lived. God showed me my life’s true meaning and purpose. I needed to feel that I was wanted and needed. Being needed was what drove and inspired me to live. I realized that I was created to give just like Jesus gave. Jesus came to the world to give his life for our salvation.
       If God gave his only son, Jesus, and Jesus gave his life for us, we, too, must give. For God gave us life and everything we have, my purpose in life is gratefully enjoying and paying forward what God gave. There are many ways to give. Some people give in the form of money, but others give in the form of time and service.
       Being a catechist is my way of paying forward, giving a bit of my time back to God. It is my way of atoning for my sins against God and my children and living my life to the fullest. Just as children mirror their parents, I think we, the parents, also see ourselves through the eyes of children. Interacting with them as a catechist helped me see more clearly where I have been, where I stand, and where I am going.
       It may appear very challenging and intimidating, but nothing is impossible if you have God on your back. You just need to be willing to give and serve and just put one foot in; then, God will do the rest. I often talked about rewards for being a catechist or serving the Church.
       I think I have already been rewarded. The fact that God created me in his own image and likeness and was chosen by Him to become his daughter is my reward. Our reward is Jesus, his son, who gave up everything for us and gave us life. Thus, we should liver gratefully give thanks to Jesus for our actions.
       As a director of Religious Education and parent, I want to take this moment to thank our catechists for stepping up to take on this mission year after year, even in times of uncertainty.
       Their tireless effort and devotion made it possible to keep our children connected to God and each other. Our Sunday school programs would not be possible without their continuous service and sacrifice.
       Sunday School is an opportunity for you, students, to build your relationship with Jesus and learn how to be like him. Sunday school is a grace and blessing from God poured out onto you. It’s your privilege and duty to learn and know about God. And you are blessed to carry out this privilege well.
       Sunday School is not an option. It is a vocation, a Call from God. It’s a call from God for the children to come, learn, and build a relationship with God. And it is a call from God forvolunteers to their mission. Are you really going to say ‘No’ to his call?

                                   09-18- 2022

                                   Lydia Park, D.R.E of San Matthew Korean Catholic Church