On the third, fourth, and fifth Sundays of Lent, our candidates from the RCIA programme (now called the Elect) participate in three successive rites called “the Scrutinies.”

The Elect along with their sponsors, kneel before the priest and the assembly, who pray for them silently with a series of intercessions. It culminates in a prayer of cleansing and protection (exorcism) with the laying-on-of-hands. Each Scrutiny is a step in preparing the Elect for the celebration and initiation soon to come.

The Scrutinies are God’s way of taking a close, loving look at the Elect. God does not scrutinise the Elect in order to find what’s wrong with them but to celebrate all that’s beautiful, good, and true in them. Jesus “scrutinises” us with Divine Light, revealing all that is valuable within each of us. He also reveals to us the ways in which we are hurting, or sick, or sinful. This is not to reject us, but to call us to new life and to healing.

May these Scrutinies call both our Elect and us into the living waters of baptism, to the light of holiness, to a new life in Christ, through His Resurrection.

The First Scrutiny takes place at the 10:00 am Mass. Please pray for our Elect: Polly, Jin and Ryan.