The Great Bad Mood

Have you ever been in a really bad mood?  I mean really bad? I have.  Maybe once, or twice, or maybe more than once or twice.

The funny thing about bad moods is that there are two kinds.  One, you have no clue that you are in a bad mood until someone points it out to you; two, you know you are in a bad mood and it is best for everyone around you not to be around you.  If they know what’s good for them, that is.  

The really bad moods are the ones where you really don’t even want to be with yourself!

I’m just kidding. Naturally, I find I am always delightful company, bad mood or not, but how do YOU get out of those moods?

For me—on the rare occasion I am in one—it helps to a) eat popcorn and watch a movie or b) eat popcorn and watch a movie.  Seriously, it really helps if I have a good distraction, but more often than not, I just share my mood with God.

If I don’t feel like praying (or venting, whatever you want to call it), I do find that it helps to spend some time in scripture.  When I turn to scripture, it settles me down, every time.  It reminds me that I am not in charge.  It places me in the presence of God, and it always leads me to an honest assessment of my behavior, which in turn leads to a call to conversion.

Typically, the term conversion is related to someone who is not baptized, who becomes a Christian.  But in my case, conversion is more like a stimulus that moves me to be better, to be who God wants me to be.  I am converted from being ornery and mean to being kind and charitable!

Good thing I only need that kind of conversion once every ten years or so!

I would like to say, though, the first type of conversion is simply amazing.  Having directed the process through which people enter the Catholic Church, I have had the privilege of seeing some beautiful conversions.  It is always amazing to hear the stories of people who have found their way to inquire about the Church.  What a joy it is to have a front row seat to God tangibly working in the lives of others.  It is very humbling, to say the least.

Sometimes seekers just respond to a prompting, or a lingering sense that they are missing something.  Sometimes they start the process because someone they know keeps poking at them.  Sometimes they come with a faith already in progress but have a need to move further along in their journey.

When someone personally encounters Jesus in the sacramental life of the Church, it is a profound experience.  Their conversion to Christianity brings about a beautiful transformation.  Everything begins to make sense.  There is an awareness, a coming together, where the pieces finally fit together for them.

The excitement throughout the process known as the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) grows as the catechumen (unbaptized) moves closer to Easter when they will enter fully into the life of the Church.  As the water is poured over them in baptism, they are completely immersed into a new life in Christ.  The old self is transformed by the Holy Spirit.

At that time as well, the baptized (known as candidates) are also initiated into the Catholic Church (or those who are already Catholic may complete their sacraments.)

The reason I am telling you all of this is because over the next few months, the Catholic Church will be slowly introducing the catechumens and candidates to their congregations through special rites.  These rites are steps that help them process this great unfolding in their lives.

I hope you are privileged to see the unbaptized enter into the first stage where they are accepted into the Order of Catechumens.  It can be both overwhelming and thrilling for them, but a moment of grace for sure.

There is nothing quite like coming together in community to share grace-filled moments, and hey, you never know, it might just cure that bad mood!

God bless,

Janet Cassidy

Janetcassidy.com