The Elect of God

This Sunday, the unbaptized catechumens who are in RCIA will be participating in the Rite of Election. While they will be meeting the shepherd of our diocese, the real purpose of this rite is not to meet the Archbishop, but to celebrate their election by God and the Church, in preparation for the Easter Sacraments. What does it mean to be elected, and why doesn’t every Catholic participate?

Election has to do with being chosen. Just a few months ago, the United States held a rather contentious midterm election in which choices were made, but this is a little different from the Church’s concept of election. In the Bible, we hear many stories of God choosing a person or even an entire people. The Israelites were God’s “chosen people.” David was chosen by God to be king of Israel. The angel Gabriel brought Mary the news that she had found favor and had been chosen to be the mother of God’s Son. And, of course, Jesus is called the Messiah, the “chosen one” of God. It is God who chooses. God takes the initiative and claims a person or a people as his own.

Many of us were born into Catholic families and baptized as babies. At baptism, the priest or deacon who baptized us claimed us for Christ. This was symbolized by his making a cross on our foreheads and then inviting our parents and godparents to do the same. The Church teaches that all of the baptized are the Elect, God’s chosen people. This concept comes originally from the Hebrew Scriptures.

God's promises to Abraham are recorded in the book of Genesis. First, Abraham is promised that he will have a child and a nation of descendants that are uncountable. Second, Abraham is told that his descendants will inherit the land of Canaan. Third, Abraham and his descendants will be blessed and the rest of the nations of the world will be blessed through him.

These promises prefigure of the coming of Christ and the salvation offered to everyone. The child we are given is the incarnate God and the land we inherit is a place in Heaven. In going to the cross, Christ made salvation possible for all people in all nations. When does this possibility become an actuality? That happens when, in exercising free will, we choose to have faith in Jesus Christ and say yes to the salvation He offers. Those of us who are baptized, even if we were baptized as infants, continually use our free will to choose salvation. We don’t have to run for office, but being counted among the Elect is done in cooperation with our God-given free will.