The Third Sunday of Lent is coming up soon, and if you feel uneasy about it, you aren’t alone. As you know, that Sunday begins the first of a series of three scrutinies that we celebrate with the elect.

However, the word “scrutiny” has a negative connotation in most people’s imagination. And when you tell the elect that the scrutiny includes an exorcism, minds begin to reel and hearts begin to quiver. We’ve all seen (or tried not to see) the Hollywood-style spiritual battles displayed on a big screen in a dark theater. Who wants that happening on a sunny spring morning in your local parish?

But what if I told you—and you were able to tell your elect—that these rites are actually the most pastoral and comforting moments of the entire Lenten journey? Well, that’s exactly what I hope to do over a series of articles. I want to open up for you the treasures of our tradition and show you that that the scrutinies are not a hoop for the elect to jump through, but a “small-s” sacramental process of healing and light.

If you celebrate these rites well, in such a way that their goal and purpose is accomplished, you will see the light and peace of the Holy Spirit fill the hearts of your elect.

And to do that, of course, we need to start with the actual text of the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults. The purpose of the scrutinies is twofold:

• “to reveal what is weak, sick and sinful in the hearts of the elect so that it can be healed” and
• “[to reveal] what is honorable, strong and holy, so that it can be strengthened”(OCIA 141).

Scrutiny is about seeing, not judging

At its core, a scrutiny is an exercise of seeing. It is not a formal examination of conscience for the elect, nor is it a way for the parish to judge their progress. Instead, it is a means of seeing sin in its full reality so that we can see who Christ is for us—our liberator.

Think of the scrutinies as “letting the light in.” For most of us, we don’t get trapped in patterns of sin because we set out to do something wicked. Just the opposite! Most of us have good hearts; we begin down a path that seems good but lacks the full picture. We get trapped by our own desires and miss opportunities to put other first.

Those of us that have been around the sin-and-forgiveness cycle a few times (or a few decades) know that putting others’ needs first makes us truly free and a bit more holy.

The elect are just now learning this truth. The scrutiny is the moment where we ask Jesus Christ to help the elect see clearly so that they are free to choose something different.

The Word of God as the primary scrutinizer

If you read the rite closely, you will see there are no questions to or about the elect. There used to be questions back in the ancient fourth century rites. So where is the actual “scrutiny” in today’s scrutinies? The answer lies in the proclamation of the Word.

The first ritual act of the scrutiny is the proclamation of the gospel. The ancient stories of the Samaritan Woman at the Well, the Man Born Blind, the Raising of Lazarus, have been used since very early in our tradition as the primary tools of the scrutiny. As these stories are proclaimed, the Word itself “scrutinizes” the elect, compelling them to examine their own hearts and contemplate the astounding, awesome reality of God’s love and the new life they are beginning to share in Christ.

This is why it is so essential to use the Year A readings, even in Years B and C. These readings are a progressive journey. They have a particular power to move the elect toward a deeper conversion. When we swap them out for other gospels, we sever the connection to the rich history and wisdom of the church.

It is so essential to use the Year A readings, even in Years B and C, because these readings are a progressive journey. They have a particular power to move the elect toward a deeper conversion.

Spiritual exercise

We all know that the secret to building strength is repeated exercise. Physical, mental, and spiritual strength are all the same that way, Growth requires repetition. The scrutinies are a spiritual exercise. Only by doing them repeatedly do we get the hang of it and allow God’s grace to strengthen us.

The building of one scrutiny on top of another on top of yet another is a reflection of the gradual nature of the way the Holy Spirit initiates. Throughout Lent, both the elect and the community undergo a gradual spiritual conversion that grows in intensity as the elect draw nearer to the waters of baptism.

Why this matters for your joy

When you stop seeing the scrutiny as an interrogation and start seeing it as a freeing outflow of God’s grace, something great happens. Not only to your elect, but to you!

You worry less about explaining away the “negatives” of scary words. Your focus shifts to the joy of seeing the light go on in someone’s eyes. You aren’t the one in charge—Jesus is. Your job is simply to prepare the space, pay attention to the words, and allow the ritual to do what it was designed to do-—transform lives.

Moving forward

Understanding the true purpose of the scrutiny is the first step. Once it is clear that the purpose is healing and strengthening, we turn to the first powerful action of the rite. That involves another scary word—exorcism. In a future article, we will look at the true purpose of the exorcism and show how it is actually an acclamation of victory and love.

Review all the articles in this series

1. Why “scrutiny” is actually about light
2. Reclaiming the victory of the exorcism
3. The scrutinies are a three-part story of conversion
4. Empowering godparents for the scrutinies
5. What happens to the elect because of the scrutinies?