From the Bishops Confirmation season is time of grace for entire diocese

Apr 30, 2009

During these post-Easter days, a significant portion of my time and energy is being spent visiting parishes for the celebration of the sacrament of confirmation. This sacramental encounter with the risen Christ is an important moment in the lives of the young people, usually seventh- to tenth-graders, as they are sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit. The liturgical celebration of the sacrament of confirmation brings sponsors, parents, friends and other parishioners to the church and invites their full participation. It is an important aspect of my episcopal ministry, as it has been for bishops since apostolic times. Since thousands of us are involved in the preparation, celebration and reception of confirmation these days, this is truly a powerful time of grace for our diocesan church.

 

The gift of the Holy Spirit is not a prize that is earned by good works or by catechetical instruction. The third person of the Blessed Trinity comes to dwell within us by the power of grace. In other words, the gift of the Holy Spirit is just that, a gift. A candidate’s prayerful preparation for confirmation helps him or her become a more fitting temple of the Holy Spirit. Because the Holy Spirit is a personal gift, the Spirit’s presence is not static. We continue to speak of "being confirmed" in the present tense. The study, worship and good works in which we are involved in the years following confirmation help us develop the capacity for fuller participation with the indwelling Holy Spirit in the life of grace.

 

The Catechism of the Catholic Church names a number of ways in which the grace of baptism is increased and deepened by the special outpouring of the Holy Spirit in confirmation (#1302-03.) We become more rooted in the divine filiation, in Christ, which makes us cry "Abba, Father." We are united more firmly to the risen Christ. The gifts of the Holy Spirit are increased within us. Our bond with the church is rendered more perfect. We receive a special strength of the Holy Spirit to spread and defend the faith by word and action as true witnesses of Christ, to confess the name of Christ boldly and never to be ashamed of the cross. In other words, the Holy Spirit is given to us to strengthen the inner life of our faith and to make it possible for us to affect the salvation of the world.

 

We expect then that the effects of the presence of the Holy Spirit in the life of the confirmed Catholic will be both personal and public. By our cooperation with grace, we are each conformed more completely to Christ and become more fully Catholic. The Holy Spirit helps us to believe and practice all that the church believes and practices. One is sometimes tempted to say that he does not accept this or that teaching of the church, as if it were one opinion among many. Or one may give oneself a passing grade for accepting 75 percent of what the church teaches. The confirmed Catholic prays for the desire to know and love what is revealed in our faith, to be Catholic in the details. We ask the Holy Spirit to bless us with the gifts of wisdom and knowledge, so that our faith will bring understanding, and so that we give the assent of faith while we await deeper understanding.

 

Further, confirmed Catholics are expected to be witnesses to the truth of the resurrection of Christ and to the mission of the church. The Holy Spirit comes to dwell in you and me, not only for our salvation, but for the life of the world. The witness to Christ is as diverse as the many unique individual members of his body the church. This witness is clear and truthful to the extent that we allow the Holy Spirit to unite us within the church in word and in action.

 

I know you will join me in praying for all who are being sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit these days. We should pray for one another, too, that the gifts of the Holy Spirit will grow more vibrant in each of us who is confirmed.

 

Printed with permission from the Catholic Times, newspaper from the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois.