Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
This upcoming Monday, our eighth grade students for both our school and Religious Education program will experience a significant moment in their lives of faith. After years of preparation, all the more intensive this past year, they will receive the great gift of the Sacrament of Confirmation. And as wonderful as it is for them and for their families, it is also an opportunity for the wider parish community to reflect on the gift of the Holy Spirit in our lives as well.
I recognize that many of us have different experiences of Confirmation. Of all the Sacraments, it seems as if this particular one has gone through the most variation in terms of the times and places in which it is received. I’ve heard of individuals getting it before their First Holy Communion, in 3rd, 4th, 6th, and 9th grade; some even receive it right after Baptism, as it was in the Early Church. In some ways, that makes it hard to discuss the particulars of the Sacrament, since so many of us experienced it at different ages and understanding of it. And yet, the importance of the Sacrament should not be lost in the shuffle just because the ages of those confirmed has fluctuated throughout the years.
I know that some of us were taught that Confirmation was the final step in becoming fully initiated Catholics, and to be honest, we still use some of that language today. I know that some had the idea that we become soldiers for Christ because of Confirmation, complete with a slap from the bishop when we were confirmed. Such ideas aren’t wrong; gifts like Courage and Fortitude are bestowed and help us live our faith in bold ways for the sake of the Kingdom. But there’s an intimacy with God that is bestowed upon us in Confirmation that is hard to
comprehend but worth our reflection.
Each of the Sacraments of Initiation bring us a deeper experience and relationship with God. In Baptism, not only is Original Sin forgiven, but we are brought into a familial relationship with God the Father, becoming His son or daughter in that moment. In the Eucharist, when we receive it, either for the first time or the 1000th, we are bringing the physical presence of Our Lord into our very bodies, as we consume His Body and Blood. And in Confirmation? In Confirmation, we are bestowed not just the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, but also the One who gives the gifts, the Holy Spirit. He makes an Indwelling within us and becomes a constant companion for the rest of our lives here on Earth. Certainly, it’s a heady concept that God dwells within us, something both a 3rd grader and an 8th grader may struggle to process for themselves. But my brothers and sisters, for those that were just confirmed or those that were confirmed decades ago, the same reality is true; the Holy Spirit is with us always!
Peace and Goodness,
Fr. Dan
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