Did You Know

That Confirmation strengthens the work of the Holy Spirit begun in Baptism? While the majority of us received this sacrament many years ago, it is always good to remind ourselves of the significance of this beautiful sacrament. If you are like me, I appreciate the spiritual significance of it now more than at the time it was conferred upon me, likely because I have grown in my faith. From the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Confirmation completes the grace of Baptism by a special outpouring of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, which seal or “confirm” the baptized in union with Christ and equip them for active participation in the worship and apostolic life of the Church. Through the anointing with oil, the “sacred chrism”, Confirmation confers a seal upon the recipient. Why a seal? A seal is a symbol of a person, a sign of personal ownership. This seal marks our total belonging to Christ. So what does all this mean? Confirmation assists us to conform more closely to Christ. It calls the person to accept a sense of mission to be sent out to the world to be a living, vital witness to the teachings of Jesus, our Lord. Let us pray for all of our Confirmation candidates and for each of us as the body of Christ. May we be reminded of our call to mission, and to embrace it with passion and zeal as the hands and feet of Christ here on earth!