(The following homily was given by Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde during the Mass of the Sixth Sunday after Easter at the Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Arlington on May 1.)
How many among us remember our confirmation? Do we recall what was said to us by the confirming bishop during the celebration of that sacrament? Do we remember what its meaning was and is?
I ask these questions because I am in the midst of our spring confirmation season. As I confirm our candidates, I ask myself: will they allow the reception of this sacrament to make a real difference in their lives? I pray that they will experience a real change in their lives of faith through the deepening of the Holy Spirit's presence and power.
I ask the questions I raised moments ago because now and again, it is good for all of us to go back to the basics of our Catholic faith and to recommit ourselves to Christian discipleship and service, both of which we are strengthened by receiving confirmation. Moreover, I ask these questions because the Scripture readings today, especially the first and third, clearly point to the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity, to God the Holy Spirit, Who is given to us in a new and deeper way precisely through the sacrament of confirmation.
Confirmation is one of the three steps in the process of Christian Initiation. The first is baptism, followed later by the Eucharist. In most places in these United States, receiving the sacrament of confirmation marks the third and final step of Christian Initiation.
Today's first reading from the Acts of the Apostles outlines for us how the early Church prepared people for confirmation. First, there was instruction " preaching about Christ and the invitation to follow Him. This led to their acceptance of Christ. Then, the apostles Peter and John were sent to them. “[They] went down and prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit " . Then they laid hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.”
Since the beginning of the Church, the Holy Spirit has been given to Christ's disciples through the ministry of the bishops, who are the successors of the Apostles. Indeed, the Holy Spirit is the Risen Christ's first gift to the disciples and, now, to us. Along with His Father, Jesus sends us “another Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of truth " .” He does this, together with the Father, so that we will not be left orphans, so that we might be His true witness in the world.
Therefore, during this Mass, let us ask the Holy Spirit to renew in us the grace of our confirmation. What will that mean for us? It will result in our understanding more and living out better the authentic purpose of this sacrament. The Cathechism of the Catholic Church states: “It is evident from its celebration that the effect of the Sacrament of Confirmation is the special outpouring of the Holy Spirit as once granted to the apostles on the day of Pentecost” (No. 7302). The Cathechism goes on to explain what this special outpouring does for each confirmed disciple. ” " By Confirmation Christians, that is, those who are anointed, share more completely in the mission of Jesus Christ and the fullness of the Holy Spirit with which he is filled, so that their lives may give off 'the aroma of Christ'” (No. 1294).
Let us reflect more specifically on several effects of confirmation in our lives of faith.
The Holy Spirit unites us more firmly to Christ. It is His role to deepen Christ's presence within us and, thereby, to create a close union with the Lord Jesus. The more united we are to Christ, the more we can reflect His mind and heart in ours, the more we can make Him present through us in those circles of life in which we live, beginning with the family. Surely, we ask the prayerful intercession of Our Blessed Mother, since she became the Mother of God precisely through the working of the Holy Spirit within her. Today, we begin the month of May, a month specially dedicated to the veneration of Our Blessed Lady. Through her intercession, may we be more open to the Holy Spirit's work in us, uniting us more firmly to Christ, her Divine Son.
The Holy Spirit strengthens more fully our bond with the Church. We belong to the Body of Christ, since we were made members of His Body through baptism. The Church is the Body of Christ and the more we allow the Holy Spirit to strengthen our bond with the Church, the more we will be active and articulate members of Christ's Body the Church. This means accepting all the teachings of the Church, not just those we find comfortable and to our liking. Yes, sometimes the teachings proposed to us through the Official Teaching Office of the Church, the Magisterium, are difficult because they challenge our personal desires and opinions. In this sense, they resemble the hard sayings which Jesus speaks in the Gospels. We must remember that Jesus gave to His Church the guidance of the Holy Spirit, so that the teachings of the Church may lead us to truth, goodness and eternal life.
Not only do we accept all the teachings of the Church, but also we love the Church as she is, even while praying and working for her continual renewal. Although there is a divine element in the Church, nonetheless, her members are human beings, who are prone to weakness and to sin. No one of us is perfect, so there will be times when the members of the Church will disappoint us and even fail us. Regrettably, we run the same risk of disappointing and failing others in the Church. But, we must continue to love the Church as we experience her. Living in a family can help us to understand. We love the members of our family yet that does not prevent us from seeing and, at times, experiencing the faults of family members. They can disappoint and even hurt us, as we can them. Yet, we remain family, loving one another even with the faults and weakness we experience while hoping for the better. The Church is our family and so we accept and love her as she is while working for her purification and renewal under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit sends us forth to be true witness for Christ. We are anointed with the Holy Spirit so that we can share more fully in the mission of Jesus Christ, bringing His truth and His love to every person and to every sphere of human activity. Our society is so much in need of Christian witness. When we witness as authentic members of the Church, our lives truly give off “the aroma of Christ,” enabling people to embrace the Truth which gives life and the Love which gives hope.
Finally, the Holy Spirit gives us in confirmation His seven gifts, which enable us to draw closer to Christ, to love the Church and to witness to the Gospel. These seven gifts are wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety and fear of the Lord. First received at confirmation, they are continually renewed as we ask the Holy Spirit to strengthen us for our work of Christian witness in the world.
Although we are not celebrating the sacrament of confirmation in our midst, today's Scriptures inspire us to recall our reception of that sacrament and to seek to be renewed in the grace of that sacrament. With Our Blessed Mother's intercession to help us, let us ask Her Son the Lord Jesus to send us, together with His Father, the deepened presence and power of the Holy Spirit. Renewed in our confirmation commitment, let us gladly return to those worlds in which we live and there witness with conviction and hope to Our Lord Jesus Christ and to His Gospel of salvation.
