CONFIRMATION 

GIFTS

THE GIFT OF CONFIRMATION

Confirmation comes at a time in life when an opportunity is offered. It is an occasion to take an active role in choosing a more conscious walk with God. Our parents and godparents made that choice for us when we were baptized. As we grow and mature, we take more and more steps to do what our parents used to do for us—from feeding us, to carrying us, to making choices for us when we couldn’t talk or have the wisdom or power to decide for ourselves.

With confirmation, we can exercise our personal spiritual freedom to make a new level of commitment to the God who made us. We can get a better grip on our relationship with God, and we can begin to relate to Him in new ways. 

Whether we were baptized as a child, or whether we are a pre-teen, teen, or adult now, we can choose to have a new and improved connection with our Almighty power Source—the Holy Spirit. We can establish an enriched rapport with God, Himself. What a concept!

In the YOUCAT catechism (Ignatius Press, page 120; forward by Pope Benedict XVI), it says, “As the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples who were gathered on Pentecost, so the Holy Spirit comes to every baptized person for whom the Church requests the gift of the Holy Spirit. It secures and strengthens him to be a living witness to Christ.” 

The Holy Spirit, then, comes—as we ask, receive and believe. Just like “being baptized means that my personal life story is submerged in the stream of God’s love” (Ibid, p.119), so confirmation is like being immersed in the stream of the Holy Spirit’s power. 

The last thing that Jesus said to his apostles (after the resurrection) before he was ascended into heaven was in regard to the Holy Spirit. “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses… to the ends of the earth…” (Acts 1:8)

JESUS PROMISES TO SEND THE HOLY SPIRIT

Jesus told us of God the Father’s plan to send the Spirit to be with us after Jesus returned to heaven, and he spoke of the Holy Spirit to his disciples several times before He died. “ …The Advocate, the Holy Spirit that the Father will send in my name—He will teach you everything and remind you of all I have told you.” (Jn. 14:26) “When the Advocate comes…the Spirit of truth…He will testify to me… (Jn. 15:26 ) …He will guide you to all truth…and will declare to you the things that are coming.” (Jn. 16:13)

THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

With the reception of Confirmation, we receive “special strength of the Holy Spirit… to confess the name of Christ boldly, and never to be afraid of the Cross”. Along with this “spiritual seal”, comes “the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of judgment and courage” [counsel and fortitude], “the spirit of knowledge and reverence” [piety], “and the spirit of holy fear in God’s presence” [fear of the Lord]. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1303).

Confirmation “roots us more deeply… and makes us cry, ‘Abba! Father!’… It unites us more firmly to Christ... It increases the gifts of the Holy Spirit in us…” (Ibid). 

God the Father had arranged for the Spirit to come (after Jesus had left) to give us power to live life as Jesus’ disciple, and to share the “good news” and truth of that new life that Jesus desires for all.

Jesus literally “counted the cost” and released us from the chains of sin and death. Jesus was willing to die a horrible death for us, to pay the price for salvation (and every grace and blessing that comes from that). 

But that wasn’t enough help for God to give his beloved children. In continued, great mercy and generosity, He and the Father had planned to send the Holy Spirit to remain with us. 

“…Now I am going to the one who sent me… But because I told you this, grief has filled your hearts. But I tell the truth, it is better for you that I go. For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.” (Jn.16:5-7)

BLESSINGS BROUGHT BY THE HOLY SPIRIT

The Holy Spirit comes to enliven and bring to life the words and the heart, the spirit and the person of Jesus, Himself. He told us that the Spirit would be a “Comforter” in the midst of the tribulations that Jesus said we would surely face. The Holy Spirit could enable us to manifest Jesus’ overcoming power and the peace that Jesus spoke of in regard to the troubles of this world. (Jn. 16:33) The Holy Spirit was sent to empower us to know and understand the truth; to pray with and through us when we do not know how to pray; the power to win every battle against the enemy; and more…

“There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit; there are different forms of service, but the same Lord; there are different workings but the same God who produces all of them in everyone. To each individual, the manifestation is given for some benefit …wisdom …knowledge …faith …healing …mighty deeds …prophesy …discernment of spirits …tongues …interpretation … administration… assistance… [teaching]… But one and the same Spirit produces all of these, distributing them individually to each person as he wishes...”

(1Cor.12:4-11; 28). “Strive earnestly for the greatest spiritual gifts. But I shall show you a still more excellent way…” (1Cor.12:31b)

Following these words we find the well-known 1 Corinthians chapter on love. “Love is patient, love is kind…” We have an eminently good description of love—the foundation, the point of origin, and the surrounding atmosphere of every other “good” fruit. Again, God continues to reach-and-keep-on-reaching to care for and empower those who turn and come to Him—choosing to walk with Him as Father, Redeemer-Lord, Comforter-Advocate (and many other character-revealing names).

God makes it clear that it is His work in and through us that makes us both willing and able to do what pleases Him. “For God is the one who, for his good purpose, works in you both to desire and to” [actually do the] “work”/ service. (Phil.2:13; see also Phil 1:6; 1Cor.12:6; 15:10; 2Cor.3:5) 

God shows that He desires to give the grace and enabling for the character-fruit of the Holy Spirit (“love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” Gal.5:22). We can turn to the Holy Spirit and continually seek and ask Him to grace, gift and form good fruit in us.

GOD KEEPS ON GIVING

God is endlessly giving. He cannot help it. He is Love, Itself… Himself. He is so generous, creative and higher in thoughts and ways than we are (Isa. 55:9) that the Holy Spirit cannot be contained, predicted, confined… This is sometimes difficult for organizational, self-directed human beings to grasp, receive and understand. But it is because of Who He is that we can go with Him beyond our own expectations, limits, and natural abilities. In fact, many saints found that the openness to the radical calls, behaviors (often appearing strange to status-quo life around them), and empowerments that the Spirit of God has to give is what made some of them “great”.

The Holy Spirit brings many gifts with Him into our lives, but how do we respond to these gifts? An illustration comes to mind regarding individuals who receive clothes as gifts for Christmas or birthdays, and later find these items in their closet with the tags still on them… never worn. Some receive gifts, at times, that are never opened. The gifts lie in wait… 

What are we doing with the gifts of the Holy Spirit? We can—even right now— ask the Holy Spirit to renew and enable us to receive every gift that He intended for us when we were confirmed—and intends currently for us to use.

The days ahead are challenging on many levels. There never has been a better time to take courage and go beyond our everyday presumptions and assumptions… For those getting confirmed—and for the long-been-confirmed—every day presents an opportunity to receive new power from the Holy Spirit. Sometimes we do not realize that we need to receive His help... It is not automatic... We can continue (humbly and expectantly as a child before the Father) to ask, and seek, and receive all the help our generous God desires to give. Our lives and the lives of those around us can only be the richer for it.