Pentecost 2008

On the feast of Pentecost this year 35 children will be confirmed in our parish. The Sacrament is always conferred in our diocese by the Bishop and it is given when children are in Primary 6 or Primary 7. In order to receive this sacrament the children must themselves be baptised and everything is done to encourage parents to practice the faith with the young children. It is the final sacrament of initiation: the other two being baptism and Eucharist. During the course of the Mass they renew their baptismal promises, the Bishop prays over them and extends his hands as a sign of the Holy Spirit who will be poured into the hearts and then anoints them with chrism oil as individual and gives them the sign of peace. The name of the sacrament is Confirmation and many people think it is to do with us confirming our faith, but really it is to do with the Holy Spirit who confirms our baptismal faith. He confirms us as followers of Christ, he confirms us with gifts, He confirms us with the strength needed to continue our journey to the end.

As I look at the children today I am so happy to see the children confirmed. It is what we are supposed to be about handing the faith on. You cannot help being proud, these children are getting a good Catholic religious education, in a material world they are living a spiritual life, they are getting something that will be a treasure, they are not just individuals but part of the Church, they are getting something that will lead to the salvation of their souls. It is a moment of great promise and deep satisfaction.

But at the same time you cannot but be anxious and afraid for them. What does the future hold for them ? What will become of them? There are so many wrong turns to take in life, so many things that can go wrong, so many things to waste life, so may ways in which to squander things.

As I think of the children to be confirmed I cannot help thinking that we are sending them out into a world in which they are swimming against a tide. Things that we say in here are not believed out there. They will have to have a strong faith to stick up for things, they will have to have a strong faith to live in the world but not be swallowed up by it. I suppose that is where Confirmation comes in. It gives us a strong faith, the Holy Spirit gives us armor to go out to meet the challenges: swords, breast plate and helmet.

We want for these children to be confirmed and all children a strong faith, we don’t want them growing up with a weak faith or no faith at all. We want them to know that they are loved by God, we want them to pray each day, we want them to have a Catholic conscience, a Catholic morality, we want them regularly to come to the sacraments, we want them to sense that they are walking with God. We want them to have a spine which runs up their life and gives them strength. We don’t want them to drag themselves or be coerced we want them to follow the Spirit.

At the first Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was said to have been like a raging wind and fire come down from heaven. You couldn’t image more powerful and strong image. We wish this for the children this Pentecost and for all children who have been confirmed. That they get fire in the in bones, that they are knocked over by the Spirit. That their lives can never be the same again, they are changed, different. We pray that they are confirmed in their faith and that they will be strong in their faith.

Intercessions Solemnity of Pentecost

Priest

On this feast of the Pentecost of the Holy Spirit, we pray that God’s life giving Spirit may make us alive

Intercessor

We pray that all who are called to a special work of service as priests and religious may be filled with the Holy Spirit

We pray to the Lord

We pray that the Holy Spirit may make us strong in our Mission to go out to the nations

We pray to the Lord

We pray that all may live under the Holy Spirit’s guidance – feeling themselves to be alive

We pray to the Lord

We pray for those to be confirmed on this feast of Pentecost

We pray to the Lord

We pray for those who are afflicted by uncertainty and doubt that they may be enlightened by the Spirit

We pray to the Lord

For all who have died and all that we are asked to remember in prayer, especially those who lost their lives in the cyclone in Burma.

We pray to the Lord

Priest

Send anew the Holy Spirit into our hearts to confirm the gift of faith. Send anew the Holy Spirit into the world like a raging wind and fire from heaven that breaks through the walls of indifference and half heartedness. Top Comment on this Homily