Confirmation

Initially  catechumens  would have been C

onfirmed immediately after Baptism, later this changed because of infant Baptism and also because as parishes became more prevalent and further apart it became more difficult for the Bishop to always be present so the two sacraments were separated. Confirmation strengthens us and we receive gifts to help us in our faith, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. Normally the Bishop confers Confirmation which signifies our unity with the Apostolic church. like Baptism we are sealed with an indelible seal which can  not be repeated.  

The Gift

 St Peter tells us that the Holy Spirit is God's gift to those who obey Him Acts 5 v 32. When we are baptised we receive the Holy Spirit, we become children of God, members of the church family, temples of the Holy Spirit, and are incorporated into the mystical body of Christ we are marked and sealed with an indelible seal which cannot be repeated. All other Christians of whatever persuasion then become our brothers and sisters.

The Holy Spirit and the Word

We know that Jesus is the Word of God, as St John tells us at the beginning of his Gospel, and the Holy Spirit makes him known to us, He opens our hearts to Him as we read or listen to the scriptures. St Paul tells us that all scripture is God breathed 2 Tim 3 v 16, and one of the titles of the Holy Spirit is  The Breath of God. After Jesus resurrection when He appeared to His apostles in the upper room He said "Peace be with you! as the Father has sent me , so I Am sending you" and with that He Breathed on them and said "Receive the Holy Spirit, if you forgive anyones sins they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them they are not forgiven" John 20 v 21-22.  To know Jesus we need to read about Him, however we also need to keep His Word and put it into action it is only then that we begin to know Him,and know that He is " The Way the Truth and the the Life" John 14 v 6. In one of the New Testament letters James said "Do not merely listen to the word and deceive yourselves, do what it says anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at himself in a mirror and after looking at himself goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like,but the man who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it will be blessed in what he does".

The Hound of Heaven

I would like to say that the Lords goodness to me resulted in my bearing fruit for Him, but like many young people I rebelled by trying to take charge of my own life by becoming independant. It was not that I disbelieved so much as I placed other things and people before Him. Several times I felt the pull of the Holy Spirit and to my shame ignored it. However he never lets go of us. Psalm 138 (9) has been called  The Hound of Heaven here are a few verses from it. "O where can I go from your Spirit, or where can I flee from your face?  If I climb to the heavens you are there if I lie in the grave you are there" It is worth reading through this psalm and pondering its meaning. It was not until I was married with small children that I came back to " The shepherd and guardian of my soul "  1 Peter 2 v 23. One Sunday at the Eucharist while reciting the Nicene creed which is our statement of belief. " I found myself thinking " Do I really believe all this?" It was at this moment that evangelical Christians would say that I was saved, because I accepted in faith in

all that we were reciting. In Romans 10 v v 8- 10 St Paul says " If you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified,and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved" Of course it is better that we never stray, but sooner or later we need to make a decision to accept the faith for ourselves, Catholics have the  opportunity to do this every Easter when we renew our baptismal vows. If we make them with sincerity of heart it will make a great difference to our spiritual lives.     

The Holy Spirit in the natural world

The Holy Spirit was present with the Father and the Son at creation as Genesis 1 v 1-2 NIV translation tells us."In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth, now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters" 

God is both above His creation and within it, He holds it and us in Being, as Psalm(103 - 104 v 30) testifies, " You send forth your Spirit they are created; You renew the face of the earth" I like the way the hymn "For the beauty of the earth" expresses it.

For the beauty of the earth

for the beauty of the skies

for the love which from our birth

over and around us lies 

Christ our God to You we raise

this our sacrifice of praise

The Holy Spirit in Creation

One hot August bank holiday in the 1950's a companion and I set off to hike across the North Yorkshire Moors from Middlesborough to Whitby. This was a bit foolish as I was used to cycling. However my friend didn't have a bike and I really wanted to show him the beauty that existed outside of the city. However we soon got very hot and tired. Fortunately after many miles we came across a lone pub, outside of which was a bus stop. Not long afterwards a bus came along, so with much relief we finished our journey in comfort. However most of the day was gone and it was towards evening. We had something to eat and then climbed the 199 steps to the cliff top where St Mary's church, Whitby Abbey and the youth hostel were situated. By now it was the cool of the evening, we sat on the cliffs near the Abbey looking out to sea. The moon had risen silvering the sea below us, it was so calm that there was hardly a swell and it was breathtakingly beautiful. As we sat in silence it seemed as though something (Totally Other) was present,piercing through the beauty of the seascape. I looked at my friend and saw that he was awestruck. We said nothing to each other but sat for a while in silence until I said to him " I need to go to the hostel now before they close for the night" We never discussed the experience although I never forgot it.  At a later date when I was much more mature I discovered  a sonnet by William Wordsworth the lines of which expressed what I could not express myself not being a genius like him.

"It is a Beauteous Evening"

It is a beauteous evening calm and free.

The holy time is quiet as a Nun

Breathless with adoration; the broad sun

Is sinking down in its tranquillity;

The gentleness of  Heaven broods o'er the sea;

Listen! The mighty Being is awake,

And with his eternal motion makes

A sound like thunder--everlastingly,

Dear child! Dear Girl! That walkest with me here,

If thou appear untouched by solemn thought,

Thy nature is not therefore less divine;

Though liest in Abraham's bosom all the year,

And worships't at  the Temples inner shrine,

God being with thee when we know it not.