How I Became Mrs. Watts ✓

How I Became Mrs. Watts (9)

CHAPTER 9

I made it to the small little church in plenty of time. I genuflected and kneeled down to say my prayers.

***Monday***

I made my way to Andrew's classroom and plopped down in my seat. “I'm sorry,” Andrew said, “But you did make it okay, right?” He was actually looking up before he said his first line.

“Yeah, it wasn't a big deal,” I assured him. He nodded, but I don't think he believed me. I tried again, “The walk wasn't that far, and it was a nice day. I needed the exercise anyway.” He nodded again, thinking. He shrugged. He went back to his work and I continued to stare at him with a confused look on my face. The rest of the class filed in to their seats and Andrew got up to sit at his usual seat, on his desk.

“Now, who remembers what we were going to talk about this week?” Andrew asked.

“I don't think you told us,” a girl said.

“You chose the order yourselves, with the way you listed the sacraments.”

“Confirmation,” I blurted out, unable to help myself. I knew the answer, but I didn't want anyone to hate me because of the fact that I was a “know-it-all.”

“Right,” Andrew smiled at me, “So, what is Confirmation?”

“'By the sacrament of Confirmation, [the baptized] are more perfectly bound to the Church and enriched with a special strength of the Holy Spirit. Hence they are, as true witnesses of Christ, more strictly obliged to spread and defend the faith by word and deed,'”1 a boy said.

Andrew nodded, “Confirmation is the sacrament through which the Holy Spirit comes to us in a special way to join us more closely to Jesus and His Church and to seal and strengthen us as Christ's witnesses. When we were baptized, we were committed to Christ by our parents, during Confirmation, we make our own decision to act as a disciple of Christ. We are strengthened by the Holy Spirit and 'confirmed' in the fullness of the Christian faith in Confirmation.

“'You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses to the ends of the earth.'”2

“So, what is Confirmation? We have a bit of an idea now, but more is still nice to know. 'Confirmation is the sacrament in which the candidate receives the fullness of the Holy Spirit that was given to us at Baptism. This is the same Spirit that filled the Apostles with the zeal and courage needed by all who are to be public witnesses to Christ. Confirmation celebrates God's presence in our lives as the Holy Spirit continues to guide, strengthen, and empower us to live and witness the Good News of Jesus Christ. Christians, on the day of their Confirmation, become public witnesses to Christ and his saving works. Confirmation is not our first encounter with the Holy Spirit. The first encounter takes place at Baptism. The Trinity comes to dwell in the newly baptized as they are born again in water and the Spirit. Baptism brings people into a personal union with God. Thus introduced to the ways of God and the Spirit, the sacrament of Confirmation continues the process by having the Holy Spirit strengthened within us. Confirmation completes and perfects Baptism.

“'Confirmation also produces a deepening of our friendship with God, a more personal union with the Spirit of Christ, a pledge of God's commitment to us, and the strength to persevere as good members of God's family. Confirmation makes us realize more fully our calling to be witnesses to Christ by the life we live and the message that we proclaim. For this reason, Confirmation is not just another one of those things that we do because we are of age or because all our friends are doing it. Confirmation needs to be done because we want to live a more Christ directed life. Confirmation is a sacrament of Christian maturity, the sacrament of active assumption of Church membership and apostolic responsibilities. There is much to be said for waiting until the candidate is both ready and truly willing to make a fully mature commitment to Christ and to continue to grow in their faith and relationship with God. This sacrament must be a freely chosen commitment to God and the Roman Catholic Church.

“'Sealed with the gifts of the Holy Spirit in Confirmation, Christians more perfectly become the image of their Lord and are filled with the Holy Spirit. They bear witness to Him before the world and eagerly work for the building up of the body of Christ. Confirmed Christians bear witness of Christ through both their actions and their words. They get involved in community service, volunteering both their time and talent. They respond more deeply to the gift of the Spirit as an outward sign of desiring to live more aware of Christ and more committed to His mission of serving others. Confirmation is not an end to church involvement and faith development. On the contrary, Confirmation is part of the bigger picture of what it means to be Christian.

“'What is Confirmation? A Sacrament of Initiation that strengthens one's relationship with the Church and commitment to being an active member. Through this sacrament, the Holy Spirit and his gifts help us to live our baptismal promises, grow into the likeness of Christ, and share his mission. The preparation process for Confirmation offers an opportunity to deepen one's commitment to a specific way of life—as a follower of Jesus.

“'Confirmation is one of three Sacraments of Initiation. For those who were baptized as infants and received First Communion as children, the celebration of Confirmation as a young adult presents a very special opportunity to affirm the decision made by their parents and godparents on their behalf. Confirmation: it is not a graduation from religious studies or a celebration of Catholic adulthood. It is a “Rite of Passage,” into life as a fully initiated and accountable member of the Church.'3

“The sign of Confirmation is the oil the bishop anoints you with and the form is the words said.” We then were dismissed, but, as was usual, I stayed in my seat.

1Lumen Gentium 11

2Acts of the Apostles 1:8

3St. Ann/St. Mary Confirmation Student Handbook, What Is Confirmation?