Today is the Church’s birthday! 🎉On this day- 50 days after Easter Sunday- the Holy Spirit descended upon the Church and transformed the world forever. Today was the day that the Apostles were emboldened to carry out Christ’s mission of beginning the Gospel to all nations.
I was so blessed to attend the Confirmation Mass for some young people I’ve known for a few years now. Even in the few minutes after Mass that I spoke to some of them, it was evident that they were different somehow- filled to the brim with the Holy Spirit!
In Father’s homily, he spoke of how Confirmation is just the beginning. It’s not the end of learning about the faith. It’s not the end of going to Mass or praying. When the Apostles received the Holy Spirit, they could have just said, “Okay, cool, that’s what Jesus said would happen. Now let’s go fishing.”
But they didn’t.
After the Apostles received the Holy Spirit, they were emboldened to share the faith and the Truth of Jesus Christ. They received wisdom and knowledge, were able to understand more fully the things that Christ had taught them, and could more effectively minister to others and train them in the faith. In short, the Holy Spirit transformed the Apostles and set them on fire for God!
To all the teens who have been (or will be) Confirmed this year… You are no different from those Apostles. The same Holy Spirit that came down upon those first leaders of the Church has come (or will come) upon you to bring to complete the work He began in you at your Baptism. He wants to give you those same gifts- wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. And, friend, I guarantee, if you lean into the Holy Spirit’s embrace, and if you ask for those gifts, He will freely give them. Your life will be transformed.
You might not have "felt anything" while you were being Confirmed. You might still feel like your life is the same. You might even be unsure what the Sacrament you just received is all about. Despite all of that, I promise you- the Holy Spirit is alive and well in your soul! He is working through you, in you, and for you, to give you those gifts so that you can bear the fruits of the Spirit to the world. Even when you can't feel Him, the Holy Spirit will never stop working in you.
Friend, You are no different from those Apostles. Lean into the Holy Spirit’s embrace. Ask His spouse, Mamma Mary, to intercede for you. You, as the Apostles were, will be filled with the Holy Spirit and set on fire with love for Christ and for the world. 🔥
~Please share this post with anyone who's recently been Confirmed!~
Happy Pentecost, everyone! God bless you all ❤️️
~ Catholic Teen
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