Confirmation:
Responding to the Call of the Holy SpiritThinking About My Beliefs
When someone says to me, “Would you do me a favor??? I may answer, “Yes?? or “No.?? Or I may first ask. “What is the favor??? and then decide.
If my answer is either yes or no without knowing what the request is, I am responding to the person who asks the favor. If I first need to know what the favor is, I am responding to the request. I want to examine what is being asked of me before I answer.
Can I think of someone who might ask me for a favor and I would immediately answer yes? Most likely, the name that would come to mind would be that of a person I know and trust. Responses have a great deal to do with knowledge and trust. For example, if my best friend is accused of cheating in school or in sports. how might I react? My first reaction might be to think to myself, I believe my friend is honest and does not cheat.
Belief is a response. My beliefs can reveal many things about me. They can show the kind of person I am. what I value, my feelings about other people. my vision and hope for the future. True beliefs take time to develop. That is because beliefs are based on experiences of trust. My beliefs may come from my trust in the word of another. They may come from personal experiences and from thinking about those experiences.
I could never really explore all my responses to people and to situations. But if I were to explore just a few, I could find out whether they are really based on knowledge and trust. For example, Do I believe most people are honest? Do I believe most teachers try to he fair? Do I believe world peace is possible?
When I think about my skills, talents, and abilities, what is one thing I believe about myself?
When I think about other people—friendships shared. help re— received and given—what is one thing I believe about people?
When I think about the future—the kind of person I want to be, the kind of world I want to live in—what is one thing I believe about the future?
The Catholic Church Has BeliefsAt different times throughout its history, the Church community has formulated statements to express its beliefs. Those statements are called creeds. They were developed after many years of careful thought. They were based upon the knowledge the Church has of God and the trust it has in Him.
One of the statements of belief well known to Roman Catholics is the Apostles? Creed. Another creed is called the Nicene Creed. The Christian community prays the Nicene Creed at Eucharistic celebrations. It reads as follows:
We believe in one God, the Father the Almighty maker of lien heaven and earth of all that is Seen and unseen
We believe in one Lord Jesus Christ the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father God from God. Light from Light. true God from true God, begotten not made, one in Being with the Father. Through him all things were made.For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven:
by the power of the Holy Spirit he was born of the Virgin Mary, and became manFor our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered died, and was buried
On the third day he rose again in fulfillment of the Scriptures
He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no endWe believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver life, who proceeds from the F father and the Son.
With the F father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified
He has spoken through the Prophets.
We believe in one holv catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. amen.
In the Nicene Creed we say we believe in God the Father who is
In the Nicene Creed we say we believe in Jesus who is
In the Nicene Creed, we say we believe in the Holy Spirit who is
My Beliefs As a Roman CatholicI have often prayed the Apostles' Creed as well as the Nicene Creed. But have I really ever thought about what I believe as a Roman Catholic ? What do I really believe about God the Father? Who do I say Jesus is? What do I believe about the Holy Spirit? What is the Catholic Church to me? In the past year, have I added anything to my beliefs about Jesus? Have I changed any of my beliefs about Jesus? What do I truly believe as a Roman Catholic?
In the Sacrament of Confirmation the Holy Spirit calls us to give public witness to what we believe as Catholics. The Holy Spirit calls us to declare by our actions and our attitudes that we are followers of Jesus and members of His Church. During the Confirmation ceremony, all those who are to he confirmed will stand before God, the bishop, and the people of their parish. Together they will profess the same faith. They will profess faith in God the Father: in Jesus Christ. His only Son, our Lord: in the Holy Spirit, the giver of life; and in the holy catholic Church.
The bishop will then confirm the profession of faith with these words: This is our faith This is the faith of the Church. We are proud to profess it in Christ Jesus our Lord.
What does professing the faith of the Catholic Church mean to me? What does being a follower of Jesus mean to me? As I think about professing my faith, I might consider Jesus? invitation to the first Apostles to follow Him. I read about Jesus invitation to His Apostles in Theme 3.
Why did the Apostles become followers of Jesus?
How did they show that they were followers of Jesus?
What does being a follower of Jesus mean to me?
Luke 10:25-28 tells us we are called to
Matthew 5: l—12 tells us we are called to
A person who chooses to follow Jesus accepts certain responsibilities. The gospel message describes those responsibilities. The following gospel passages point out the everyday responsibilities of a follower of Jesus
Matthew 25 :34—4 tells us we are called to
It is easy to find out how we are asked to live. But is knowing how to live enough?? As a person who wants to follow Jesus, I must ask myself, ‘What are the passages I just read saying to me about living each day as a follower of Jesus?
In the Rite of Confirmation the bishop prays that the Holy Spirit will help us live as followers of Jesus. He offers the following prayer:
All-powerful God Father of our Lord Jesus Christ by water and the Holy Spirit you freed your sons and daughters from sin and gave them new life.
Send your Holy Spirit upon them to their Helper and Guide
Give them the spirit of wisdom and understanding
the spirit of right judgement and courage
the spirit of knowledge and reverence -
fill them with the spirit of wonder and awe in your presence
We ask this through Christ our LordThe Holy Spirit helps us as we try to grow in kindness, courage, understanding love, and in all those virtues by which a person becomes great . The Holy Spirit guides us to say yes to the Father who made us to be great by following His Son Jesus. The gifts of the Holy Spirit help us understand more fully what we are called to believe as followers of Jesus. They also help us find ways to witness to the truths of our Christian faith.
The gift of w wisdom helps us look upon life as a great and remarkable gift from God - It helps us judge all the events in our lives according to our belief? in God,
The gift of understanding leads us beyond just knowing the beliefs of the Church. It helps its grasp the meaning of what we believe so that our Christian faith makes a difference in the way we live.
The gift of knowledge helps us to be certain in our minds and hearts that God calls us to live a life of goodness and love wherever we are—at home, in school, on the basketball court with friends.
The gift of right judgment helps us see the right and good things to do among the many choices we have to make every day. It helps us choose the right way to act when we have to decide,
The gift of courage helps us to be strong in our beliefs as Christians It helps us choose what is right in spite of the hardship we might suffer for having chosen what is good.
The gift of reverence helps us see God as a most loving Father and all people as our brothers and sisters - It encourages us to praise God freely and to respect all people.
The gift of wonder and awe in God?s presence helps us respect the goodness and majesty of God. It helps us value God?s plan for the world and desire to build up the kingdom of God on earth.
Which gifts of the Holy Spirit do I think will help me grow in my Christian faith?
Which gifts of the holy Spirit do I think will help me give witness to my beliefs as a follower of Jesus!
What can I do to help the gifts of the Holy Spirit grow in my mind and heart?
At the end of the Confirmation ceremony, the bishop will ask God our Father to keep the gifts of the Holy Spirit alive in our hearts. He will pray that we may live the gospel and proclaim Christ to all the world. This will be his prayer:God our Father,
complete the work yon have begun and keep the gifts of your Holy Spirit active in the hearts your people Make them ready to live his Gospel and eager to do his will. May they never be? ashamed to proclaim to all the world Christ crucified, living amid reigning for ever and everWith all present I will answer,‘ Amen ‘ By my Amen I will be saying, ‘‘Yes, I want to be responsible to others and to the Church. The Church has preserved for me the message of the gospel, the history of a believing community, and the sacraments. I have inherited so much. Now I want to respond to my inheritance,
As I look forward to being a confirmed Christian, how do I hope to answer the call of the Holy Spirit?