Sunday Reflections

Strengthening our Stewardship with the Holy Spirit

As we approach the end of the Easter season our readings begin to focus on the Holy Spirit that awaits us on Pentecost. In today’s first reading we hear the account of some believers receiving the Holy Spirit after Peter and John laid their hands on them. The Catechism says that “the imposition of hands is rightly recognized by the Catholic tradition as the origin of the sacrament of Confirmation, which in a certain way perpetuates the grace of Pentecost in the Church” (CCC 1288).

So, as we have read the biblical roots of the sacrament of Confirmation, let us reflect on its significance in our own lives 2000 years later. The Second Vatican Council says that through “the sacrament of Confirmation, [the baptized] are more perfectly bound to the Church and are 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” (Lumen Gentium, 11).

Confirmation makes us obliged to spread the Gospel through “word and deed” because we receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit. We all have a special share of these gifts, which consist of fortitude, wisdom, knowledge, understanding, fear of the Lord, piety and counsel. If for example, we have a greater outpouring of the gift of knowledge, we can use this to help with catechesis ministries in the parish that seek to teach the faith to others. Essentially, Confirmation strengthens our call to be stewards of Christ. Let us use our gifts to spread the Gospel in our parish communities as a way of living out our call of Confirmation and let us do so by turning to the Holy Spirit to guide us.

Summary

In today’s first reading we hear the biblical roots of Confirmation as some believers receive the Holy Spirit after Peter and John lay their hands on them. The Second Vatican Council says that Confirmation, and the receiving of the Holy Spirit, makes us obliged to spread the Gospel through “word and deed.” Let us strive to do this in our parish communities as a way of living out our call of Confirmation and let us do so by turning to the Holy Spirit to guide us.