Listen to the Spirit Within

Do you remember your Baptism?

Most of us were probably too young to actually remember it.

But we probably know who baptized us, and where.

That’s part of our family history and part of our Church record.

I was baptized at St John’s in Covington, Ky. — by Msgr Anton Goebel.

An eighty-year-old pastor with a heavy German accent.

He’d also married my parents, and probably my grandparents.

Most likely, we all do remember our Confirmation.

I was confirmed at St Boniface Church.

By Bishop William T. Molloy, the Bishop of Covington.

Our readings today tell of baptisms and confirmations.

We hear of Philip going down to Samaria to preach.

This is not Philip the apostle, this is Philip the newly appointed deacon.

He performs miracles and wins over many new disciples for Jesus.

And he baptizes them.

Word of his great success reaches the apostles in Jerusalem.

So some apostles, the predecessors of the bishops, 

Travel down to Samaria.

Peter and John go and lay their hands on those new Christians.

They call down the Holy Spirit.

They confirm them, in one of the first confirmation ceremonies.

And the Holy Spirit does come.

To dwell among them and within them.

We’re in the midst of our modern-day Confirmation season.

A couple weeks ago Bishop Knestout came here to St Joseph’s

To confirm our candidates.

Last weekend Bishop Bevard traveled all the way from the Virgin Islands— His home diocese—to confirm the candidates at St Peter’s.

I was invited to assist the Bishop, and had a chance to chat with him.

He told me he would be in our diocese for three weeks

And was scheduled for confirmations at 15 different parishes.

Our own auxiliary bishops, Bishops Knestout, Dorsonville and Campbell Are equally busy.

That’s a lot of confirmations.

In his homily, Bishop Bevard talked about things we believe as Catholics.

Things like the special spiritual bonds between us.

Not only among the living, but with our dead.

Spiritual bonds with lost family and friends, 

And also with saints we’ve never met.

The communion of saints.

Our thoughts and prayers for those who have gone on to Heaven.

Or who await Heaven in Purgatory.

And their thoughts and prayers for us.

He said each of us has a special bond with the bishop or priest

Who confirmed us.

And with the priest or deacon who baptized us.

He noted that some of our beliefs are uniquely Catholic.

Like our particularly strong devotion to Mary.

Non-Catholic Christians don’t share that same level of devotion.

He spoke of how Confirmation strengthens our faith, and wisdom,

And courage, so that we can defend and spread those beliefs.

One of his comments made me think back to my own Confirmation.

It was a suggestion about our devotion to Mary.

I must have heard it before, somewhere along the line.

But if I had, I’d forgotten it.

He said: We’ll all be called to judgement one day.

And when you find yourself standing there, remember one thing.

** Keep your mouth shut. **

Let Mary do the talking for you.

Let her be your advocate.

Let her plead your case to her son.

And I thought—That makes great sense; how often have I asked:

Pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.

He told those he was about to confirm that,

As a result of the bond they were about to create,

He’d join them, to support them, at their judgement.

And so would the person who baptized them.

And each would be signaling them—putting his finger to his lips—

Reminding them to stay silent.

The Bishop seemed quite confident he’ll be there.

Coaching at their judgement as part of the Heavenly team.

As one who baptized some of those kids, 

I hope he’s right in his confidence

That I’ll be there coaching too.

What we lack in confidence we can try to make up in hope.

Our hope is one of those gifts we receive at Baptism and Confirmation.

And, as we heard in our readings, it’s a hope we should be eager to share.

A hope we should be ready to explain to anyone who notices and asks.

In our Gospel, Jesus gives assurance to all who keep his commandments.

We will have his Holy Spirit not only bonding with us

But dwelling within us.

That Spirit that comes to us in Baptism and Confirmation.

He promises:  I will not leave you orphans.

You are in me, and I in you.

My Spirit will come to you and remain with you always.

In two weeks, we’ll celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.

So this is a good time to reflect on our own relationship with the Spirit.

Have we kept the fervor we felt at our Confirmation?

Are we still growing by exercising the gifts of the Holy Spirit?

Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Knowledge, Fortitude, Piety, 

And Fear (Awe) of the Lord.

Are we communing and cooperating with that Spirit within us?

Are we sharing Him, or keeping Him locked within?

Sixth Sunday of Easter

Jn 14:15-21   Read this Scripture @usccb.org