Spiritual Preparation

We have a busy weekend coming up! Our second oldest, John Paul, will be making his first Holy Communion on Saturday evening, and then Sunday afternoon he and our oldest, Robert, will be getting confirmed at the Cathedral. They are really excited!

After we found out that we were accepted to serve with FMC, we were hoping we would be able to get the boys, at least, confirmed before we leave in order to equip them as best we can spiritually.

I wanted to share something from the Catechism on the sacrament of Confirmation that I just love and which ties in perfectly with this Sunday's gospel reading for the 7th Sunday of Easter from John 17:11B-19.

In the gospel reading, Jesus prays the “high priestly prayer” to the Father for His immediate and future disciples. He says, “Consecrate them in the truth. Your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I sent them into the world. And I consecrate myself for them, so that they also my be consecrated in the truth.” (John 17:17-19)

The Catechism, in addressing the signs of Confirmation, says, “The post-baptismal anointing with sacred chrism in Confirmation...is the sign of consecration. By Confirmation Christians, that is, those who are anointed, share more completely in the mission of Jesus Christ and the fullness of the Holy Spirit with which he is filled, so that their lives may give off 'the aroma of Christ.'” (CCC 1294)

How beautiful is that? If you've ever smelled the chrism oil (it's used also in baptism), you can appreciate this phrase even more. Would that all of our lives give off “the aroma of Christ” as we are sent out by Him into the world.

One of the effects of Confirmation that will be particularly helpful for the boys as our oldest missionaries is that it will give them “a special strength of the Holy Spirit to spread and defend the faith by word and action as true witnesses of Christ, to confess the name of Christ boldly, and never to be ashamed of the cross.” (CCC 1303)

Please pray for Robert and John Paul, and all of us, as we prepare spiritually for missions.

St. John Bosco, pray for us!

St. John Vianney, pray for us!

John Paul receiving his first Holy Communion 

John Paul with Fr. Jim Livingston

with Dawn, his Godmother

Newly Confirmed!

"Come, Holy Spirit!"

Bishop Cozzens confirmed the boys but unfortunately
we weren't able to get a picture of it or of him with the boys.