6/JESUS
6/3 CONFIRMATION
THE PROMISED HOLY SPIRIT. When Jesus
told his apostles that he was returning to heaven, he also told them that he
would send them the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit would help them to understand
all that Jesus had taught them. Jesus had many more things to teach them, and
the Holy Spirit would also help them to understand the new teachings. The Holy
Spirit would continue to help them by giving them the strength to follow Jesus,
to understand Jesus, and to imitate Jesus in our daily lives.
THE COMING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. After
the return of Jesus to heaven, the Catholics gathered together in Jerusalem. At
one gathering of about 120 Catholics during the Jewish feast of Pentecost,
suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong wind which was a symbol
of invisible power. There then appeared fire which came upon each person which
was a symbol of God's presence. The Holy Spirit is God's invisible power giving
us the strength to do what God commands us to do as it gave the Catholics the
ability to speak in different languages.
THE RITE OF CONFIRMATION. Normally
it is the bishop who confers this sacrament but it is the priest who often is
delegated by the bishop to confer this sacrament. There are two parts in the
rite. The first is the laying of hands on the head by the bishop or priest.
This is a symbol of receiving the Holy Spirit. The other part is the use of
holy oil to make the sign of the cross on the forehead of the person being
confirmed. This sacrament is received by children in primary school and by
adults when they are baptised.
