Confirmation! Check!

Our 8th graders are a step closer to graduating. With less than four months to go, another rite of passage has been checked off the list for these young folks. This past Friday evening in a beautiful Mass celebrated by Bishop David Talley, these students received the Sacrament of Confirmation.

They have been Baptized, participated in Reconciliation, received First Communion, and sealed with the gifts of the Holy Spirit better known as Confirmation. They are the recipients of four of the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church. It will be awhile before they receive anymore sacraments (let's hope).

To me, Confirmation becomes a crucial time in the lives of our Catholic youth. Will they be strengthened for service to the Body of Christ or will they fall away from their faith? With all my years in Catholic education, I have seen both. Some of the students go through Confirmation because that's what they are supposed to do as Catholics, and afterwards no longer have a faith life. For some, it is a sacrament that brings the confirmandi a renewed sense of purpose in their faith and a dedication to the Church.

Here are a few tips for anyone reading this blog as well as our newly confirmed youth about living a life of faith. Keep in mind that our actions will have the biggest impact on promoting faith in ourselves first and then to those around us. Set the example and be intentional in your actions. Develop your faith for you.

Develop your faith by studying and reading about your faith. If you don't know where to start, check out what Dynamic Catholic has to offer. Their books are fantastic, simple to understand, inexpensive, and easy to get your hands on.

Read or listen to the daily Mass readings. You can receive the daily readings via email from the USCCB every morning. They also have podcast readings and reflections if you prefer. The reflections will help you better understand the readings.

Develop a prayer life. Prayers don't have to be complicated, memorized, nor long winded. Most of my prayers consist of "Thank you," "I'm sorry," "Help me do Your will," and "Lord, keep me from screwing up." I pray that last one often. 

Participate in Church activities and organizations. Click here to find out all that St. Ann offers. Don't stand on the sidelines. Get in the game!

Go to Mass wherever you are. I use MassTimes website and app to find a Mass near me whenever traveling. I have a goal of attending Mass in every state I visit.  I'm doing pretty well but not batting a thousand.

Set the example by making Mass an event to look forward to. Take the family. Go to lunch or dinner afterwards. Be happy and make it joyful. Going to Church should be a "want to" and not a "have to." As Thomas Aquinas once said, "The celebration of Holy Mass is as valuable as the death of Jesus on the cross."

I will end by saying: Don't just go to Church, be the Church. Live the Church in your heart, mind, and actions.

God bless and love you, Didier Aur

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