June 17
Today you have obtained the Lord’s agreement; to be your God; and for you to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, his commandments, and his ordinances, and to obey him. Deuteronomy 26:17
Making our Confirmation when we were growing up was a time most of us look back on with mixed feelings of apprehension and excitement. As we looked forward to a gathering at Mass, that included our sponsors, and family members, and the mystery of receiving an anointing with Holy Oil from our Bishops, we Catholics anxiously studied hard to answer the many questions from our Baltimore Catechisms that we were expected to know fully, before going forward. We stood a little taller as we embarked on this journey of becoming adults in our faith; for we were considered mature enough now to be responsible with it. But, it also meant we were more accountable for our actions; we were learning through the knowledge we were obtaining through study and action that with greater understanding comes greater responsibility. It was a huge step in our faith. Although we were part of a large peer group participating in this Sacrament, we were required to profess our faith individually. We each promised our Lord to be His, to follow His commandments and to listen to His voice as we welcomed the Holy Spirit into our hearts.
Then time passes, life evolves. Somehow those promises like many others we make get lost in the busyness of our days. They are kept within though. Sometimes we are not even aware of the reminders of their presence that nudge at us, or perhaps we try to ignore them. Like a blanket keeping us warm on a bitter, cold, winter night, the Holy Spirit constantly covers us, even when we twist and turn this way and that; we are warmed with His love. We promised to listen. We promised to follow his commands and when we forget, the warmth of the Holy Spirit is there to remind us. Just listen, trust and feel. Listen with your ears. Listen with your heart. Listen with your soul. That day you declared that the Lord was your God, He listened to you.
Come Holy Spirit, creator blessed, and fill to overflowing these hearts which you have made.
Copyright© 2014 Kathleen A. Matson
Today you have obtained the Lord’s agreement; to be your God; and for you to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, his commandments, and his ordinances, and to obey him. Deuteronomy 26:17
Making our Confirmation when we were growing up was a time most of us look back on with mixed feelings of apprehension and excitement. As we looked forward to a gathering at Mass, that included our sponsors, and family members, and the mystery of receiving an anointing with Holy Oil from our Bishops, we Catholics anxiously studied hard to answer the many questions from our Baltimore Catechisms that we were expected to know fully, before going forward. We stood a little taller as we embarked on this journey of becoming adults in our faith; for we were considered mature enough now to be responsible with it. But, it also meant we were more accountable for our actions; we were learning through the knowledge we were obtaining through study and action that with greater understanding comes greater responsibility. It was a huge step in our faith. Although we were part of a large peer group participating in this Sacrament, we were required to profess our faith individually. We each promised our Lord to be His, to follow His commandments and to listen to His voice as we welcomed the Holy Spirit into our hearts.
Then time passes, life evolves. Somehow those promises like many others we make get lost in the busyness of our days. They are kept within though. Sometimes we are not even aware of the reminders of their presence that nudge at us, or perhaps we try to ignore them. Like a blanket keeping us warm on a bitter, cold, winter night, the Holy Spirit constantly covers us, even when we twist and turn this way and that; we are warmed with His love. We promised to listen. We promised to follow his commands and when we forget, the warmth of the Holy Spirit is there to remind us. Just listen, trust and feel. Listen with your ears. Listen with your heart. Listen with your soul. That day you declared that the Lord was your God, He listened to you.
Come Holy Spirit, creator blessed, and fill to overflowing these hearts which you have made.
Copyright© 2014 Kathleen A. Matson