On Baptism and Confirmation

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Monsignor van Burgsteden paid our catechism group a visit. As he will be baptising and confirming, he wanted to meet us. He based his talk on 'the shortest Catholic prayer', as he calls it.

First off, what is prayer. A prayer has 3 natures. The first is a fundamental attitude of giving thanks. The second is trust, trust with conviction that there always will be an answer. The third is with perseverance. He said that this commitment to prayer can be likened to peskiness, a nuisance to God, thus, pray as often and sincerely as you want!

Glory be to the Father and to the Son. God and the Christ, to whom we pray. The Holy Ghost is, however, what is awakened by the baptism and fills us at confirmation. All that God has created is related to Him:

Now the earth was a formless void, there was darkness over the deep, with a divine wind sweeping over the waters.

God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light. (Genesis 1:2-3) This 'divine wind' is the Holy Spirit, says the gentle old priest with a powerful confidence and warmth that betrays no doubt, no fear. Baptism awakens this Spirit in us. The baptism is received, not given. It is a movement from Heaven down to us on Earth and not the other way round. He reminds us that there is no separation of God, Christ and the Holy Spirit, that they are One. What do we receive then? Union. A Catholic is not busy with outer worldly things, but of inner things spiritual and divine. He reminds us that 'church' is not a building, altars, candles, etc. but all those men and women gathered together with Christ to be in the presence of God's grace and love. He tells us that Jesus was a leader and teacher who stood perhaps above his disciples, but after his death and resurrection he became equals to us, for only then in the Bible does he use the words 'brothers and sisters'. Immortal, he shows us our true nature in God's love. Love of Self or family or friends is limited, however, love of Jesus is enduring and imperishable, it is the basis of happiness. Invest then in this relationship, the father suggests. It can start with prayer. Confirmation is a rational decision of an adult to take our relationship with God a step further. Again, we allow the Holy Spirit to fill us from above, received and not given. It is personal. We accept the full measure of unconditional love that is the Holy Spirit. The monsignor then answers questions from the group gathered round. What remains in my thoughts is his explanation of faith being like a car engine. All cars have one. First one must turn it on. It needs to get warm before the car moves. It can go faster and faster as the gears are changed, but it can also go slower and even be shut off. But it is still there. We choose to leave it in the garage or drive it. The more we trust in it and use it, the faster we can get into higher gears, he laughs. He tells us too, that each good thought comes from God, that we share it, that we can note the work of the Holy Spirit in us, because all good comes from God. We have free will, however. God knows each one of us, our strengths and our weaknesses and thus the Holy Spirit is at work in each one of us differently. A collaboration with the Holy Spirit requires listening to it's suggestions, its inclinations, its warnings in conscience. Listen in silence. Listen in prayer. Read the Bible and notice what readings awaken something (especially the gospel of John, says the priest, then the letters of Paul, followed by the synoptic gospels, then Acts, he laughs, suggesting his own organisation of the New Testament). He leaves us with warm handshakes and again a brief but intense, real interest in each one of us. He is present for each one of us, truly present. I have rarely experienced this quality in people. God has chosen His bishop well. Oremus: I pray that all servants of God might be inspired by love and grace and grow as humble giants among men, so that we too may be inspired to do likewise. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Deo gratias.