BE PREPARED!

Well, we’ve once again gotten through the season of First Communions and Confirmations. We may not have had the best of weather, but there is something about these occasions that transcends weather. Maybe it’s all the beaming smiles of excited children and proud parents! Maybe it’s the obvious joy in reaching yet another milestone on one’s spiritual journey. Whatever the reasons, there is still a magic about these occasions. And of course, for us senior citizens, there’s the memories! And last Sunday brought a lot of them back.

I remember my preparation for Confirmation seemed to be all about ‘learning my catechism’. There were hundreds of questions about God, the ten Commandments, the six commandments of the church, the sacraments, - a veritable encyclopaedia of the Catholic faith. And these had all to be learnt ‘by heart’, because the initial part of the ceremony would be the bishop going down through the church and questioning people on these subjects. And he wasn’t joking! The answers had to be word perfect. To be honest, it had more the air of an ordeal than a celebration! Even our teachers felt the pressure – and so they made sure that those they considered had the best chance of answering correctly the Bishop’s questions would be placed at the ends of the seats, nearest to the aisles!

What a difference nowadays! First of all in the preparation. Rather than learning lots of abstruse data by rote, emphasis nowadays is on understanding what our faith is about. Part of that understanding is the realisation that confirmation is about making a personal commitment, not just to a belief system, but also to a way of life. And that way of life is about service – service of God in the community and in our homes.

And so our young people had done their service hours. They had also taken some time out for a day’s retreat together – an opportunity to prepare themselves spiritually for the step they were taking. A further part of that spiritual preparation was writing a letter to the Bishop in which they outlined such things as their reasons for seeking Confirmation, why they had chosen their patron saints, and the values that mattered to them.

And the fruit of all that preparation was seen on Confirmation day itself. First of all it was truly a celebration, carried out in a respectful yet joyous atmosphere. And ‘participation’ didn’t mean simply being ready to answer the Bishop’s questions! From doing the readings, to bringing the offertory gifts, to leading the Prayers of the Faithful, to their obvious attentive and interested attitude, the young people truly entered into the occasion.

But it was the actual anointing ceremony itself that particularly impressed. As each confirmand came forward, he/she was greeted by name. Bishop Walsh had a very personal word of encouragement for each and every one of them, and impressed upon them that each of them had their own personal gift to give to the Church. And he, in turn, had a little token gift for each of them. No wonder all who attended were so deeply affected by the occasion – even the priests!

I couldn’t help but be struck by the thought – “If only all our sacramental celebrations could be so personal”. And, at heart, that is what they have to be – a very personal encounter between us and Christ. I wonder could I have been a little better prepared for this morning? Would it have made a difference? Maybe we could learn a thing or two from our young people!