What Spirit guides you?

What Spirit guides you? Discernment is the process of evaluating the direction of our life journey. It is a process of discovery. Discernment includes trying to understand the promptings of the Holy Spirit and deciding to act in cooperation with the grace of the Holy Spirit. Discernment involves evaluating how we are living up to our baptismal commitments in order to follow Jesus, who is ‘the way, and the truth, and the life’. In the discernment process, the Holy Spirit is our Advocate and Teacher and Guide.

COUNSEL (RIGHT JUDGMENT) FEAR OF THE LORD (WONDER AND AWE) What Spirit guides you? The seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit are permanent dispositions that move us to respond to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. WISDOM UNDERSTANDING COUNSEL (RIGHT JUDGMENT) FORTITUDE (COURAGE) KNOWLEDGE PIETY (REVERENCE) FEAR OF THE LORD (WONDER AND AWE) In Confirmation the Gifts of the Holy Spirit are strengthened and perfected for our living of our Baptism.

What Spirit guides you? The Holy Spirit speaks to us: through Sacred Scripture and the teachings of the Church; through our participation in the Sacraments and in the life of the Church; through the inner voice of our conscience and the wisdom of the faithful members of the Church, both living and dead; through the words and good example of our friends and family; through the ordinary events and experiences of our daily lives.

A candidate for Confirmation who has reached the age of reason must: What Spirit guides you? A candidate for Confirmation who has reached the age of reason must: Profess the faith Be in the state of grace Have the intention of receiving the Sacrament Be prepared to assume the role of disciple and witness to Christ Preparation for the Sacrament should include: Studying the Catholic faith Participating in the Church’s life of prayer and worship Participating in works of justice and mercy

The Spirit of the Lord in Scripture The Spirit of the Lord in the Old Testament God called Isaiah the Prophet to bring hope to the people of ancient Israel during the period of Exile. Through Isaiah God assured the people that he would send a messiah, an anointed one, who would come to save them and, through them, all people. We often read about the Messiah’s special relationship with the Spirit of God in the writings of the prophet Isaiah: The spirit of the LORD shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. —Isaiah 11:2

The Spirit of the Lord in Scripture The Holy Spirit in the Life of Jesus ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives Isaiah’s words to the Israelites were fulfilled in Jesus the Christ. and recovery of sight to the blind, After his temptation in the desert, to let the oppressed go free, Jesus, ‘filled with the power of the Spirit, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.’ returned to Galilee’ where he entered —Luke 4:18–19 the synagogue in Nazareth for a Sabbath Day service. The attendant handed him the scroll of the prophet Isaiah. Jesus ‘unrolled the scroll’ and proclaimed:

The Spirit of the Lord in Scripture After the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples at Pentecost, they were set on fire with zeal to fulfill what Jesus had commissioned them to do. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, the Apostles and other disciples would leave Jerusalem and set out by land and by sea to spread the Good News to all… The Church’s work of evangelization, of announcing the Gospel, spreading the teachings of Jesus and making disciples of all nations, had begun.

The Holy Spirit, the giver of life In Baptism we first receive the same Holy Spirit who filled Jesus and whom he promised he would send to those who believe in him. The same Holy Spirit strengthens the baptized in Confirmation. The Holy Spirit strengthens and gives clarity and purpose to our faith in the Lord Jesus. The Holy Spirit gives us the grace to live out our faith and share it with others.

The Holy Spirit, the giver of life The Rite of Confirmation within Mass is celebrated after the Liturgy of the Word. The essential rite of Confirmation is the laying on of hands together with anointing with sacred Chrism. Laying on of hands: This ritual signifies the bestowing of the Gift of the Holy Spirit. Anointing with sacred Chrism: This highlights clearly that the new Christian who is being confirmed bears the name ‘Christ’, who himself declared that he was anointed by the Spirit. The seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit and the other graces offered in Confirmation enable us to work at developing our Christian ‘character’.

Discerning ‘good’ spirits from ‘bad’ spirits The closer we are to God, the greater our ability to discern the call of the Spirit of God from other, often contrary, voices in the world. What are some of the voices in our culture that seek the attention and allegiance of teenagers and young adults? What path are they calling young people to walk? Cooperating with the graces of Confirmation enables us to discern between the ‘good spirits’ and ‘bad spirits’—between spirits leading us to walk the way of Christ or walk a different path.

Discerning ‘good’ spirits from ‘bad’ spirits When our decisions are bearing good results, good ‘fruits’, it is a sign that we are on the right path. Good results are those that bring forth the Fruits of the Holy Spirit and draw us closer to the love of God, neighbor and ourselves. Bad results are those whose outcome is the opposite. Bad ‘fruits’ are signs that we are turning our back on God’s love. Bad ‘fruits’ serve to separate us from the love of God, love of others and true love of self.

Discerning ‘good’ spirits from ‘bad’ spirits ‘Discernment of spirits’ is the practice of discriminating between the spirit of good and the spirit of evil. During the discernment process we evaluate whether we are filled with the spirit of peace or with the spirit of strife. We ask: ‘Will this decision and choice fill me and others with the spirit of love or with the spirit of strife?’ ‘Am I being led by the spirit of selfishness or the spirit of generosity?’ Or, using Jesus’ own metaphor, ‘Will this decision and choice produce good fruit or bad fruit?’

Discerning ‘good’ spirits from ‘bad’ spirits Some elements of the process of Discernment of Spirits Read and reflect on the Word of God: Listening and responding to the Word of God on a regular basis are vital to the life of a believer. Receive the Sacraments frequently and regularly: Frequent reception of the Sacraments of the Eucharist and of Penance and Reconciliation serve to help us grow in our love for God and the Church. Pray regularly and often: Develop the habit of praying daily and regularly. Prayer is the loving conversation between God and his children.

St. Kateri Tekakwitha (1656-80), Lily of the Mohawks Kateri Tekakwitha was Algonquin Native American and the daughter of a Mohawk warrior. She was orphaned at four years old and adopted by an uncle, who succeeded her father as chief. At nineteen Kateri converted to the Catholic faith. Her Native American family reacted violently and persecuted Kateri with threats to kill her. Kateri moved to a community of Native American Christians and dedicated the five remaining years of her life to prayer, penance and care for the sick and aged. She died at just twenty-four years. Kateri was declared Blessed of the Church by Pope John Paul II in 1980 and named the patron of Native American peoples. In 2012 Pope Benedict declared Kateri a saint of the Church.