The Holy Spirit and Confirmation

Holy Spirit in Our Lives Holy Spirit makes us receptive to God; he teaches us to pray and to love God & our neighbor. St. Augustine calls the Holy Spirit, “The quiet guest of our soul.” Often, those who desire His presence must seek times of quietness, for it is in silence that we can hear “the soft, still voice” of God. The more receptive we are to the Holy Spirit in us, the sooner he will bestow the “fruits” of the Holy Spirit in our lives. CCC 290-310

Strengthens our Baptism The Gift of the Holy Spirit is the strength from above in which we are called to put the grace of our Baptism into practice through the example of both words and deeds; acting as “witnesses” for Christ. CCC 1302-1305 “I am created to do or be something for which no one else is created; I have a place in God’s counsels, in God’s world, which no one else has… God knows me and has called me by name.” Bl. John Henry Newman

Effects of Confirmation Gives us a special strength to spread and defend the faith by word and action as true witnesses of Christ, and never to be ashamed of the Cross“ – Truly making the confirmed person "a soldier of Christ“ Increases the 7 Gifts of Holy Spirit within us. The more we cooperate with Holy Spirit in our lives-instead of “works of the flesh” we will produce more “Fruits of the Spirit”. CCC 290-310

Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit Fear of the Lord Wisdom Piety Understanding Knowledge Counsel Fortitude

Gifts of the Holy Spirit Knowing   1.    Knowledge: knowing the facts (academic or life skills) 2.    Wisdom: apply your knowledge to make good decisions 3.    Understanding: seeing the true meaning behind a situation 4.    Counsel: providing advice on what needs to be said/done  Being   5.    Piety (reverence): having a deep love for God and His creation 6.    Fear of the Lord: showing respect for God and fear of hurting the ones we love  Doing   7.    Fortitude (courage): enduring difficult times and standing up for what is right

Fruits of the Holy Spirit 1 Love 2 Joy 3 Peace 4 Patience 5 Kindness 6 Generosity 7 Faithfulness 8 Gentleness 9 Self Control All Baptized are equipped with the Gifts of the Holy Spirit to live a virtuous life, and sent forth to bear much fruit. This is only possible when we remain close to Jesus who sustains us.

Divide into 6-8 person candidate/parent groupings Review the Fruits of the Holy Spirit. Within your group, choose 3 fruits that most inspire you and answer the questions listed, writing down your answers. Be ready choose a person to present your observations to the group.