An Explanation of the Ceremonies and
of the Wonderful Effects of the
Sacrament of Confirmation
By
A Sister of Charity of Providence
DEVOTION TO THE HOLY SPIRIT
How much we should love the Holy Ghost for all that He has done and is ever doing for us! Surely, if we could but know Him better, we would be truly devoted and grateful to Him. Let us, therefore, study the meaning of the different names by which He is called.
HOLY GHOST
Why is the Third Person of the Holy Trinity called “Holy Ghost”? The word “ghost” means spirit. He is called “Holy Ghost” because the work of making us holy has been entrusted to Him. To God the Father is attributed our creation, to God the Son, our redemption, and to God the Holy Ghost, our sanctification. To help us to become other Christs, to do as Jesus did during His mortal life, is the special work of the Holy Ghost in our soul; for the more closely we imitate Jesus in all our actions, the more holy we shall be.
SPIRIT OF LOVE
The Holy Spirit is often called the “Spirit of Love/’ for He is the Person of Love in the Blessed Trinity. St. Bernard calls Him the Kiss of God the Father and God the Son. How much, then, He must want our love! He loves us far more than our own mothers and fathers, and He is ever working for our good, strengthening us to do hard things, and making them easy for us. It is a special attribute of the Holy Spirit to make it easy to do hard things. Let us, therefore, often beg Him to fill our heart with love for Himself and for Jesus and our Eternal Father. He will be happy to do this. Let us go to Him in all confidence, knowing that One who really loves us is willing to do everything for us.
PARACLETE
We often hear the Holy Spirit called “Paraclete.” Our Lord Jesus was the first to call Him by this name, when He promised to send Him to the Apostles at the Last Supper.
This name means a comforter, one who brings a fresh supply of courage and strength. Just as He remained in the hearts of the Apostles encouraging them to do the hardest things, so too will He remain with us, helping us in every difficulty. The happiness that He pours into our heart for the least cross we bear gives us added courage to keep up the fight against our passions, to forget self, to work for souls, to do everything through love for God. It is His kiss of love that He imprints upon our heart in the Sacrament of Penance that fills us with such peace and joy when we have made a good confession. O come, dear Comforter, and give us Your strength and courage to do the work that God wants us to do for Him during our life !
The name “Paraclete” also means an advocate, one who prays and intercedes for another. He will not only teach us how to pray by praying in us, but He Himself will also plead for us. He will show us how to prepare for Confession and Holy Communion and how to say all our prayers if we will only ask Him. It is for this reason that we begin most of our prayers with a petition to Him to help us lift up our hearts to God. Let us remember always to ask Him to help us prepare for the reception of the sacraments, and then we shall derive more fruit from them.
GIFT
The name “Gift” is often given to the Holy Spirit because He is God’s highest and best Gift to us, for He not only gives us Himself, but by His grace He gives us God the Father and God the Son; where one Person of the Holy Trinity is, there also are the other Divine Persons.
To our hearts He gives the gift of His love, for we have no love in our heart for God or for our neighbor, unless He puts it there. Love is very important, for it is that which makes us try to be good. We will do anything for one whom we love.
To our body He gives not only Himself by making it His temple, but He also gives us that measure of health and strength that will enable us to do the work that has been planned for us from all eternity, which will enable us to save our souls and give glory to God.
LIVING FIRE
At the first Pentecost He appeared as tongues of fire. Fire, which warms, softens, melts, and consumes everything that it touches, is the symbol of love. The Holy Spirit warms cold hearts, softens hard hearts, and melts with His divine love the most rebellious hearts. As fire lights up all that surrounds it, so does the Holy Spirit shed His all-powerful light into our heart, that we may see the least shadow of sin and repent of it. It is for this reason that we ought to call on Him to prepare our heart for Confession. He will at the same time fill it with such love and sorrow that we will make a more firm purpose never to offend God again. He will help us to see the occasions of our faults, that we may avoid them in the future. Let us have great confidence in His divine light. Before our classes, or when studying our lessons, let us ask Him to help us to see and understand them better. Nothing delights Him more than to have us ask for His help, and trust Him to give it.
LIVING SPIRIT or FOUNTAIN
The Holy Spirit is often called ‘‘The Fountain of Living Water.” Water typifies His action in our heart; for it purifies, refreshes, and makes things grow. Without it, everything withers and dies.
The Holy Ghost purifies our heart from even the greatest sins by washing it in Jesus’ Precious Blood in the Sacrament of Penance, thus restoring to it its lost beauty. If He did not fill our heart with sorrow, and help us to make a firm purpose of amendment, we should not have our souls purified in this sacrament, for we must have worthy dispositions.
He refreshes us when we are tired, by giving us consolation and new courage. We all know how happy we feel when we have tried hard to do the right thing, or to make some sacrifice for God. It is the Holy Spirit who gives us this sweet joy, for He is the Joy of the Father and the Son.
Just as water makes the grass and flowers grow in the soil, so does the Holy Spirit make virtues grow in our heart.
DOVE
At the Baptism of Jesus, the Holy Spirit appeared as a dove. It is the emblem of purity, peacefulness, and gentleness,—all of which are the special attributes of the Holy Ghost. The purer our heart is, the greater delight we give Him. The more gentle we are, the more we shall be like Him. He is the Spirit of Peace,—no matter how sorry He makes us feel for our sins. He always keeps us peaceful; it is the devil who makes us fearful, afraid of God, troubled, and anxious.
