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June 9, 2024It is a great joy for the Bishop to celebrate the sacrament of confirmation for the children of the parish of Saint Antony in Ras al Khaima, during the pastoral visit. In fact, the meaning of the pastoral visit consists precisely in confirming the faithful in faith. With the gift of the Holy Spirit through the sacrament of confirmation these children complete Christian initiation, that is, the path of introduction to the mysteries of faith. Today, therefore, what began on the day of your baptism is completed.
From today the parish expects from you a greater commitment in the community and greater availability in the various ministries. Together with you I greet your parents, family, and friends. I greet the sponsors who introduce you to the Bishop and a big thanks to the catechists who prepared you for this sacrament.
Dear young people, with baptism we have become children of God and we truly are. We have been made participants in divine life. Saint Paul tells us in the letter to the Romans that the Holy Spirit makes us certain of God's love for us, as true children of him. We can thus address God by calling him our father.
But what does it mean to have God as Father? Of course, we have a father (dad) and a mother (mom) who welcomed us at the beginning of life and who takes care of us. Dear parents, don't worry, the fatherhood of God does not compete with you. He does not replace the parenthood of yours. Rather, he establishes and strengthens it. But recognizing God as our father pushes us to delve deeper into the mystery of our existence. It means that our life is precious in the eyes of God, it has infinite value. We are not in the world by chance, we were not born as numbers in a series. We are on this earth because we are wanted by God and loved by God. It is God who chose us and called us by name, one by one. And If you are not in this world by chance, that means God has a plan for you. There is a mission prepared for you. Therefore, the Holy Spirit is given to you first and foremost to live the joy of being children of God, being friends of Jesus and collaborating with him to build the kingdom of God.
Moreover, as we heard from prophet Ezekiel, the Spirit is capable of always renewing our hearts, freeing us from the slavery of sin and idols. You can't live only to make a lot of money, or to have the best career and have strong power over others, controlling and misusing people. These are idols that ultimately enslave us. But we are called to no longer be slaves to idols but children of God, free to love and be loved.
In the Gospel, Jesus first assures us the gift of the Holy Spirit and wants us to know him. Jesus calls the Holy Spirit the paraclete, the advocate, our defender. Therefore, the Holy Spirit is the strength of God who guards us and protects us from evil and makes us grow in love. God is for us and never against us because he is our heavenly father.
Furthermore, Jesus in the Gospel speaks of the Spirit of Truth. This reminds us that we are made to know the truth. Nobody is happy when they are deceived. Today there is a lot of fake news, and we must be able to understand and discern what is true and what is false. Life cannot be built on lies. Life needs a solid foundation. This is why when we find the word ‘truth’ in the Bible, we must not understand it as an abstract concept that concerns only philosophers. The truth in the Bible is a concrete thing, it is the rock on which to build your future. Jesus is the rock on which to build your life. The Holy Spirit unites us profoundly with the risen Christ and enables us to have great ideals.
The Holy Spirit is very creative, He distributes spiritual gifts, charisms, and talents to all the faithful so that each of you can carry out his mission. Each of you is unique and unrepeatable. The gifts are given that each of you can give the Church and the world a unique contribution for the good of all. With the help of the Holy Spirit, you will have to concretely discover your vocation and your mission. I do not know your vocation and mission. Only God knows it. But now, with the help of the Holy Spirit, you will be able to find out what your vocation is, what is your mission in life.
I am sure that some of you will be called by Jesus to become a priest and help the people of God. Others among you will be called to become consecrated persons, friars, or nuns, and will do great things, like Saint Francis of Assisi and Mother Teresa of Calcutta. Others among you will become great missionaries and will bring the joy of the gospel where Jesus is not yet known or where he has been forgotten, as saint Francis Xavier or Saint Pedro Calungsod did. Most of you, when you become adults, will receive the vocation to marriage and form a Christian family. The Holy Spirit will be the great director of your life and will guide you to discover your mission.
Finally, today you receive the tau, the crucifix of Saint Francis of Assisi. It was given to you by the Poor Clare Sisters from a monastery in Italy. They pray for you. Never forget it. You will never be alone. There is always someone praying for you.
Now I invoke the Holy Spirit upon you and mark you with the sacred chrism. Open your hearts to this great gift. May Our Lady of Arabia and Saint Joseph always keep you close to Jesus and help you to be docile to the Holy Spirit. May Saint Arethas and fellow martyrs support you in your evangelical testimony. Be happy because the Lord has risen and has given us his holy spirit.
