"You can see how faith accomplishes a revolution in us, one which we can call Copernican; it removes us from the center and puts God at the center; faith immerses us in his love and gives us security, strength, and hope. Seemingly, nothing has changed; yet, in the depths of our being, everything is different. With God, peace, consolation, gentleness, courage, serenity, and joy, which are all fruits of the Holy Spirit (cf. Galatians, 5:22), find a home in our heart; then our very being is transformed; our way of thinking and acting is made new, it becomes Jesus' own, God's own, way of thinking and acting. Dear friends, faith is revolutionary and today I ask you: Are you open to entering into this revolutionary wave of faith? Only by entering into this wave will your young lives make sense and be so fruitful!"
-Pope FrancisBefore Easter Vigil, we Elect and Candidates would talk about what it would be like after we were baptized and confirmed. We were warned to not expect the Heavens to literally open and for actual doves to rest upon us. Let's just say there was a lot of hype and a lot of surprise. It hasn't made everything better, everything enlightened, everything sunnier or easier. Indeed the hardest task of reorienting myself around God, putting God at the center, is really an on-going task. These are ideas others have shared with me. They're starting to sink in a little bit.
What Pope Francis is talking about isn't a one-time decision. Each day, each moment, I chose to be a more peaceful, kind, hardworking person not for me, but for God and my community. Each day, each moment, comes with a choice to enter into the revolution. It is not as simple as the decision I made and the Sacraments I received on one night.
I've been reflecting quite a bit on confirmation, the sacrament that I was the least concerned about at Easter Vigil. With these thoughts of how "seemingly, nothing has changed," this Sacrament feels like the one that has changed me the most. With an symbol like this, it seems quite obvious...
I probably should have been more concerned about the fire than the water, don't you think?
Through confirmation, I feel strength to convert everyday, to reorient everyday. I hope to remember to draw on and pray for this feeling as time goes on.
Each Sunday, until Pentecost, we neophytes wear our white robes at mass. Mine still has the smell of the Sacred Chrism -- a wonderful reminder of Confirmation. I am going to miss my robe. The Water will still be there, the Eucharist will still be there, but Confirmation will be a memory.
