Sunday is Confirmation. Some 70 young people, on the verge of adulthood, will process down the aisle of St Joseph Church and be sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit. This past Thursday night we had practice. It went well; a little longer than I’d like, but it went well.
During the practice I got to play bishop, closest I’ve ever come to that role. While stepping in for the Most Reverend, I had a very moving experience. As the candidates came forward, their sponsor spoke their chosen name for the sacrament. As Emily came forward, her grandfather spoke the name she had chosen: Louise. As I pretended to confer the sacrament and spoke that name while tracing the sign of the cross on her forehead, my voice cracked.
Why? I knew Louise. The Louise Emily honors is her late grandmother. Louise was a great woman of faith family and love. I’m sure the Daughter of Charity, St. Louise de Marillac, wouldn’t mind talking a back seat to the St. Louise that Emily chose.
As the practice came to an end, I couldn’t help but think of all the saints’ names chosen by the candidates. Albert, Pio, Margaret, Thomas, Mary, Philip,Luigi, Christian…and the litany goes on. Most of these names are attached to relatives…like Louise…moms, dads, grandparents, brothers and sisters, aunts, uncles and cousins…all chosen as names to be joined and marked to each of these young people as their faith journey takes a new turn. They, like us, are surrounded by earthly and heavenly witnesses…Saints. Some canonized…others familiar, recognized and remembered.
St. Paul wrote to the Church at Corinth as clearly as I saw it at this past Thursday’s practice. We are called to be saints. “Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sos’thenes, To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” -1 Cor 1: 1 -3
As this Second Sunday of Easter dawns upon us, and as these young people are marked with the seal of the Holy Spirit and His gifts, may we embrace this call. We are called to be saints. No higher calling here…to reflect the crucified and risen Christ. Veni Sante Spiritus!
