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May 19, 2024As we celebrate the Feast of Pentecost this weekend, there are two things that can’t help but come to the forefront of my mind. First, at the conclusion of this busy sacramental season for the parish, I am immediately struck with this day’s connection to Confirmation. The Catholic Church recognizes Pentecost as the institutional date for this sacrament thousands of years ago, as the Holy Spirit descended to the apostles in the upper room. I was relating with Fr. Alex recently about the difficulty of cohesively articulating the true impact of Confirmation. Yes, we are anointed with the chrism and called the name of a special saint as the bishop commands us to “be sealed with the gifts of the Holy Spirit”; but what are the very real effects and what is the purpose? This brings me to the second thing on my mind as I reflect on the story of Pentecost this weekend. There’s perhaps no greater answer to this question of how the sacrament of Confirmation transforms us than by looking at the figure of Peter and his story both before and after Pentecost. As Dr. Tim Gray details in his book, Peter: Keys to Following Jesus, Peter is the primary example of God’s desire to not always “call the equipped, but equip the called,” for it is often through this approach of partnering with the seemingly ordinary man or woman that God’s power and glory may be even more greatly revealed. Peter is not the most learned man, but a humble fisherman. Yet, we see that through following Jesus as one of his closest apostles and receiving the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, Peter is able to approach the ministry of the early church with a new level of wisdom, understanding, and discernment which would have been crucial. Perhaps the most profound change we see in Peter is his reaction to those looking to stamp out Jesus’ mission. Peter evolves from fearfully denying Christ three times to boldly proclaiming salvation through Christ throughout the lands, rebuking the chief priests for their role in having him crucified, and, eventually, courageously embracing martyrdom. Through this book, Dr. Gray sets the stage for us to discover a whole new level of relatability in Peter and understand our own potential as His disciples when we remain open to the Holy Spirit activating these gifts within us. Like Peter, each of us is being called on a unique mission in this life that contributes to God’s greater plan of Providence, and Confirmation (by way of the original event of Pentecost) is such a key component in being equipped for this mission. As you are reminded of this through the story of Peter and the readings surrounding Pentecost, please also reach out to our office if you have not yet received Confirmation. We’ll be excited to help you learn more about taking this important next step in your Catholic life!
