They'll Know We Are Christians
When to Confirm?
The age of Confirmation is somewhere between post First Communion and into adulthood. Good Shepherd’s doesn’t have a specific age however we believe that older teenagers and young adults (even older) are most suitable. It is enough for them to want the sacrament but I often wonder if they fully understand what it means.
Are You Ready?
The main requirement for receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation is an outward sign of readiness, but how can program leaders know for sure if a candidate is truly ready? I have studied handbooks and other programs for instructing confirmation candidates. Much of it is textbook material which teaches church beliefs and the lives of the saints. These are important but I believe that the emphasis should be placed on our personal relationship with Jesus. Without it, the Holy Spirit doesn’t have much to work with. Having Jesus in our life is what it means to be a Christian.
By Our Love
There is a wonderful song that we often sing and I encourage my confirmation candidates to learn it. The refrain is “they’ll know we are Christians by our love.” This is the most important outward sign of our faith. How we love. Having a close relationship with Jesus is about how we love others. Jesus went beyond the boundaries of convention and loved the unloved for which he was criticized. In the Gospel for Sunday, June 10th, (Mark 3:20-35) Jesus’ behavior is criticized. It seems he was embarrassing his family. Jesus responded by redefining his family as a relationship based not on blood but in doing the will of God. In doing the will of God, they’ll know we are Christians.