22nd May, 2011 5th Sunday of Easter, Year A
P Save a tree. Don't print this e-mail unless it's really necessary
The preparation for Confirmation and First communion of our young candidates is coming along very nicely. Once more in the preparation session, the good questions and answers are flowing…
The readings this weekend are rather handy… we have been speaking to the children about how the church can do nothing without the power of the Holy Spirit activating and giving effect to everything we do. We cannot live as disciples of Jesus without the Holy Spirit living in us…. We received the Holy Spirit in Baptism… and we get special gifts of the Holy Spirit in Confirmation…..
The students have been watching for the special sign that the church uses to show that we are praying for the Holy Spirit to come down and give effect to what we are doing… It’s called the “laying of hands” and its seen in each sacrament. In this case the priest lays his hands over the gifts of bread and wine and says word such as “Therefore, O Lord, we pray: may this same Holy Spirit graciously sanctify these offerings,
the Body and + Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ,” (as it says in the new translation of Eucharistic prayer iv which I will be using for the first time this weekend).
Notice in the first reading we heard today, it was about the Apostles, realising there was a need for special people to help the widows and the poor, and so they prayed to the Holy Spirit and called Stephen and other disciples to the special task of serving; in the role we now call the Holy Order of Deacons, and the reading says…….the apostles prayed and then “laid their hands on them”, which shows the giving of the Holy Spirit for them in their special job. See how this important sign was in the church right from the beginning two thousand years ago.
And in the second reading we see how God has set all of us apart to do his work in the world… to be a royal people blessed and called to praise God and do his will. And that, we are like living building blocks; and God is building us up to be a “spiritual house of God”… a church, made (not of stones), but of living people… you and me….. in the world and filled with God’s Spirit, doing good work for God.
The second reading says… you are called out of darkness into God’s wonderful light… In baptism we received the light of Christ…. And we became sons and daughters of the light… with God’s Spirit living in us… in confirmation we remember our baptism.. so that is why we feature the baptismal candle… which our candidates have brought with them today.. for a blessing…. Which we will now do.
(bless candles)
Blessing of candles:
I call forward the young people who are preparing to receive their confirmation and First Holy communion…
Please come forward to HAVE YOUR BAPTISMAL candle BLESSED….
Let us pray….
My friends… this candle was given to you as a reminder of your Baptism….. when you were Baptised, your parents were handed a special candle.. your baptismal candle, and the priest said as he gave them the candle to hold…
“Receive the light of Christ…
Parents and godparents.. this light is entrusted to you to be kept burning brightly.. it is the light of faith that your child has received.. keep that flame alive in their hearts… always growing stronger..
This candle reminds us that in your Baptism, you became a child of God… and a light of Christ in the world….. you are now preparing for confirmation.. where we seal and affirm that light you received in Baptism… and also first communion, where the light of Christ in you will be strengthened… by Jesus who comes to us in the bread broken and the cup poured out for us…
Lord… bless these young people and help them be a light of Jesus' love to all they meet….
We ask this in the name of the + Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit amen.
My friends… let's congratulate these lights of Christ amongst us….
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
REFERENCES:
FR. PAUL W. KELLY
No comments:
Post a Comment