Our actions speak to others about our faith

Two hundred and one teenagers received the Sacrament of Confirmation at St Joseph’s Cathedral on May 18. After eight months of intensive preparation — candidates were required to attend a compulsory pre-confirmation course consisting of 34 talks on the Catholic Faith, attend a Life in the Spirit Seminar, serve in the Church’s ministries and undergo a team building activity — it was no surprise that they were filled with great eagerness and excitement as the long awaited day finally arrived.

Jun 13, 2019

By Margaret Cor
Two hundred and one teenagers received the Sacrament of Confirmation at St Joseph’s Cathedral on May 18. After eight months of intensive preparation — candidates were required to attend a compulsory pre-confirmation course consisting of 34 talks on the Catholic Faith, attend a Life in the Spirit Seminar, serve in the Church’s ministries and undergo a team building activity — it was no surprise that they were filled with great eagerness and excitement as the long awaited day finally arrived.

Bishop Richard Ng in his homily reminded the confirmands that through the Sacrament of Confirmation the Holy Spirit will empower them to be mature Christians who are responsible for their own faith. According to him, to be a mature Christian entails:

(1) living the faith and
(2) spreading the faith to those around them and to the ends of the earth.

Bishop Ng further added that we spread faith by words and deeds. “Words” include sharing with others who Jesus is and what Jesus has done for us while “deeds” are demonstrated through our love, care, and concern for others, especially for the downtrodden. According to him, “The Church has always had a special place for the poor and the marginalised.” He urged the confirmands to live a life of kindness, love, mercy, compassion and generosity as “our actions speak to others about our faith.”

Citing the first reading, Ezekiel 36:24-28, the Bishop said that through the power of the Holy Spirit, the Lord will change our hearts of stone into hearts of flesh — hearts that can feel for others, that has compassion. He continued that “with the power of the Holy Spirit, we can be like the seed that fell into good soil and our hearts will be transformed into hearts of love, which will be fruitful and will produce fruits of love, mercy and kindness.” And this, according to Bishop Ng, is how we live a full and meaningful life as Christians.

In this Extraordinary Missionary Year, the Bishop reminded the confirmands that mission is not something far away. Each one of us has to make our lives a mission to share the gospel. He added, “The Holy Spirit will help us. The Holy Spirit will empower us.” Saying that it is fine to follow our dreams or ambitions, nevertheless, “our lives, our hearts must be beating with love, on fire for Jesus. Of course, you can aim to be a doctor, an engineer or a priest, or whatever, but first and foremost, aim for a life of mission... In that way our lives will always be missionary. Every day we will be looking for opportunities to share Jesus, to share the gospel with others.”

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