Without the Spirit we can do nothing

Jun 03, 2016

By Bernard Anthony
“Without the Holy Spirit, we can do nothing. We will not know the fullness of the message of Jesus Christ. It is the Holy Spirit who enlightens us and deepens our faith. Call upon the Spirit to assist  us when we are faced with difficulties, including persecution, and defend our faith as Christians in the world,” said Archbishop Julian Leow to the 22 Confirmands at the Church of the Holy Rosary in Brickfields, May 14, the feast of Pentecost. 

“As the Spirit renews the face of the earth, so must every baptized Catholic go out to share the Good News. Each of us is given the mandate to share the gifts and fruits of the Spirit to others. We need to first empty ourselves of what is not of the Spirit, so that the Spirit can come in and give us the seven gifts to enable us to share our faith.”

Archbishop Julian Leow was speaking at the the Mass he concelebrated with parish priest, Fr Joachim Tan. “

Are you ready to receive the  sacrament of Confirmation? he asked the confirmands who responded “Yes”. The prelate then asked them, “Is it because you have reached the age of 17 that you feel you  need to be confirmed? Or are you convinced that you must take your faith seriously, the same faith that was handed down by the apostles 2,000 years  ago?   As Confirmands, you are considered as adult Catholics ready to defend the faith.

“Will you deepen your understanding in your faith after Confirmation? Will you be more active and spread your faith to those around you?” Archbishop Leow urged the Confirmands.

He then asked the assembly to  pray for the Confirmands, to support them and be good examples to them as they are now fully adult Catholics, having completed their instuction in the faith. After the homily, the Rite of Confirmation began, where after the Baptismal promises and Prayers of Laying of hands, the prelate administered the sac rament as the candidates and godparents came forward and the assembly sang Veni Creator Spiritus.

Two Confirmands represented the group to offer their messages: one in English and the other in Mandarin, after Mass. They said, “As adult members of the Church,  we will  continue to keep strong in faith.”

Fr Tan then congratulated all the Confirmands and invited the assembly to pray for them, as they moved forward in their faith life as adult Catholics.

Archbishop Leow thanked the catechists for imparting the faith to the Confirmands. He asked all the young people to claim their place in the Church today, to reinvigorate  it and, together with the community, to build up the Church. He also called on all present to pray for the spirit of unity, dialogue and integration, and called upon the Holy Spirit to bless our nation.