EDITORIAL

Stir Into Flame the Gift of God

Posted

Four years ago, Bishop Tobin wrote the following: “There’s a cloud that hangs over Confirmation these days —an elephant in the room if you will, and that’s the reality that a majority of young people being confirmed will, sooner or later, stop practicing their faith — and these days it’s often sooner rather than later.”

Unfortunately, not much has changed in four years.

There are, of course, many possible reasons for this disturbing phenomenon: a bad example from their parents; poor religious instruction at their parish; a sin (or a number of sins) that they’re not willing to repent of in their lives; the lack of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ; lies that they’ve been told in school about Christianity and the Church.

There are lots of possibilities.

Perhaps some of these young people have a magical understanding of the sacrament, and think that their “yes” to God on the day they’re confirmed will somehow sustain them spiritually for the rest of their lives.

St. Paul knew better — which is why he told Timothy to “stir into flame the gift of God bestowed when my hands were laid on you.” 

St. Paul understood that by prayer, and the sacraments — and by taking advantage of the opportunities God would give him to grow in his relationship with Jesus — Timothy would feed the fire of his faith and remain strong in it.

Our young people in the Diocese of Providence have many opportunities to “stir into flame” the gift of the Spirit they receive in Confirmation (Search retreats, Steubenville East conferences and the like). If you are a parent of teenagers and want them to remain committed to Christ after they’re confirmed, you would do well to encourage them to take advantage of these opportunities, as well as those offered at their local parishes.

Because a fire not fed is very soon dead.