A Confirmation Reflection

Come Holy Spirit

This past Sunday was special for many reasons. It was the Third Sunday of Easter, and our parish had the unique joy of welcoming our archbishop, in one of his final appearances before his successor is installed. He came to celebrate a Confirmation Mass for our eighth-grade students. You could feel something powerful in the church that day. Something beyond the beauty of the music or the presence of the archbishop. It was the Spirit. And maybe, for the first time in a long time, people were invited to notice Him.

During his homily, the archbishop spoke with warmth and conviction. One line especially hit me hard. He said, “We pray to God. We pray to Jesus. We pray to Mary and the saints. But most people forget to pray to the Holy Spirit.” It was simple, but it landed like a lightning bolt in my heart. He was right. For a long time in my own life, I didn’t really pray to the Holy Spirit either. But that has changed.

The Holy Spirit has become the one I turn to most in prayer. Just three simple words:  I say it before I lector, before I pray over someone, before I speak in front of a crowd — any time I need His guidance in coming up with the right words or speaking His word. It’s not complicated, but it’s powerful. That prayer has become a steady rhythm in my life, a breath before action, a whisper before words. It’s how I begin everything now.

Part of the reason I’ve come to rely so much on the Spirit is how I’ve come to understand the roles of the Trinity. I see God the Father Almighty as the Mastermind, the Architect, the one who created the heavens and the earth. Jesus, the Only Begotten Son, is the Body — God in human form, especially in the Eucharist. And the Holy Spirit, the Giver of Life, He’s the one who brings things to life. He makes things happen. When I need direction or strength or clarity, I go to the part of the Trinity that moves. The part that stirs. The part that acts.

As I watched the eighth graders being confirmed this weekend, I couldn’t help but think back to my own Confirmation. Mine came much later in life. At the time, it was simply a requirement so that my wife and I could have our marriage blessed in the Church and receive the Sacrament of Marriage. I didn’t attend any formal classes or retreats. I didn’t have a sponsor or a deeper understanding. I didn’t even think too hard about my Confirmation name. I just picked a saint who shared my middle name — not even a specific one — even though there are several saints with that name. I went through it quietly, out of love and obedience, not realizing the grace that was being poured out on me. But sitting in that church on Sunday, watching these young people step into that same sacrament, I found myself praying they would understand what I hadn’t when I was confirmed. That they would come to know the power and presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives from the very start.

Even though I didn’t grasp it back then, I know now that the Holy Spirit has always been with me. Through every twist and turn of my life, He’s been there. In moments when I didn’t recognize His voice, or even when I stubbornly ignored it, He was still guiding me. Still nudging me. Still patiently waiting for me to respond.

Looking back, I can see His fingerprints on my story. From my great-grandmother’s insistence that I be raised Catholic, to my grandparents embracing me like their own, to an adoptive grandmother who gently drew me deeper into the heart of the Church. Even meeting a kindred spirit from halfway across the world wasn’t a coincidence. It was providence. The Spirit was there when I survived a near-death experience. He was there protecting me from a life-altering mistake. He was there when I received God’s mercy through a wise priest at just the right moment. It was all Him. The Holy Spirit was forming me, shaping me, walking with me. Preparing me to be the man I was always meant to become.

In my life, I’ve watched the fruits of the Spirit slowly take root and grow with love, joy, peace, patience, and kindness. They didn’t all show up at once. For a long time, I resisted. I tried to control everything. But now, I can look back and see how the Holy Spirit was working the whole time, even when I wasn’t listening. I honestly don’t think I’d be doing the Lord’s work today if it weren’t for the Holy Spirit. He’s the one who brings me back when I stray. He gives me words when I don’t know what to say. He reminds me that God forgives, that Jesus loves me, and that He, the Spirit, has a plan for me.

To those preparing for Confirmation, whether you’re in eighth grade or in your fifties, I would say this. Get to know the Holy Spirit. Invite Him in. When life feels uncertain, when you’re overwhelmed or unsure, ask for His help. He is the one who gives wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. He is your strength. He is your friend.

So yes, the archbishop was right. Too many of us forget to pray to the Holy Spirit. But I won’t forget anymore. He’s not just a presence in my life. He’s the main one I turn to. Every day. With every breath. And for anyone reading this who feels like you’ve been trying to walk your faith alone or feel like you’re missing something, maybe it’s time to whisper a simple prayer.

Come Holy Spirit.
He’ll show up. He always does.