The real good news is that what happened to the first group of Christians is for us too. The Catechism of the Catholic Church says that when we received the Sacrament of Confirmation we are receiving the same Holy Spirit which made such an incredible difference and gave so much power to the disciples on the day of Pentecost. (No 1288) The Holy Spirit enabled empowered and gave the necessary encouragement and purpose to those gathered in the Upper Room, to continue the work of Jesus. They preached, they taught, they encouraged, they helped and they also healed people through their prayers and performed miracles exactly as Jesus did during his lifetime. We are given the same power and grace. We are called to do the same things that Jesus did. In reality we are called to do even greater things than Jesus did. (Jn 14:12)

This is too good to be true you might say. Well let us let St Paul talk to us. “The particular manifestation of the Spirit gravitated to each one is to be used for the general good. To one is given from the Spirit the gifts of utterance expressing wisdom; to another the gift of utterance expressing knowledge in accordance with the same Spirit; to another faith from the Spirit and to another gifts of healing, through this one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy; to another, the power of distinguishing spirits…. But at work in all these is one and the same Spirit, distributing them at will to each individual.” 1 Cor 12:7-11  God has not only made clear to us that our call in life is to continue the work of Jesus, but He also gives us the necessary tools in order to fulfill this call. The Holy Spirit gives to you and to me amazing and wonderful gifts so that we can be effective witnesses that our God is alive and doing well today.

I would like to briefly reflect on two of the gifts that I have just mentioned. The gift of faith. What does this mean? It does not mean that I know what the Catechism says about our faith although this is of great help. This gift of faith does not simply refer to the amount of knowledge that I have about God and the teachings of the church, although this is of great benefit too. Jesus has made so many promises to us. I will not leave you orphans; Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God and trust in me; I am the Way the Truth and the Life; I am the Resurrection and the Life; So many promises.  The gift of faith means that I stand on these promises during those times of uncertainty, doubt and difficulty. During those moments when I feel the world crumbling around me, when I feel so burdened and so alone, I will turn to my God knowing that He is at that very moment sustaining, loving and empowering me. I do this because I firmly belief that if Jesus has promised these things, He will be faithful to what he promises. What a wonderful gift. No wonder that in his letter to the Christian people at Philippi, a city in Greece, Paul could boldly say, “I can do everything in Jesus who gives me strength.” (Phil 4:13) St Paul had no identity crisis. He knew who he was and what he was capable of doing because Jesus was alive in Him. We have the same presence of Jesus alive in our hearts right at this very moment and therefore we are able to face and overcome any difficulty or problem with our God.

One other gift that we are given by the Holy Spirit at Confirmation and nourished by our personal relationship with Jesus Christ, is the gift of healing. This is the healing of the whole person, the healing of the body, the mind, the heart and the spirit of a person. Someone might say to me, “Are you telling me that because I believe in Jesus Christ, I am able to pray for others for their healing with amazing results?” The answer is “Yes”. I have seen so many people becoming better because somebody prayed with them. We normally think that healing refers only to those people who are physically sick and they become better after they were prayed for by somebody. This happens too.

However, I would like to share with you a story about another kind of healing; the healing of the heart. I met this person many years ago during a trip overseas. We were part of a group. After the trip I did not see this person for about twenty five years. Some three years ago, I got a phone call from this person. She told me that she had been diagnosed with cancer of the bowel some months previously and she asked me to do the funeral when she dies. She lived in Sydney and I was very surprised that she did not ask someone from that State to do the funeral. She realized that I was not only surprised by her call but also perplexed and she said to me. “I have never forgotten what you told me so many years ago.” Honestly speaking, I still have no idea what I said to this person, but it meant something so much to her that influenced her throughout her life. This is healing.

Let us take every opportunity that presents itself to us to sow the good seed, to offer a word of encouragement, to support one another and to say a little prayer when someone shares something with us that is worrying or troubling them. Remember that when we pray with another person, it is not only ourselves who is praying but it is also Jesus Christ who is present and alive in us through the Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation. Pentecost is our feast day reminding us that our God’s constantly present within us and with us.

God Bless