Happy Third Week of Ordinary Time!! If all goes as planned, and that seems to be a big “IF” these days, we will host our Bishop, Joe Vasquez, this afternoon. He will be here to celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation with a portion of our high-school confirmandi (those to be confirmed).
In this unusual time the celebration of the Sacrament will be different. First of all it will NOT be a Mass but simply a Liturgy of the Word. Secondly, it will be only a portion, less than half, of the candidates for Confirmation. The other candidates for Confirmation will receive the Sacrament on future Sundays, and I as the Pastor, will be the celebrant.
This rather odd way of doing things is because of the continuing Covid-19 pandemic, and the need to continue to socially distance, avoid large crowds, and wash your hands frequently.
Nonetheless, the confirmandi of our parish will still be sealed with the Holy Spirit, and God will confirm God’s choice of each of them, that was first made at their Baptism. Strengthened by the Holy Spirit they will be encouraged to live more like Jesus Christ in their daily lives. That, the most important part of the Sacrament of Confirmation, won’t change.
For all of us, many things have changed due to the pandemic. Our lives and our routines have been upset. But the love of God for us in Jesus Christ is as firm and solid and real as it has always been. So things continue to look different and odd from what they were before, but the grace and love of God has not changed one iota.
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