Parish of Lismore and Ballysaggart
Many people today have reduced their personal experience to body and mind. They seem to be locked out of awareness of soul and spirit. This is a great loss for them and for those they relate to. Rightly we hear so much about care for our mental health.
Those who suffer from mental health issues often feel so misunderstood and often unsupported by family and the wider community. Will the true story of how we treated those with mental illness ever be told. It is a great dark secret hidden behind the grim high walls where those who worked in them did their best with very limited resources.
Right now as a parish we are paying attention to the Holy Spirit, the Pentecost Spirit poured out on the assembled people in the upper room. We will celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation on Mon, 5th July at 6pm and at 7.30pm in St Carthage’s Church. The families will be represented by the parents with their child and the community of faith by the gathering of Confirmation Sponsors.
We turn to Jesus Christ to see what the Spirit meant in his life. What do you read there? You meet a man with passion in his soul for the people. Jesus truly loved his own people. Jesus was filled with a prophet spirit that enabled him to see what others could not notice. He would see what the people could become were they to love as he loved, forgive as he would forgive, make sacrifice as he would. Jesus comes across in his Word as a person in love with life, in love with creation, in love with real people and a love drawn from his unique relationship with ‘Abba’ or ‘Father’. His other great word was ‘Kingdom of God’.
Where do you come across people today whom you could say, that person is guided by the Holy Spirit, the Spirit that filled the life of Jesus. The Presence of the Spirit is a quiet presence that gives an inner harmony to ones life as one spends ones life for others. The union of the Holy Spirit and ones spirit is one. ‘By their fruits you will know them’. There is a war going on between the Kingdom of Truth and the reign of the evil one. Just observe the daily news reports.
We welcome the children who have chosen to be Confirmed. We thank their teachers, Mr Smith and Mr Prendergast, who have prepared with them. We thank Mr Kennefick and Mr McCloskey who will lead in the music ministry.
As an engagement announcement or a Marriage celebration the end of the love relationship, or at least it should not be, neither is the celebration of Confirmation the end of the Christian vocation.
The celebration of Confirmation has five parts; The Proclamation of the Word of God, the Presentation of the Candidates, the Renewal of Baptismal Promises, the Laying on of Hands and finally the Anointing with Chrism on the forehead. It is the forehead for that is where we so often feel shame that we are Christened. Our prayer is that each child will continue to grow spiritually and with good mental health, capable of loving and reaching out in prudence, justice, courage and temperance. These are known as the cardinal virtues while the supernatural virtues are faith, hope and charity. May each family mark this faith moment in a way that affirms the sacrament. Be ever careful to abide by public health guidelines on Covid-19. A special appeal is made to the fathers of the children to actively own their God given responsibility Of course not every family is blessed with the presence of the father for whatever reason so those who parent the child will do their best.
Please note the dates for Confirmation and First Eucharist may change depending on the Thursday News briefing from the Gov on Covid19. Is there is no slow down of the opening of society and we can proceed as planned.