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God’s Gift
Confirmation
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Contents Opening Prayer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv Chapter 1 We Are the Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Chapter 2 The Holy Spirit Is Our Helper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Chapter 3 Alive in the Spirit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 I Live My Faith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the holy Spirit. Acts of the Apostles 2:2–4
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We Are the Church
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Engage
Members of the Church As Catholics, when we are baptized, we become members of the Church and members of God’s family. When we are with our family, we know we belong. We are comfortable and can be ourselves. There are four key ways we grow as members of the Church. The Creed: What we know about our faith in God Sacraments: How we celebrate our faith in God Moral Life: How we live out our faith in God Prayer: How we communicate with God When we know our faith, celebrate the sacraments, make good choices, and pray, we have a strong, loving relationship with God.
Prayer Dear Jesus, thank you for the sacraments. Help me be open to the grace of the Holy Spirit so that I can show my love for God and others.
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We Believe As members of the Church, we have a shared faith in God. Faith is a gift from God that allows us to trust and believe in him. In the Creed, we learn the words that teach us about God. We proclaim our belief in the Holy Trinity, the mystery of one God in Three Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Bible is filled with stories that reveal the faith of those who trusted God. The angel of the Lord appeared to [Joseph] in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:20–21
God wanted Joseph to be Jesus’ father on earth. Joseph listened to the angel and trusted in God. Joseph said yes to God, and Jesus was born.
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Explore
The Sacraments One important way we show our faith is by loving God and others. We can express our love in many ways. We might tell someone we love him or her, or maybe we help that person. Jesus gives us signs of his love. We call these signs the sacraments. Sacraments are sacred signs of our faith given by Jesus Christ. The Church celebrates seven sacraments: Baptism, Confirmation, the Eucharist, Penance and Reconciliation, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Matrimony. Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist are called Sacraments of Initiation because they are the foundation of our Christian life. The signs and rituals (for example, the water used in Baptism) reveal to us the ways we receive grace, the gift of God given to us without our earning it.
We Are the Church Chapter 1
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We Pray Communication is important in any relationship. When we love someone, we talk and listen to him or her. We can talk and listen to God through prayer. The Church teaches us that there are different kinds of prayer. There are prayers of petition, in which we make our needs known to God. There are also prayers of intercession, in which we pray for the needs of others. In prayers of thanksgiving, we express our thanks to God for his many gifts. And in prayers of praise, we show our respect for God.
Hmm . . .
I Think About This When we pray, we raise our minds and hearts to God.
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A Moral Life Jesus gave us the Great Commandment. This commandment teaches us how to follow God and care for others. Following the Great Commandment helps us make moral choices. We make good choices when we love God and others. Jesus said, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22:37–39
We recognize God’s love, and we respond to that love by helping others. When we choose to ignore Jesus’ words, we can hurt ourselves, our relationship with God, and our relationships with others.
Love Thy Neighbor On the lines below, write some ways you can share God’s love this week.
We Are the Church Chapter 1
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We Study Our Faith In our journey of faith, we are called to act in accord with God’s will in all that we do. We are called to study our faith. As Catholics, we learn about God in many ways. Two key ways that we learn about God are through Sacred Scripture and Tradition. Tradition refers to the beliefs and practices (such as celebrating the sacraments) of the Church that have been passed down from one generation to the next since the time of the Apostles. All of this happens through the guidance of the Holy Spirit. By following the teaching of the pope and bishops and by studying Scripture, we learn to know Jesus. By studying the lives of the saints, we follow their example in living the faith that we can put into action.
I Listen to God’s Word Therefore, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught, either by an oral statement or by a letter of ours. 2 Thessalonians 2:15
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We Turn to the Church Loving others is a way of loving God. Through this love, Catholics support one another as members of God’s family. The Church helps and supports us through the sacraments, along with guidance from Scripture and Tradition. Our fellow Church members are also there to help us on our faith journey. In one Spirit we were all baptized into one body . . . and we were all given to drink of one spirit. . . . “If [one] part suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if one part is honored, all the parts share its joy. ” 1 Corinthians 12:13,26
I Support You Below, write a note to a fellow Church member and let that person know you support him or her.
Dear
,
Your Friend in Christ,
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Disciples of Jesus To be strong in our faith, we can learn more about Jesus and his teachings. Then we can share what we know. We can be Jesus’ disciples today. A disciple is someone who follows Jesus’ call to live as he did. Disciples are strong. To live a faithful life is not always easy. It also means making good choices. The sacraments give us the grace to do that. Prayer helps us remain strong in our faith. When the first disciples asked Jesus how to pray, he taught them the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9–13). We pray this prayer too. Jesus also invites us to pray using our own words. He always listens because he loves us.
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Reflect
Prayer to Our Father LEADER: Let us quiet ourselves as we prepare to pray the
words that Jesus taught his first disciples and us, his disciples today. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come. ALL: Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. LEADER: Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us
our trespasses. ALL: As we forgive those who trespass against us. LEADER: And lead us not into temptation. ALL: But deliver us from evil. Amen. LEADER: Let us, the disciples of Jesus today, close
our prayer by praying the Sign of the Cross. ALL: In the name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
We Are the Church Chapter 1
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Respond
Living My Faith I Remember What I Learn • The Creed, the sacraments, the moral life, and prayer are the foundation of the Catholic faith. • We celebrate the sacraments. • Through prayer, we communicate with God. • We study our faith and seek support from the Church.
Closing Prayer
I Live What I Learn • I pray to communicate with God. • I support my Church family when help is needed.
Jesus, my Savior, let your Word heal me and let your sacraments strengthen me so that I can be a sign of your love in the world today.
I Know These Words disciple, p. 8, 41
sacrament, p. 3, 41
faith, p. 2, 41
Sacred Scripture, p. 6, 41
grace, p. 3, 41
Tradition, p. 6, 41
moral choice, p. 5, 41
Trinity, p. 2, 41
prayer, p. 4, 41
I Share with My Family At dinner, discuss with your family their Confirmation experience. Ask what names they chose. Share any questions you may have about your own Confirmation.
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Prayer to the Holy Spirit Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful. And kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created.
God’s Gift
Confirmation
And you will renew the face of the earth. Let us pray. Lord, by the light of the Holy Spirit you have taught the hearts of your faithful. In the same Spirit help us to relish what is right and always rejoice in your consolation. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
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ISBN-13: 978-0-8294-4138-3 ISBN-10: 0-8294-4138-7
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