Filled with the Holy Spirit

When I pray for the Holy Spirit to fill me with His wisdom, I’m often blown away by just how powerful that prayer can be. It seems as if He is speaking right through me. It is no longer my words, but His. My confidence comes not from my own being, but a supernatural power breathed through my very being.

I’m sure the apostles had moments like these after Christ sent them forth to preach to the nations. The boldness by which they spoke must not have seemed like their own.

A few years ago, I worked as a youth minister. The Lord had struck my heart with a zeal for ministering to the youth, even as a young person myself. Despite my passion for it, though, my inherent shyness had the potential to prove an obstacle in carrying out the task. I often felt my speaking skills to be insufficient for granting me the boldness I needed to proclaim our Faith to them.

Once a week, I lead my youth in a faith-formative program. And once a week, I witnessed the power of the Holy Spirit at work through me.

Honestly, it never felt like my words coming out of my mouth. The ideas for talks, skits, small break-out sessions surely could not have been developed by me alone. As I led them in prayer, the promptings that flowed forth could hardly have been of my own design.

Saint Paul certainly recognized this:

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me has not been in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them—though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. (1 Corinthians 15:10)

When we are born anew in Baptism and strengthened again in Confirmation by the gifts of the Holy Spirit, we gain some awesome gifts. These are powerful sacraments. The Holy Spirit becomes fully alive within us. The results of Confirmation?

[A] special strength of the Holy Spirit to spread and defend the faith by word and action as true witnesses of Christ, to confess the name of Christ boldly, and never to be ashamed of the Cross. (CCC 1303)

Let’s meditate today upon this prayer offered at Confirmation and ask God for a strengthening of these great gifts given to us in our daily life.

Prayer at Confirmation

All-powerful God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
by water and the Holy Spirit
you freed your sons and daughters from sin
and gave them new life.
Send your Holy Spirit upon them
to be their helper and guide.
Give them the spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the spirit of right judgment and courage,
the spirit of knowledge and reverence.
Fill them with the spirit of wonder and awe in your presence.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Laurel Muff is a creator and appreciator of beautiful things. She resides with her husband and daughters in Northern California. You can find more about her here.