Confirmation Homily
Bishop Timothy C. Senior
St. Mary’s Catholic Church – Lebanon, Pennsylvania
Confirmation Mass | Saturday, March 7 | 11:00 AM
During the Confirmation Mass at St. Mary’s, we were honored to welcome Bishop Timothy C. Senior, who celebrated the sacrament and delivered a beautiful homily to our young men and women receiving Confirmation.
In his message, Bishop Senior reminded the candidates — and all present — that the Sacrament of Confirmation strengthens us with the gifts of the Holy Spirit and calls us to live our faith boldly.
Below is the full text of Bishop Senior’s homily.
Confirmation Homily
First of all, I would like to acknowledge those who work in the important ministry of religious education and faith formation — the faculty, catechists, and those who administer the program. You accompany these young people and witness to your faith through the sacrifices you make to carry on this very important work of the Church, forming these young people in the faith.
Thank you as well to the sponsors. You have played an important role in their lives, and the Holy Spirit has worked through you. That is why I invite you to stand with them today in this important moment and affirm them. I am sure they look to you as a source of encouragement and affirmation, and as an example of what it means to live a faithful Christian life. Please continue to walk with them in that way.
You will place your hand on their shoulder as they are being confirmed. Remember that in that moment the Holy Spirit is working not only in them, but through you as well.
Gratitude to Parents and Guardians
I also want to thank the parents and guardians of these young people. The role you play in their lives and in their faith formation is the most important one of all. I know that you have made many sacrifices for your children — willingly, gladly, and sometimes without even thinking about it.
Today I ask you to reflect on how important those sacrifices are for their faith. By making those sacrifices, you ensure that your children receive the greatest gift anyone can have in this life — the gift of faith in Jesus Christ.
Is there any treasure more priceless than having a relationship with the Lord?
To know Him, to hear His Word, to learn the teachings of the Church, and to encounter Him so intimately in the sacraments?
What a great treasure our Catholic faith is. You are also fulfilling the promise you made when your children were baptized — to raise them in the practice of the faith. When they were baptized, the priest or deacon handed you a candle lit from the Paschal candle and said:
“Receive the light of Christ.”
That light of Christ was entrusted to you. Today, that light burns brighter through the Sacrament of Confirmation.
The responsibility remains: to keep that flame of faith burning brightly.
The most important way to do this is through the continued practice of the faith — especially by attending Mass every Sunday, receiving the precious gift of the Eucharist, going to confession, and continuing to learn and grow in the faith.
Confirmation is not the end. It is a beginning. The Holy Spirit will continue to work in their lives.
Parents, thank you. Keep that flame of faith burning brightly in your hearts and in your homes.
A Message to the Candidates
Dear young people, this is an important moment in your lives. You have prepared for this day for a long time.
As we heard in the reading from St. Paul in the Letter to the Romans, sometimes we do not even know how to pray. But St. Paul reminds us that the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness.
Think about that as we continue the Mass — how the Holy Spirit helps each of us open our hearts to God and recognize how much He loves us.
First: God Loves You
The first and most important thing is the reason you are being confirmed today:
You are being confirmed because God loves you.
He loves you so much that He wants to be close to you, and He does not want anything to stand in the way of that relationship.
Sometimes we need to be reminded of this. We all have difficult moments in life. We may feel that God is distant.
In those moments we can call out to God. We can speak to Him honestly, because He knows what is in our hearts and He will help us through those times.
Another moment when we especially need to remember God’s love is when we make mistakes and when we sin. God never distances Himself from us. Instead, He draws closer to us and invites us to return to Him.
That is why the Church gives us the beautiful gift of the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
So remember this always:
You are being confirmed today because God loves you so much.
Second: God Has a Plan for Your Life
The second thing to remember is that God has a plan for your life.
He created you exactly as you are — with your gifts, your talents, and even your weaknesses.
The Holy Spirit will help you discover that mission and follow it.
Sometimes God’s plan surprises us. I can tell you that it surprised me. When I was your age I never imagined that one day I would become a priest, and eventually a bishop.
God often surprises us.
Following Jesus Means Sacrifice
Jesus tells us that to follow Him means taking up our cross.
Sometimes that means sacrifice — choosing what is good rather than what is easy.
Every one of us is here today because someone else made sacrifices for us.
That is what it means to follow Jesus Christ.
Becoming Like Christ
God wants us to become like Jesus Christ.
Through Confirmation, the gifts of the Holy Spirit help you to think like Jesus, act like Jesus, and love like Jesus.
Let Jesus be visible in you.
When people see that in you, they will see Jesus.
The World Needs Faithful Christians
Our world needs more Christians who live their faith openly and courageously.
Be the Christians the Church calls you to be.
Be the Christians the world needs you to be.
Discover God’s plan for your life.
Allow the Holy Spirit to guide you.
Follow that plan with all your heart.
And always remember the most important thing:
You are being confirmed because God loves you.
You can download and print the Bishop’s sermon here. ⏫️