Cue the Pyrotechnics!
Blog Post #43
If fire codes and finances were no issue, whenever we lead a Confirmation retreat I would prefer the whole thing start and end with a pyrotechnics show the likes of Tran-Siberian Orchestra.
Why? Because it is a total sensory overload that visually brings to life the Holy Spirit.
I mean, let’s not forget the epic entrance by the third person of the Trinity! If you recall, in Acts 2:1-4, it is written, “When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each one of them. And they were filled with the Holy Spirit…”
And cue the pyrotechnics!
This Advocate, as the Holy Spirit is also referred, does so much for us, it is total sensory overload to even attempt-to-begin-to-try-to-fathom!
First thing to try to fathom is that third person of the Trinity is the overflow of the love between God the Father and God the Son. But one of the best examples I ever heard was the comparison of the love between a husband and a wife. The love is so real, so powerful, so tangible that is overflows out of itself. And that love is so real that nine months later you have to give it a name! Or to say it another way, the love between a husband and a wife produces a child, AKA the third person.
A second thing to try to fathom is that the Holy Spirit brings gifts! Forget Santa, the Holy Spirit’s gifts are on a whole new level! Hopefully you learned them in a catechism class, but if not, they are wisdom, wonder & awe/fear of the Lord, reverence/piety, right judgement/counsel, knowledge, courage/fortitude, and understanding. Now, you might be asking yourself why seven? This was a question we asked at our latest Confirmation retreat this past Sunday and let me tell you, these confirmands did not disappoint with their answers. Several thought it was because there are seven days of the week. Wrong, but a great answer! Others thought it was because there are seven sacraments, so seven gifts to go with seven sacraments. Wrong again, but another awesome answer! Finally, a young man in the front row said, “Well, we have the Seven Deadly Sins, so we have to have seven good things!” We literally died laughing. Such a great response! However, the real answer is that there are seven because that’s how many God revealed to us in Sacred Scripture. And looking at our world, it feels like you see a lot more of the Seven Deadly Sins than the seven gifts of the Spirit. So let’s start picking up what the Holy Spirit is throwing down!
The third thing to try to fathom is to pick up what the Holy Spirit is laying down. And to do this you simply pray these three life changing words, “Come, Holy Spirit!” That’s it! For as complicated and mind-blowing as the Holy Spirit is, calling upon this advocate is actually super simple!
So if you could use more wisdom, wonder & awe/fear of the Lord, reverence/piety, right judgement/counsel, knowledge, courage/fortitude, and understanding in your life, please join me in praying this prayer!
And please pray this prayer especially for the 37 confirmands from Sacred Heart (New Bavaria), St. Paul (Hamler), and St. Mary (Holgate) as they prepare to be fired up (pyrotechnic style!) with the gifts of the Holy Spirit on October 31!