“Confirmation is the great social sacrament,” explains Bishop Fulton Sheen, in his presentation on the sacrament of confirmation in his book “Life is Worth Living.” As the Holy Spirit propelled Jesus into the world after he was baptized, the Holy Spirit propels every confirmed person into the world. The Holy Spirit armed Jesus to go to battle with Satan and resist temptation, and it equipped him to venture out and be with people to preach the Gospel, heal the sick, forgive sinners and suffer tremendous hardship.  

The Catholic faith is not a private or individual matter. Catholics pray with other Catholics in church and live with other Catholics at home, but belief and practice must not be limited to the safety and comfort of church and home. The confirmed take their faith into the world: to school, the workplace, the neighborhood, parks, the grocery store, the gas station, clinics and hospitals, sporting events, government offices, streets — everywhere. The Holy Spirit energizes a person to bring Jesus to a world that desperately needs him and to do battle with evil which is so rampant.  

Actions may speak louder than words, but for a confirmed Catholic, the faith is not either/or, actions or words, but rather both/and, actions accompanied by words. An adult Christian not only does good deeds and gives good example, but also speaks about Jesus and shares the faith with others. Jesus conducted himself in an exemplary manner, but he also spoke up and delivered his message to those who had no knowledge of him. 

Likewise, there are many who know little or nothing about Jesus today, and for those energized and emboldened by the gift of the Holy Spirit, they look for openings and opportunities to speak about Jesus. Jesus offered gentle invitations and was not preachy or pushy, and his disciples would be wise to follow his example. It may be outside of a person’s comfort zone to be gently assertive and bring up spiritual matters, but it is of utmost importance. It requires courage, conviction and prudence, all which are supplied by the Holy Spirit.  

The news about Jesus is so good that a confirmed Catholic must not hold back or delay in sharing it. Bishop Sheen recounts in “Life is Worth Living” a dramatic event that demonstrates why: “A lawyer died in Berlin as an unbeliever. He had a Catholic partner. When his friend became ill, the Catholic lawyer visited him and said, ‘You are about to die; you ought to make your peace with God.’ And the dying partner said to him, ‘If Christ in your Church has meant so little to you during your life that you never once spoke to me, how can it mean anything to me at my death?’” 

When Jesus went into the world he was confronted with a social dilemma, the evil in the world, both the devil prowling about as well as individuals and groups seduced by the devil. The world was a nasty place, but it did not keep Jesus from entering it, and with the power provided by the Holy Spirit, he did not succumb to it. He confronted and resisted sin with all his might beginning with his 40 days in the desert and continuing for the next three years. He resisted bodily urges with self-control, pride with humility, meanness with kindness, corruption with integrity, deception with truth, and selfishness with generosity and service.  

The world is still a nasty place in many ways. Sin and wrongdoing are everywhere. A confirmed person goes out into the world, sinful as it may be, and with the strength provided by the Holy Spirit, confronts sin and does everything possible to eliminate evildoing.  

Father Van Sloun is pastor of St. Bartholomew in Wayzata. This column is part of an ongoing series on confirmation.