I have come to fall in love with teaching in Catholic schools. What are YOU in love with?...

"Nothing is more practical than finding God, that is, than falling in love in a quite absolute, final way. What you are in love with, what seizes your imagination, will affect everything. It will decide what will get you out of bed in the morning, what you will do with your evenings, how you will spend your weekends, what you read, who you know, what breaks your heart, and what amazes you with joy and gratitude. Fall in love, stay in love, and it will decide everything." - Pedro Arrupe

Saturday, January 18, 2014

Waiting for Confirmation

I spent this afternoon planning Confirmation lesson plans for my 8th graders. And then, on Monday, I'll be able to give some thought to the Confirmation retreat (which is coming up at the end of February).

Preparing students for their Sacraments is a pretty special opportunity (as I am sure my sister can tell you - she absolutely loves First Communion). The most challenging part I have found is making sure I have prepared them enough. Are my 8th graders really going to be ready to say "yes" to becoming adults in the Catholic faith?

And then, I stop myself and think, was I ready to do the same? I certainly didn't understand my faith anywhere close to the way I do now.

And so, I realized that it's not about them knowing all the answers or teachings of the Church right now. (And I breathed a sigh of relief.) It's about cultivating a desire in each of them to pursue and deepen that faith for the rest of their lives.

I know I won't reach all of them. And no, I'm not being pessimistic - See #1 - I'm being realistic. But I do sincerely hope that they understand the significance of Confirmation and that they feel they are taking this next step in their faith of their own choosing.

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