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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