The breath of the Holy Spirit igniting the hearts of the Apostles reminds us of the breath of God being blown into the nostrils of Adam in the creation of the first man. This breath was so powerful that it changed the essence of who they were and now transforms us into the ‘new man’ Jesus calls us to be. Having received this tongue of fire in our own confirmation, we possess the potential of living His life in our own.

That is why we must never be afraid to accept the new way of life being offered us. We must not be afraid to leave our old self behind and live in new and challenging ways that will complete the mission of Christ.

Today in a special way, we should honor our Catechists who teach the Christian message to our children and to their parents; those who show by their example, the compassion of Christ to sick and the homebound. It is appropriate today I think to honor them as models of Christian virtue. Saint John Paul II once said that ‘the duty of every Christian disciple to evangelize, is an obligation of love.’

Let us carry the Light of this Easter before us with confidence and hope that what we say and do will breathe new life in others. Let us continue to more deeply love God by loving one another.