In Cana of Galilee


Soldier of Christ

On Sunday the 27th Clare received the sacrament of confirmation. Such great joy there was here at home! At last Clare completed her Christian identity having received all three sacraments of initiation: Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist.

By her side, Francisco was the privileged sponsor. Because her Godparents from baptism couldn’t be there on the day, Clare asked her brother, himself confirmed three years ago, to be beside her. What does a confirmation sponsor do? Just this: he is a witness to the fact that Clare is ready to receive the sacrament, and he’s available to accompany her in her faith. Both of these things Francisco already does.

Anointed with the holy oil by our dear Bishop Rev. António Moiteiro, Clare is ready to be a soldier of Christ, prepared for the combat of life, like Scripture says

Praise be to the Lord my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle. (Ps 144:1)

Next Saturday, Francisco and Clare are going to speak with a group of young men and women in a parish in the diocese of Coimbra, some recently confirmed, some preparing for confirmation, giving witness to the joy of being young Christians. What a source of pride this is for us parents, knowing that our two confirmed young adults remain faithful to the promises of their baptism and confirmation!

In the evening of that Sunday full of graces, we led the rosary at the Cana Prayer Corner like we’ve been doing each Saturday and Sunday during this month of Mary. There in that corner that is so special to us, and here at home by the statue of the Mother of Cana we have in our entrance hall, I recommended my daughter to Our Lady. Again. Always.

 

I did it because I know that the combat my children must fight is harder than the one that my own generation of young people faced. Because I know that a young Christian who is a true Christian is a young hero in the context of an ever more atheist world. And because I know that the devil wages his bitterest battles against life, family and love in our so-called evolved countries, countries that owe their identity to Christianity but that have forgotten that “little detail”.

I did it because I want Clare to be a saint. After all, isn’t that the calling of every confirmed person?

Mary Help of Christians, Mother of Cana, teach us to do everything Jesus tells us…

One Comment

  1. Isabel Guimaraes

    Dear Clara, congratulations!!!
    I am not sure who is the proudest in the photo: Clara, Francisco or Our Lady of Cana!
    May God bless you all and keep you as the wonderful young role models that you have always been and that the world needs so much.

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