Ah...Confirmation.
With a capital C-O-N-F-I-R-M-A-T--I-O-N!!!
I don't know about you guys, but this particular Sacrament was not one that I could get fully behind until I was seeing it from the other side. Sure, it was cool, and I was stoked to be "part of the club" as it were, but I didn't really know what I was in for. I don't know if anyone really does until they're viewing it in retrospect.
It's kind of like marriage. The wedding is beautiful and wonderful and everyone comes and everyone sees it happen, but the marriage is what happens when you're not in the middle of the dance floor with "I Only Have Eyes For You" playing and pictures being taken and toasts being made and your mom crying because 'her baby is getting married.'
Everyone thinks of "Confirmation" the way they think of a wedding. It's a cool ceremony, and check out those hip robes (isn't that a riot?), and yay--oil! And yay--Saints! And whoa! Is that literally the Bishop? That's literally the Bishop!
But the actuality of it doesn't hit until later. Because we're adults now. We have jobs to do in the church now. Look--we even have mentors who have been through the ringer to guide us through the noob stuff that everyone has to go through when they're just coming into the company and need to learn the ropes. Just like a real job! Except our mentors are Saints and sponsors. The most legit mentors ever to mentor a mentee.
And now here you are, on the outside looking in. You have the ability now to be a mentor to all these newcomers. You can choose to set the example for these fledglings. Because, when it comes down to it, the true test of confirmation is not the list of questions from the Bishop that you answered with trembling knees when you were sitting there in your red robe waiting to get oil smeared on your forehead. The true test is whether or not you'll be a good mentor when the time comes for those kids on the other side to follow your example.
Much love,
Ceci Galvin
CYM, St. John the Evangelist
