The Hardest Rule in Catholicism - And Why Your Teen Needs It

 

Confirmation Time!

Good afternoon, everyone. 

I am not the bishop. I am only Father Alfonso. We also have Father Juan and Deacon David here with us today to support all of you who are going to get confirmed.

It is much nicer to have the priest here, because I am not afraid to ask you questions. And so I am going to ask some of you.

Are you ready?

If you had to describe in just one word what it means to be a Catholic, to be a Christian, to be a follower of Jesus, what would that word be? Because that is what you are doing today. Today you are saying, I believe everything that Jesus said and did. I believe it is the best way to live your life. Even though it is very difficult, I still believe it is the best way to live your life.

Now, I want to ask some of you to stand up. Let everybody see how beautiful and elegant everyone looks today. Very, very nice.

Here is something I want to talk about. What is the rule in middle school? What is the rule in high school? You hate me, I hate you. That is the rule. You don’t like me, I don’t like you. You hurt me, I hurt you. You push me, I push you. You don’t talk to me, I don’t talk to you.

I know, because that was the rule when I was in high school too. Middle school is even worse. They make fun of you. At least in high school, people learn to be a little more subtle about it.

Now that you are getting confirmed, there is a new rule. What is the new rule?

I like you.

Hey, if you don’t like me, that is okay. I will always like you. You don’t want to talk to me? I am here for you. Isn’t that much harder? And isn’t it so much more beautiful?

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One Word for What It Means to Be Catholic

If you had to describe in one word what it means to be a Catholic, what would you say?

One young man said: faithful. Beautiful. Faithful. I wasn’t even thinking of that one.

Another said: proud. Oh, beautiful. Proud. To be a Christian, you should be proud. It is like the highest form of evolution. I no longer live for myself. I live for others. You cannot get any higher than that. It is not survival of the fittest. It is the more you give, the more you receive.

Then someone said: loving. Yes. Love.

Now, I know what you are thinking. When I was your age, I would have rolled my eyes at that word too. Love? Can you pay your taxes with love? Can you pay your expenses with love? No. I used to think the same thing. If you walk into a grocery store and say “I love you” to the cashier instead of paying, they will throw you in jail.

I understand. I really do.

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What Six Weeks of Illness Taught Him About Love

But let me tell you something.

When I was sick, when I had an infection and needed surgery, I was in bed for six weeks. Six weeks. If I stood for two minutes, I was in pain and had to lay back down. I didn’t care how much money I had. I didn’t care about any of it. I felt alone.

You know what helped me?

One day, letters arrived. Small letters that the children of the parish had written to me. Little notes from the kids at the school and the church. One of them said, “Dear Father Alfonso, I am praying that you have a good surgery and a good recovery. I have missed your homilies and your preaching. You are the best priest of all, and you have taken care of my faith.”

When I was reading those letters, it was like something transformed inside me. I got stronger. I felt better.

Do not let anyone ever tell you that the more money you have, the happier you are. 

I know what you are thinking. “The better looking you are, the more popular you are, the better you feel.” Sure, you will feel good for a moment. But I will be honest with you. I am not the most beautiful or the best looking, but I believe I have a good heart. If someone loves me because I have a good heart, that is worth more than being loved for my hair or my nose or how I look.

If people love you for how you look or what you have, it means nothing. I prefer that people love me for who I am.

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What Will Never Change

Boys and girls, let me tell you something. The world will change in 10 years, in 20 years, in 50 years, in 100 years. The world will be so different. But there is one thing that will never, ever change. When you love someone, it means everything to them. And the love that God has for you will never change. Never.

So if today you understand what I am telling you, great. But one day you will. That is a 100 percent guarantee. One day you will understand, because we all get old. And we realize that we need God in our lives.

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What You Are About to Receive

Today you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. You will receive everything that the saints received. Everything. How you use it is up to you. But you will have everything that the apostles, the saints, the martyrs had. All the gifts you need to be a good person.

All you have to say is: this is what I want in my life, and this is how I want to live.

When you receive the oil, when I put it on your head, it is not going to be this dramatic, overwhelming moment. You are going to think, that’s it? That’s it.

Jesus is simple. Jesus is not Hollywood. Jesus is simple.

Think about it this way. In this country, when you do something amazing, they give you a medal or a certificate. And you feel good holding it. But that certificate only represents what you already are. When you receive the oil today, you are being confirmed as another Jesus Christ in the world. Do not waste the gift of the Holy Spirit. Be the best version of who you are, now and forever.

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This Is Your Home

This is not meant to be a goodbye. This is your house. This is your home. We all need God. Why? Because we need to love and be loved. And God’s love is very pure.

Remember what we talked about. Why are you getting confirmed? Because you believe and you accept everything that Jesus said and did. And what did he do? He loved. He gave and he forgave. He gave and he forgave. And his love is pure.

It does not matter how much you have. It does not matter what clothes you wear or what house you live in. The only thing that matters is who you are.

Who are you?

You are a gift from God. You are a gift to the world.

If you ever forget that, it is because you stopped coming back to church. If you come back, you will never forget who you are. That you are a child of God. That you are a beautiful gift to this world.

Amen.