God's Newest Soldier

Recently. like less than a week ago, I had the opportunity of witnessing another one of my grandchildren receive the Sacrament of ‘Confirmation’. It was an exciting moment for my granddaughter, Maggie, and for the rest of us in attendance. She looked stunning and she'd gone to great lengths to look her best for that special moment, when she and many of her school friends would become ‘Soldiers of God’.

I was a few years younger than Maggie when I was confirmed, but I clearly remember how important a day that was for me. I had chosen Saint Bernadette as my patron saint and I, by the hand of the Bishop, like magic became a soldier of God. At ten years old, I'm not really sure I clearly understood what that meant but I would soon be put to the test and soon find out. You see, even at the young age of ten, God had a plan for me. I was called upon to stand up and defend Him, and as His soldier, I was ready!

Although my memory fails me somewhat, I do recall that it was my neighbor who started the whole chain of events that day. He had offered to buy some of us ice cream and then got on the topic of religion. He started to get obnoxious and sputter negative things about God and my faith. That deeply bothered me at the time and so much so, I spoke up without hesitation to him. I told him he was wrong to talk about God and my faith that way and sadly, I ran home crying. But then, at ten years old, that's what you do when you're up against a grownup who should have known better.

Since that time, I've been called upon on other occasions to defend my beliefs and speak on behalf of God and I’ve always considered it to be my Christian duty as well as my sacramental obligation to stand firm as one of Christ's followers. I may have been only 10 years old at the time I made my commitment to God, but I stand as firm today as I did back then. I've never wavered; and since I was blessed to receive the Holy Spirit through the Sacrament of Confirmation, I have felt His presence with me at all times, every day of my life.

As a grandmother, I've had the privilege of seeing five of my grandchildren thus far be confirmed in Christ through the Sacrament of Confirmation. I'm so pleased to have been a part of that. It has given me great pleasure to see them receive the Holy Spirit as I did all those years ago. I shall always recall my own Confirmation; it was a very special day too, but maybe more importantly, was the day God called upon me, because it was on that day I truly knew I was ‘A Soldier of God’.