that part of the preparation which is most essential, and which no one can make for you, is that of acquir· ing the proper dispositions for the Sacrament. On those the fruits of Confirmation depend: without them, as you well know, you would receive nothing from the sacrament but the character, and be denied all the gifts and graces bestowed on those who are duly disposed. Endeavour therefore to prepare with great fervour for the happiness you expect. The following details will assist you in disposing yourself for so solemn an action. They will also be useful to many who were confirmed before, as it often happens, that persons receive this sacrament when very young, ignorant, or otherwise badly disposed. If you be of this number, you should endeavour to repair your loss, and prepare to assist at the administration of the sacrament as fervently as if you had never received it. Sincerely desire on your part to receive the Holy Ghost; do all that depends on you to prepare your soul for the coming of that Divine Spirit, and then confidently hope that the gifts and graces of Confirmation, which were not granted you on receiving that sacrament, owing to the want of proper dispositions, will be now infused into your soul, and that the Almighty will forget and pardon in his mercy the sins and ignorance of your youth; more particularly as children are not always accountable for faults committed in approaching the sacraments, before they were sufficiently instructed. On the other hand, if you be among those who were fully instructed before Confirmation, and who, through the mercy of God, have no grounds to fear any serious defect in your dispositions, when you were confirmed, you may, nevertheless, have much to reproach yourself with, as to your conduct afterwards, and very great need of renewing the promises and resolutions you then made. Consequently, there is no one who should look on the ceremony of her companions' Con firmation as a matter which does not concern her ; on the contrary, the administration of this sacrament should make each of those who were confirmed, examine whether her conduct, since her Confirmation, has really been that of a strong and perfect Christian. You know that those who assist at the administration of this sacrament, participate in the gifts and graces of the Holy Ghost, in proportion to the sincerity of their desires for that happiness, and the efforts they shall have made to merit so great a blessing. You should therefore rejoice, when an opportunity occurs of renewing your sacred engagements with God, and endeavour to profit of it to the utmost of your ability. If you have been confirmed, accompany your companions, as far as depends on you, in the following preparation for and thanksgiving after Confirmation: these exercises will, of course, be particularly attended to by those who are expecting to receive the sacrament. Preparation for Confirmation, as well as for the holy Communion, is divided into distant and immediate preparation. The distant preparation consists, first, in becoming fully instructed in the principles of the Christian Faith and Doctrine, and ardently desiring to receive the Holy Ghost. The instruction you have received, and the desire you also probably feel in a great measure; at least, it will not be difficult to excite it in your heart, when you consider attentively, that Confirmation imparts that same Divine Spirit who descended on the Apostles-that Spirit of Light, who in a moment taught them all truth-that Spirit of Charity, who inflamed them with such transports of love-that Spirit of Wisdom, who spoke by their tongues, and converted thousands-that Spirit of Strength and Fortitude, who banished every shadow of their natural timidity and fear-that sweet, consoling Spirit, who alone could comfort them for the absence of their Divine Master. How many spiritual advantages may you also expect from the visit of such a guest; advantages in some measure similar to those derived from it by the Apostles. They sincerely loved their Lord and Master, they wished to serve him, to preach his gospel, to promote his glory; yet until the descent of the Holy Ghost, they had not the courage or strength to oppose their enemies, or proclaim to the world those truths for which they afterwards laid down their lives. You also have formed many resolutions of leading a life worthy of a Christian; but how little ground have you for depending on yourself; how soon would you forget all your good purposes; how little courage and resolution would you have in overcoming yourself, if God did not mercifully impart to you peculiar graces of strength, light, fervour, and perseverance! Now, where could you hope more confidently for those graces than from the Sacrament you are going to receive? Confirmation is peculiarly instituted for the purpose of conferring them. O how ardently should you desire to receive such spiritual assistance! How grateful should you be to God, who, knowing your weakness and inconstancy, has mercifully provided it for you. The immediate preparation necessary for Confirmation is pointed out by the conduct of the Apostles before the descent of the Holy Ghost. After having been purified from sin, and inflamed with the love of God by their long and intimate communication with Jesus Christ, they returned to Jerusalem immediately after the ascension of their Divine Master. There they spent ten days retired in the cenacle, persevering with one accord in prayer, (Acts i. 14.) and earnestly supplicating the descent of the promised Comforter. Whence you perceive that immediate preparation for Confirmation consists, first, in being in a state of grace; secondly, in spending some time in retirement; and thirdly, in earnestly begging of God, by fervent prayer, to give you his Holy Spirit, and to dispose your heart for his reception. You are fully aware of the absolute necessity of the first of those dispositions, since you know that Confirmation is a Sacrament of the living, which would not only be unprofitable, but injurious to a soul dead in mortal sin The Holy Spirit of Wisdom, says the Scripture, will not enter a malicious soul, nor dwell in a body subject to sin, (Wisd. i. 1.) Your first concern, then, should be, to make your confession with all the dispositions you know to be necessary for obtaining pardon from God, and all the graces annexed to the sacrament. Situated as you are now, it is not necessary to remind you of the second immediate preparation for Confirmation, viz. a short retreat in imitation of the Apostles. You will conform to the general rule in that respect, and would do well to observe the few recommendations given for the time of retreat, to those preparing for their first communion. The third immediate preparation is an increased desire to receive the Holy Ghost, and persevering supplications to obtain that great gift from God. To comply with this duty of prayer, you should, in the first place, discharge with great fervour your accustomed spiritual exercises, as well as the additional devotions of retreat; secondly, you should earnestly implore the Divine Spirit to descend on you with his seven-fold gifts. This will be best done by the following or any other short aspirations frequently re peated in the course of the day. Come, O Holy Ghost! replenish my heart, and en kindle in it the fire of thy love. O Divine Spirit! take full possession of my whole being. O sacred Light! enlighten my understanding. Spirit of heavenly Fortitude! strengthen me, and inspire me with Christian courage. O Spirit of Truth! come, and teach me all truth; come and show me the vanity of the world; come, and make me a strong and perfect Christian.. Thirdly, beseech the Almighty with earnestness and humility to impart to you his heavenly Spirit. Call to mind the consolatory promise which Jesus Christ made, that his heavenly Father will give his good Spirit to them that ask it. (Luke xi. 13.) Lastly, address yourself to the Holy Ghost himself; implore with confidence his descent into your heart, and also those seven-fold gifts which are the peculiar graces conferred by Confirmation. Your Catechism, which explains their separate effects, tells you that they serve as a great help to virtue, and to make us perfect in the ways of God: therefore you should earnestly beg them of Him who is the giver of every perfect gift. For this intention you would do well to say daily the following short prayers, with the hymn Veni Creator Spiritus, eight or ten days before you receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. A Prayer before Confirmation. O God of infinite goodness! who wert graciously pleased at my baptism to make me thy child, and to imprint on my soul the character of a Christian, mercifully pardon my having hitherto so badly corre... sponded with thy unbounded mercies; receive my fervent thanksgiving for all the favours bestowed on me from my birth to this moment, particularly for my being now ranked among those who are to be peculiarly consecrated to thee by the Sacrament of Confirmation. Thou offerest me the greatest of thy gifts; thou art about to seal my soul with the sacred character of a soldier of Christ, in addition to that which already distinguishes me as a Christian. O my good and merciful Father! encouraged by such special marks of predilection, I venture to implore with confidence that thou wouldst thyself infuse into my heart all the dispositions necessary for becoming the residence of thy holy Spirit. Alas! my God, I em far from possessing those sentiments of faith, love, humility, and fervour, which should now animate my |