25.06.2021
‘Travel forward in the spirit of John’ – First confirmation service takes place
Young people from Taney Parish in Dublin yesterday evening became the first to be confirmed in Dublin & Glendaough since churches reopened for public worship. The candidates were confirmed by Archbishop Michael Jackson on the Feast of St John the Baptiser (June 24).
Preaching during the service, the Archbishop described the day of confirmation as the day of strengthening and fastening faith.
Drawing on the reading [St Luke 1: 57–66,80] he noted that John was no ordinary child and described the debate among neighbours and relatives over what he should be named. “We have a resolute mother holding her ground against the dead weight and the ebb tide of family convention and tradition; she is insisting that the child will be called: John. We, then, have unfold before us the sexism of the neighbours and relatives appealing over the head of Elizabeth to Zechariah, the child’s faither. He seems to have had a stroke or some such, so they hand him a writing table. As soon as he got out into the open what he wanted to say: His name is John, in the wonderful phrase that perhaps only a painter and a doctor such as St Luke could use: Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue freed,” he said.
He said the story showed that amazing things happened in everyday places and in the sight of everyday people. The Archbishop added that it also showed that a name is extremely important.
Archbishop Jackson thanked all who were confirmed for bringing them together, back in church. “Church gathering, church services at this in–between time can be half–hearted, half–kicking. You have given us the chance to connect with our baptism, with Jesus and with John, those cousins in the faith, in the wilderness and in the city. You have given us your hope for yourselves and for the world of justice and of goodness to which you belong and to which each and every one of you will make a fantastic contribution as you piece together the jigsaw of modern life,” he stated. “Congratulations to you. All good wishes to you. Travel forward in the spirit of John: know your name, know who you are and, as I once heard Desmond Tutu say: Don’t let anyone whitemail you into thinking anything else!”