The Holy Spirit

Fulton Sheen in his book ‘Your Life is Worth Living’ writes ‘Our Lord had a double priestly anointing corresponding to two aspects of His Life.

The first was the Incarnation, which made Him capable of being a victim for sin.

The second anointing was the coming of the Holy Spirit in the Jordan River which ordained Him for the mission of the preaching of the apostolate. The culmination of the Church was Pentecost.

The descent of the Holy Spirit on our Lord in the Jordan had a double effect. It prepared Him for combat. The Gospel states ‘Jesus returned from the Jordan, full of the Holy Spirit, and by the Spirit He was led out into the wilderness where He remained forty days tempted by the devil.

The Holy Spirit prepared Him for combat and for preaching the Kingdom of God. When our blessed Lord appeared at Nazareth, He said ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me. He has anointed Me.

After our blessed Lord received the Spirit and fulfilled these two mission, He instituted the sacrament of Confirmation by whose power, energy, and strength the Kingdom of God passes into our souls.’ (193-194)

This Sunday the Baptism of Jesus is the end of the Christmas season. Jesus received the Holy Spirit for His mission to defeat the devil and to preach the Kingdom of God. Jesus has poured this same Holy Spirit into you and me when we received the sacrament of Confirmation.