Message by Bishop Joseph Galea-Curmi

“Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). Today’s Gospel places us by the River Jordan, where John the Baptist speaks publicly and decisively. John does not speak in vague terms. He points, he names, he bears witness.  This is important, because faith is never only private. True faith always reaches a moment when it must be spoken, and witnessed before others.

That is precisely what is happening in this Mass. 

Those who will request the Sacrament of Confirmation today are not merely completing a programme or fulfilling a requirement. Like John the Baptist, they are standing before the Church and saying: “This is the faith I recognise. This is the Christ I wish to follow. This is the Spirit I desire to receive more fully”.

Faith as a journey

One of the most striking lines in this Gospel is repeated twice: “I did not know him” (John 1:31.33). This is John the Baptist speaking. He is a prophet, a holy man, a man dedicated to God from birth. And yet he humbly admits that recognising Jesus was a process.

This is deeply consoling for us all, and especially for adults on a journey toward Confirmation. Faith is not instant clarity. It is gradual recognition. Many adults come to Confirmation after a time of distance, questions, interruptions, or even wounds in their relationship with the Church or with God.

To say: “I am requesting Confirmation” does not mean “I have everything figured out”. It is not the same as saying that “I have no doubts” or that “I am spiritually perfect”. It means that I recognise Christ more clearly than before, I desire to go deeper, I am ready for the next step. John teaches us that faith matures when we allow God to reveal himself in his time, not ours.

The Spirit who descends and remains

At the heart of this Gospel is the image of the Spirit. John says: “I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from heaven and remain upon him” (John 1:32).

This is crucial. The Spirit does not merely touch Jesus and leave. The Spirit remains. Confirmation is not about a passing spiritual emotion or a ceremonial moment. It is about the Spirit who comes to remain. He comes to dwell, to strengthen, to transform.

In Baptism, the Spirit gives life. In Confirmation, the Spirit gives mission and maturity. The Spirit strengthens faith when it is tested, gives us the courage to witness publicly, enables discernment in moral and life decisions, and empowers us to live as adults in faith, not spectators. To request Confirmation is to say: “I do not want a kind of temporary faith. I want a faith that remains”.

Being sent

John makes it clear that his role is limited. He was sent to “baptise with water” but Jesus “is the one who will baptise you with the Holy Spirit” (John 1:33). Water cleanses, but the Spirit transforms.

Confirmation is not merely a personal blessing; it is an ecclesial commissioning. The confirmed Christian is no longer only a recipient of grace, but a co-worker in Christ’s mission. This is particularly important for adults. The Church does not confirm adults so that they may quietly blend in. Their voices, their witness, their responsibility are needed in the world: in families, in workplaces, in society, in moments when faith must be defended or compassion must be shown. Confirmation marks the transition from being formed to being sent.

Pointing to Christ

The Gospel ends with John’s personal confession: “Now I have seen and I testify that he is the Son of God” (John 1:34). This is the heart of Confirmation. To be confirmed is not simply to receive the Holy Spirit, but to become a witness filled with the Spirit. Not necessarily a preacher with many words, but a believer whose life quietly – and sometimes courageously – points to Christ.

Dear candidates for Confirmation, your request today is already a testimony. It says that Christ matters enough for you to choose him freely, that faith is worth committing to as an adult, and that the Spirit is not just for the past, but for your future.
John the Baptist never draws attention to himself. He always points away from himself and toward Jesus: “Behold the Lamb of God”. That is the vocation of every confirmed Christian. May this time of preparation deepen your openness to the Spirit. May the Spirit who descended and remained upon Christ also descend in you, strengthening you to live, speak, and witness as adult disciples of the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.

✠ Joseph Galea-Curmi 
   Auxiliary Bishop