When we as Catholics imagine the Holy Sprit, we almost always think about Confirmation. For those who’ve received the Sacrament, you might remember oil on your face or that saint name; you know, the one you haven’t prayed to in a while? Maybe all you can recall is the worldly gifts you received from your parents and sponsor. But not many of us remember the spiritual gifts that were offered to us by God’s own outstretched hands. As Steubenville speaker Paul J. Kim put it, “We don’t understand spiritual gifts, because many of us have no idea who the Holy Spirit truly is.”
With all the shouting, cheering, flag-waving, and other wonderful types of chaos that typically unfold at a Catholic youth conferences, it’s sometimes nice to take a step back and quiet our hearts and minds. Steubenville’s sweetest and most spiritual moments are often the ones spent in quiet reverence.
In his talk “Alive Inside,” Fr. Chris Martin instructed teens on how they could reclaim their minds for a truly abundant life.
Sticking with last night’s themes of the shepherd and the thief, Fr. Martin explained how the devil constantly attacks God’s faithful ones. But he doesn’t strike where you are strong, where you are certain of your own ability and full of God’s love. The devil comes to you when you are down, when you are afraid and lonely. He launches an assault on your weakness and is constantly searching for your next Achilles’ heel.