BY SARA JONCKHEERE
In Confirmation we are called to live out our Catholic faith, enriched by the special strength of the Holy Spirit. We are called to spread and defend the faith. It is a tall order, but we are 
not alone in this mission. Filled with the Holy Spirit, we confirm our yes to God — to live out the promises made at our Baptism.
This flame, representing the Holy Spirit, could be made with students preparing for Confirmation, but it could easily be adapted for younger students who are being introduced to the Sacraments. In making this crayon-resistant watercolor project, the words in white crayon represent what is put into our lives and on our hearts during Confirmation, as the gift of the Holy Spirit (represented with watercolor paints) is confirmed, strengthened, and perfected.
Supplies needed
- 8 ½” x 11” white cardstock
- Scissors
- White crayons (the sharper, the better)
- Watercolor paints (yellow, orange, red)
- Paintbrushes
- Water
- Flame template
Assembly
- Print the flame template on the white cardstock. (Create your own, or download one by clicking on this link: Confirmation Fire template.)
- Using a sharp white crayon, write words related to Confirmation on the inside of the flame. This could vary depending on the age of your students. Students about to make their Confirmation could add words about what it means to them personally to now put into practice the grace of their Baptism and what they will do to be a witness for Christ.
- Another option for older students would be to add the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Younger students could add words important to the sacrament, such as Holy Spirit, bishop, chrism, or living witness. The very youngest learners do not need to write any words but could just skip to the paint step after a lesson on the Holy Spirit or Confirmation.(Pro Tip: Hold the paper at an angle under a light to make it easier to see where the crayon wrote on the white paper.)
- Using the paintbrush, watercolor paints, and water, paint the flame using any combination of orange, yellow, and red. Paint right over the words written in crayon.The paint will resist where the crayon is, and the words that were chosen will appear through the paint. The end result will be the words standing out against the paint, just as those words stand out in our lives with the help of the Holy Spirit.
- Cut out the flames if you plan to hang these on a bulletin board or even in church during a Confirmation Mass.
Do your students need words to add? Try suggesting and explaining some of these.
Courage, Wisdom, Understanding, Knowledge, Counsel, Piety, Fear of the Lord
Personal Pentecost, discipleship, confirming the call, spreading the faith, laying on of hands
anointing with chrism, living the sacraments, prayer, strength, witness, encounter
grow, sacrament of initiation, living witness
Let us pray
Holy Spirit, as we come to know you and enter more fully into the Christian life, help us to spread and defend the faith. Guide us daily to be a light for the world, and help others to see Christ in all that we do. Amen.
Sara Jonckheere, MA, is an elementary school teacher turned work-at-home mom. Creating digital curriculum and resources, she shares teaching ideas at SaraJCreations.com.
This article was originally published in Catechist magazine, October, 2017.
Image credit: Photos courtesy of Sara Jonckheere.
