My brothers and I discovered something as we got older.

There's a little bit of dad in us. Each time we catch ourselves

using one of his gestures, expressions, or comments about a

meal, we say, "I'm getting more like Dad!" Many laughs and

good-natured kidding have come out of it. Mom loves it, and

so does Dad, although I doubt he'd admit it! When we are

confirmed, we receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit. There is no

radical change in us that makes us seem suddenly different.

Over a period of time we come to see that there is a little bit

of the Spirit in us. We catch ourselves using the gifts, and often

end up wondering where a bit of wisdom came from, or

why we were so patient or we feel an intensity in our prayer.

Perhaps we felt drawn to deepen our spiritual life or found

courage in witnessing to our faith. That's when we know we

have received the Holy Spirit. We take on his image. Yes, we

grow in age, grace and wisdom, but we also grow in our

awareness and understanding of the working of God in our

life. We become more godlike, realizing we're getting more

and more like God. Our thoughts, words and actions carry that

quality and others too, see it in us. You might call it holiness.