Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit at his conception in the womb of the Virgin Mary, his Mother. From that moment in his humanity, Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit as an individual. After his Baptism in the Jordan as his public acceptance of the Father's mission for him, the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus, anointing him in his humanity for his ministry. "And the Holy Spirit, in a corporal appearance like a dove, descended upon him." (Luke 3:22) In this the Spirit publicly testified that Jesus was the Christ. Pope Benedict XVI said: "He was not anointed with oil as were Israel's kings and high priests, but rather with the Holy Spirit."

When we were baptized, we were signed and sealed with the anointing of the Oil of Chrism, as a sign and power of the Holy Spirit. We received the sanctifying gifts of the Spirit for holiness. At Confirmation, we were again anointed by the Holy Spirit in our role as a witness for Jesus. How conscious are we of these anointings? How responsive are we in growing in holiness and being a public witness in the power of the Spirit?