Confirmation
the sacrament of spiritual strength
Confirmation began with the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. As the Church grew and became more organized the practice of initiation into the faith community followed the lead of Christ. Jesus was baptized and told his followers that the Spirit would come upon them. (John 3; Acts 2; 8:14-17; 19:6ff) Confirmation is a summons to active work on behalf of others in the name of Jesus. The sacrament provides graces for the members of the Church to fulfill the mission of Christ, to minister salvation to the world. It is the sacrament of spiritual strength. It strengthens us both in our resolve and our ability to stand firm against worldly temptations. Think of it as a high tech guidance system. Sin is literally defined as “to miss the mark”. The graces of God, received through the sacraments empower us to stay on track, to become that which we are called to be. Confirmation in particular gives graces to profess the Christian faith, to be an active witness, especially in adverse circumstances.
The gifts and graces of baptism are brought to fruition in confirmation. The Holy Spirit fans the flame and the gifts that were present at baptism are brought to life so that the person can fully assume a living and active role in the midst of the community. The reception of the Sacrament is a public declaration of a mature understanding of what it means to be a disciple of Christ, and of the person’s intention to live and to witness as a disciple.
The parish community gathers in joy and support at a Eucharistic Celebration. The Bishop, or the Parish Priest will anoint the person with the Oil of Chrism; a pure olive oil, scented with balm or balsam, and blessed by a Bishop during the Holy Week Chrism Mass. As he anoints, he speaks the traditional words “receive the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit”. Like the Sacrament of Baptism, the Sacrament of Confirmation imprints a character on the soul of the person. This indelible mark is a comforting pledge of divine assistance.
It is the pledge of Jesus, that if we cooperate with Him, we will receive strengthening graces to profess our faith publicly in word and deed, and inspire others as well. There are several gifts of the Holy Spirit. These seven gifts, freely given, are received and over the life of the person they can be realized in their full potential. They are not necessarily automatically and fully active. The world would be a much different place if that were true. In cooperation with the Will of God, with openness to the guidance of the Holy Spirit and following in the steps of Christ, we will grow in Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety and Fear of the Lord.
When supported by the prayers and living testimony of the Christian Community and to the degree that the person is dedicated on this journey, they will grow in the ability to see life through the eyes of faith. They will take the facts they have learned and apply their meaning to living life with deep faith. The increased capacity to see the difference between right and wrong will lead them in good judgment when making moral decisions. They will grow in courage, the strength to overcome obstacles that stand in the way of right action. The gift to study and learn the message of Jesus will multiply within their hearts the desire to love, know and serve the Lord. The increase of these gifts will help them toward a more profound reverence of God and seeing others as God sees them, with dignity and respect. Ultimately they will come to a more complete understanding of God and His ways, without fear, but with true wonder and awe at the marvelous love that God shows for them.
For sacramental preparation in our Spanish community, contact Servant Sisters of the Home of the Mother:
[email protected].