The Sacrament of Confirmation
In him you also, when you had heard the
word of truth, the gospel of your
salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the
promised Holy Spirit;
Ephesians 1, 13
In Catholic teaching, a sacrament is a visible sign
that points to an invisible reality. As a means of divine grace, a sacrament
constitutes an event in the life of a Christian from the point of initiation
into the faith that is both physical and spiritual. The Sacrament of Baptism,
for instance, is physical in that blessed water is used on the recipient by
either pouring water on their heads or immersing them in water. This sacrament
is spiritual in that the water washes the soul and cleanses it from the stain
of original sin by the operation of the Holy Spirit. In effect, the soul is
sanctified and healed by divine grace, and the believer is restored to standing
just before God and regenerated from being a child of Adam to being an adopted
child of God. A sacrament presupposes the faith of the recipient. A sacrament
nourishes and strengthens the soul and allows the recipient to express their
faith by joining their words with the sacramental elements.
According to the Catholic Dictionary, a sacrament is
“a sensible sign, instituted by Jesus Christ, by which invisible grace and
inward sanctification are communicated to the soul. The essential elements of a
sacrament of the New Law are institution by Christ the God-man during his
visible stay on earth and a sensibly perceptible rite that confers
the supernatural grace it symbolizes. In a broad sense, every external sign of
an internal divine blessing is a sacrament. And in this sense, there were already
sacraments in the Old Law, such as circumcision. But, as the
Council of Trent defined, these ancient rites differed essentially from the
sacraments of the New Law; they did not really contain the grace they
signified, nor was the fullness of grace yet available through visible channels
merited and established by the Savior.” A sacrament derives its efficacy ex
opere operato, by which we mean it is effective independently from the merits
of the minister and the recipient. Its effect is produced by the Holy Spirit's operation through the ritual act's formula.
In the Catholic faith, a sacrament is administered in
a symbolic rite that allows a person to connect with God. It is
an outward sign of an objective inward reality instituted by
Christ to channel his grace. The sacramental symbols or
elements translate physical realities into spiritual realities, thereby joining
the physical world with the spiritual world, just as the human person is a
composite of body and soul. In the physical world, we are drawn to God, who is Spirit and connected to Him as His children through the medium of a sacrament. By receiving a sacrament, we ascend from the physical to the
spiritual reality while connecting the two as we continue living in
this world to attain eternal life with God through His grace.
There are seven sacraments in the Catholic Church: Baptism, Confirmation, Penance, the Eucharist, the Anointing of the Sick, Holy Matrimony, and Holy Orders. The seven sacraments “touch all the stages and important moments in the Christian life: they give birth and increase, healing, and mission to the Christian’s life of faith.” Therefore, there is “a certain resemblance between the stages of natural life and the stages of supernatural life” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1210). These seven sacraments are categorized into three groups: the sacraments of initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, the Eucharist), the sacraments of healing (Penance or Reconciliation, the Anointing of the Sick), and the sacraments of service (Holy Matrimony, Holy Orders). All seven sacraments are God-given gifts given to us out of love.
But you will receive power when the Holy
Spirit comes upon you,
Acts 1, 8
In this article, we will examine the Sacrament of
Confirmation that essentially confers the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit:
wisdom, knowledge, understanding, counsel, fortitude, piety, and fear of the
Lord (See Isaiah 11:1-2). As with all the sacraments, the recipient of the
Sacrament of Confirmation must first be baptized and be at least seven years
old. Normally, Catholic children are confirmed between the ages of ten and
twelve, having reached greater intellectual and moral maturity.
The Sacrament of Baptism or Initiation is completed by the Sacrament of Confirmation since the Christian is “enriched and strengthened” by the Holy Spirit when they are confirmed and “bound more closely to the Church as members of Christ’s mystical body” (CCC, 1285). The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit aid the faithful in fulfilling their baptismal commitments.
Moreover, grace is added to grace to enable the
believer to continue to grow in holiness and strive for divine perfection as a
partaker of the divine life in the hope of inheriting eternal life with God.
The Samarians who were baptized received the fullness of the Holy Spirit when the elders confirmed them (Acts 8:14-17). They received this sacrament
that was instituted by Christ to further strengthen them in their faith as
adults. Catholics believe Jesus instituted the sacrament or the rite of Confirmation
when he promised to send another counselor to empower his disciples to bear
witness (Jn 14:16; 15:26; 16:13; Acts 2:1-4). Through the waters of baptism, we
become disciples and followers of Christ. Whether we are baptized as infants,
adolescents, or adults, we are always in spiritual formation and
growth.
Baptism is a call to discipleship. This call to
discipleship and obedience is a call to subjugate our lives to the teachings of
Christ and the Word of God. Being baptized expresses the desire to be immersed
in the word and will of God. Seeking God’s will for us is a natural derivative
of baptism, and this involves being willing to enter into a life of service to
God and others by performing corporal and spiritual works of mercy. Without
the spiritual gifts of the Holy Spirit, we couldn’t possibly live up to our
baptismal commitments in the steadfastness of faith and thereby be rewarded
with the gift of eternal life (2 Cor 5:1-10; Eph 1:13-14; 4:30).
I believe it is Paul who gives instructions about the
“laying on of hands” concerning the Sacrament of Confirmation and having
reached the age of maturity (Heb 6: 2). Indeed, he laid hands on the baptized
Ephesians to seal them with the Holy Spirit so that they should receive His
gifts to be faithful disciples and followers of Christ (Acts 19:5-6). “There
are different kinds of gifts. But they are all given to believers by the same
Spirit. There are different ways to serve. But they all come from the same
Lord. There are different ways the Spirit works. But the same God is working in
all these ways and in all people. The Holy Spirit is specially given to each of us. That is for the good of all” (1 Cor 12:4-7).
Paul continues by enumerating what the special gifts
of the Holy Spirit are for those who have been confirmed by the laying on of
hands. “To some people, the Spirit gives a message of wisdom. To others, the
same Spirit gives a message of knowledge. To others, the same Spirit gives
faith. To others, that one Spirit gives gifts of healing. To others, he gives
the power to do miracles. To others, he gives the ability to prophesy. To
others, he gives the ability to tell the spirits apart. To others, he allows them to speak different languages they had not known before. To others, he gives them the ability to explain what was said in those
languages. All the gifts are produced by one and the same Spirit. He gives
gifts to each person, just as he decides” (1 Cor 12:8-11). Jesus himself
declares that his heavenly Father has set His seal on him (Jn 6:27). In turn,
Jesus sets his seal on the Apostles and all his disciples in the initiatory
sacraments of Baptism and afterward Confirmation (Rev 14:1).
The anointing with oil in the rite of Confirmation
signifies and imprints a spiritual seal. “Anointing, in Biblical and other
ancient symbolism, is rich in meaning: oil is a sign of abundance and joy; it
cleanses (anointing before and after a bath) and limbers (the anointing of
athletes and wrestlers); oil is a sign of healing since it is soothing to
bruises and wounds; and it makes radiant with beauty, health, and strength.”
Moreover, “anointing with oil has all these meanings in the sacramental life. The
pre-baptismal anointing with the oil of catechumens signifies cleansing and
strengthening; the anointing of the sick expresses healing and comfort. The
post-baptismal anointing with sacred chrism in Confirmation and ordination is
the sign of consecration. By Confirmation, Christians, that is, those who are anointed, share more completely in the mission of Jesus Christ and the fullness of the Holy Spirit with which he is filled so that their lives may give off “the aroma of Christ” (cf. 2 Cor 2:15) (CCC, 1294).
By this anointing with oil, those confirmed
receive the ”mark” or the “seal” of the Holy Spirit. A seal is a sign or mark
of “personal authority.” We who have been baptized and confirmed have the
authority to evangelize or give witness to the faith by our words and actions
because we bear the seal of the Holy Spirit. The seal of the Holy Spirit also
signifies that we are God’s possession and must hold our allegiance to Christ.
In other words, we are divine property and servants of our Lord and Master
Jesus Christ who must live our lives in keeping with his laws and serve others
in love just as our Lord came into this world to serve humanity in love through
the corporal and spiritual works of mercy (Mk 10:42-45; Jn 13:14; 15:12; Rom
15:14; Gal 5:13; 6:2; Eph 4:32; 5:21; 1 Thess 5:11; Heb 6:10; Phil 2:7; 1 Jn
4:7; 1 Pet 2:21; 2 Pet 4:10, etc.).
Paul tells us: “It is God who establishes us with you
in Christ and has commissioned us; he has also put his seal on us and given us
his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee” (2 Cor 1:21-22). Thus, the seal of the Holy Spirit marks our belonging to Christ and, through him, our Father in heaven. The common priesthood of all believers is joined with the ministerial
priesthood of the ordained clergy. Our enrollment in his service is a lifetime
with the divine protection of the Holy Spirit (1 Pet 1:5). So, we who have been
baptized and confirmed mustn’t “grieve the Holy Spirit” but remain faithful in
our life of service to God and neighbor (Eph 4:30).
The celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation is preceded by the consecration of the sacred chrism, which, in a sense, is still part of the administration of the sacrament. Chrism is the holy oil through which
the sacrament is conferred. In the Roman Catholic rite, a bishop anoints the
head of the confirmand with the chrism, including laying on hands.
The anointment signifies the full bestowment of grace on the recipient. As the
bishop stretches his hand over each confirmand, he invokes the Holy Spirit upon
them for His special outpouring of gifts. The sacred chrism symbolizes the inner
healing and strength needed to be genuine followers of Christ.
Thus, the Sacrament of Confirmation is important
because it allows the baptized believer to confirm their baptismal promises and
enables them to fully live up to their baptismal commitments in charity and
grace. The bishop invokes the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in these words:
“All-powerful
God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, by water and the Holy Spirit you freed
your
sons and daughters from sin and gave them new life. Send your Holy Spirit
upon them to be their
helper and guide. Give them the spirit of wisdom and
understanding, the spirit of right judgment
and courage, the spirit of
knowledge and reverence. Fill them with the spirit of wonder and awe in
your
presence. We ask this through Christ our Lord.”
The sign of peace that concludes the sacramental rite signifies and demonstrates ecclesial communion with the bishop and
with all the faithful.
Hence, the effect of the Sacrament of Confirmation is
the special outpouring of the Holy Spirit, which was once granted to the apostles and the disciples in the upper room on Pentecost. Confirmation brings a
deepening of grace by rooting us more deeply “in the divine filiation,” uniting
us “more firmly in Christ,” increasing “the gifts of the Holy Spirit in us,”
rendering our “bond with the Church more perfect,” and giving us “a special
strength of the Holy Spirit to spread and defend the faith by word and action
as true witnesses of Christ, to confess the name of Christ boldly, and never to
be ashamed of the Cross.”
Not unlike Baptism, which it completes, the sacrament
is given only once. This is because it also imprints an indelible spiritual
mark on the soul (the character), which is “the sign that Jesus Christ has
marked a Christian with the seal of his Spirit by clothing him with power from
on high so that he may be his witness.” (CCC, 1303) A candidate for
Confirmation who has attained the age of reason must profess the faith, be in
the state of grace, have the intention of receiving the sacrament, and be
prepared to assume the role of disciple and witness to Christ, both within the
ecclesial community and in temporal affairs.
May the God of hope fill you with all
joy and peace as you trust in him,
so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15, 13
Early Sacred Tradition
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“And
about your laughing at me and calling me “Christian,” you know not what you are
saying.
First, because that which is anointed is sweet and serviceable, and far
from contemptible. For
what ship can be serviceable and seaworthy unless it be
first caulked [anointed]? Or what castle
or house is beautiful and serviceable
when it has not been anointed? And what man, when he
enters into this life or
into the gymnasium, is not anointed with oil? And what work has either
ornament
or beauty unless it be anointed and burnished? Then the air and all that is
under
heaven is in a certain sort anointed by light and spirit; and are you
unwilling to be anointed with
the oil of God? Wherefore we are called
Christians on this account because we are anointed with
the oil of God.”
St. Theophilus of Antioch, To Autolycus, I:12
(A.D. 181)
“‘And
she said to her maids, Bring me oil.’ For faith and love prepare oil and
unguents to those
who are washed. But what were these unguents, but the
commandments of the holy Word? And
what was the oil, but the power of the Holy
Spirit, with which believers are anointed as with
ointment after the layer of
washing? All these things were figuratively represented in the blessed
Susannah, for our sakes, that we who now believe on God might not regard the
things that are
done now in the Church as strange but believe them all to have
been set forth in figure by the
patriarchs of old, as the apostle also says:
‘Now these things happened unto them for ensamples:
and they were written for
our instruction, on whom the ends of the world are come.’”
St. Hippolytus, Commentary on Daniel, 6;18
(A.D. 204)
“It
is also necessary that he should be anointed who is baptized; so that, having
received the chrism, that is, the anointing, he may be anointed of God, and
have
in him the grace of Christ. Further, it is the Eucharist whence the baptized
are
anointed with the oil sanctified on the altar. But he cannot sanctify the
creature
of oil, who has neither an altar nor a church; whence also there can be no
spiritual anointing among heretics, since it is manifest that the oil cannot be
sanctified nor the Eucharist celebrated at all among them. But we ought to know
and remember that it is written, ‘Let not the oil of a sinner anoint my head,’
which the Holy Spirit before forewarned in the Psalms, lest anyone going out of
the way and wandering from the path of truth should be anointed by heretics
and adversaries of Christ.”
St. Cyprian of Carthage, To Januarius, Epistle 70/69:2
(A.D. 255)
“‘And
your floors shall be filled with wheat, and the presses shall overflow
equally with wine and oil.’… This has
been fulfilled mystically by Christ, who gave
to the people whom He had redeemed, that is, to His Church, wheat and wine and
oil in a mystic manner…the oil is
the sweet unguent with which those who are
baptized are signed, being clothed in the armaments of the Holy Spirit.”
St. Ephraim of Syria, On Joel 2:24
(ante A.D. 373)
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“And
then remember that you received the seal of the Spirit; the spirit of wisdom
and understanding, the spirit of counsel and strength, the spirit of knowledge
and godliness, and the spirit of holy fear, and preserved what you received.
God
the Father sealed you, Christ the Lord strengthened you, and gave the earnest
of the Spirit in your heart, as you have learned in the lesson from the
Apostle.”
St. Ambrose, On the Mysteries, 7:42
(A.D. 391)
And I will ask the Father, and he will
give you another advocate
to help you and be with you forever.
John 14, 16
