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Confirmation

Personal The outward sign. comes, he will guide you into all the To understand the significance of The outward sign, what we see truth; for he will not speak on his the of Confirmation it is and hear, is the with own authority, but whatever he essential to see that Confirmation is (holy oil) on the forehead, hears he will speak, and he will the Christian's personal Pentecost. which is done by the imposition of declare to you the things that are to The teaches this: The hands, and these words, Be sealed come. (John 16:7ff). He also told sacrament of Confirmation is the with the gift of the . It is them, But you shall receive power full outpouring of the Holy Spirit as usually a who gives this when the Holy Spirit has come upon once granted to the on the but in some cases a you; and you shall be my witnesses day of Pentecost (# 1302) Before in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Pentecost, the Apostles were Samaria and to the end of the fearful, confused and secretive, earth. (Acts 1:8) And behold, I gathering only behind locked doors. send the promise of my Father upon But, Suddenly from up in the sky you; but stay in the city, until you there came a noise, like a strong are clothed with power from on driving wind which was heard all high. (Lk 24:49) Within days, while through the house where they were they were gathered in prayer, the seated. Tongues as of fire appeared Holy Spirit descended on them like which parted and came to rest on tongues of fire (See Acts 2:1-4 each of them. All were filled with recounted earlier in this flyer). The the Holy Spirit. They began Apostles began to boldly proclaim to..make bold proclamations as the the from that day on. Those Spirit prompted them. (Acts 2:1-4) who believed in the apostolic Consider the change in these men! preaching were baptized. But in They had been fearful and addition to these apostles confused. Now they are courageous, also laid hands on the faithful that boldly proclaiming with they might receive the Holy Spirit. insight and an effectiveness so great Sometimes this was done at the time that three thousand were added that of baptism and sometimes it was very day to their number. This is done later. Consider for example what can happen when we really these two texts. When the Apostles yield to the power of the Holy in Jerusalem heard that Samaria Spirit. It is in the Sacrament of had accepted the word of God, they Confirmation that we called to may also celebrate it. sent Peter and John to them. The experience the outpouring of the two went down to these people and Holy Spirit to strengthen us for our Established by prayed that they might receive the mission of spreading and defending Jesus promised to send the Holy Holy Spirit. It had not as yet come our . Spirit. For example, Nevertheless I down upon them any of them since tell you the truth: it is to your they had only been baptized in the You may recall that we have advantage that I go away, for if I do name of the Lord Jesus. The pair, defined a sacrament as “an outward not go away, the Counselor will not upon arriving imposed hands on sign, established by Christ to give come to you; but if I go, I will send them and they received the Holy us grace.” It will be helpful for us him to you....I have yet many things Spirit." (Acts 8:15-19) This text to consider how Confirmation meets to say to you, but you cannot bear shows some separation between the this definition. them now. When the Spirit of truth time of baptism and the time of confirmation (the “receiving of the on the day of Pentecost. Fearful is just too much that needs to be Spirit). The text also explains our men behind locked doors came forth done in proclaiming the Kingdom. tradition of generally to joyfully, effectively and boldly We must speak boldly for Christ reserving the sacrament for the proclaim Christ. Thus, the essential and announce his salvation day after bishop to celebrate since, in the grace (or gift) of the sacrament of day. [F]or God did not give us a early , the Apostles made it Confirmation is that we should be spirit of timidity but a spirit of part of their mission to impose equipped for mission. And what is power and love and self control. Do hands for the outpouring of the that mission? Again the Catechism not be ashamed then of testifying to Spirit. Phillip the Deacon had teaches, Jesus Christ has marked a our Lord..!(2 Tim 1:7-8) And this performed the in Samaria Christian with the seal of his Spirit gift is not just for some; every but he waited for the apostles to by clothing him with power from on member of the faithful is called to confirm them in the Spirit. This high so that he may be his witness receive a special out-pouring of the next text shows the Paul (# 1304).The Catechism also Holy Spirit. baptizing. Because he, an apostle is teaches how the sacrament present, there is no delay in accomplishes this great We have a mission to spread the confirming the newly baptized in strengthening within us: Gospel in union with the Church by the Spirit "When they heard this, Confirmation...is the sacrament what we say and what we do. It is [Paul's preaching] they were which gives the Holy Spirit in order tragic indeed that so many have seen baptized in the name of the Lord to root us more deeply in the divine fit to leave this essential task to Jesus. As Paul laid his hands on filiation, incorporate us more firmly others. There is a saying that is them, the Holy Spirit came down into Christ, strengthen our bond sadly true: "Evil triumphs when the upon them and they began to speak with the Church, associate us more good remain silent." Is this not in tongues and utter prophecies." closely with her mission, and help what has happened in our day? How (Acts 19:5-6) us bear witness to the Christian could a nation with so many faith in words accompanied by living in its midst have so Biblical deeds (# 1316). See too how this many confused and lost sheep? If Thus we see that the sacrament of sacrament is given to us not only the Apostles could be so changed Confirmation is biblical. Jesus for our own sakes but also for the for their mission by the Holy Spirit, promised the Spirit and did in fact world: ...enriched with a special so can we. We are called to spread send Him on the day of Pentecost. strength of the Holy Spirit...the that faith handed down from the The Apostles understood that they [confirmed] are, as true witnesses Apostles to our family, friends, co- were not to keep this experience to of Christ, more strictly obliged to workers and neighbors. And we themselves. So, as the catechism spread and defend the faith...( # must do so in season and out of teaches, From that time on the 1285) Further, A candidate for season. In our Confirmation Christ apostles, in fulfillment of Christ's Confirmation...[must] be prepared unites us more firmly to himself and will, imparted to the newly baptized to assume the role of disciple and his Church, increases the gifts of by the the gift of witness to Christ, both within the the Holy Spirit within us and gives the Spirit that completes the grace ecclesial community and in us special strength to live holy lives of Baptism....The imposition of temporal affairs [i.e. “the world”] and to spread and defend the faith hands is rightly recognized by the (# 1319). (see 1303). It is in Confirmation Catholic tradition as the origin of especially that Christ lays his hands the sacrament of Confirmation, The Importance of our call upon us to strengthen us for this which in a certain way perpetuates mission of evangelization. The task the grace of Pentecost in the More than ever, we need to take the may seem daunting but this is Church. (# 1288) power of God given in this exactly why Christ himself sacrament seriously. All too strengthens us so that we can truly The Graces of Confirmation frequently many Catholics are say I can do all things in Christ, In terms of appreciating what hindered by fear and confusion who strengthens me. (Phil 4:13) Confirmation does for us we must from proclaiming to the recall what happened to the apostles world. This need not be so. There © 1998, Rev Charles