Sacrament Of Confirmation Essay

Confirmation

A distinct difference between the Catholic Church and other Christian denominations, aside from the Eucharist, is the Sacrament of Confirmation. In it, God seals us with a mark of His divine protection, God gives us a disposition for His Grace, and we assign ourselves to a vocation to serve His Church (CCC, 1121).

Catholics often associate Confirmation with the same symbols of the Holy Spirit—fire, a wax seal, and holy oil—to acknowledge the Holy Spirit’s descending down on the recipients and giving them God’s Grace and protection. Catholics often use the symbol of fire to reference the New Testament when the Apostles receive the Holy Spirit at Pentecost in Acts 2:1-4:

“1When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together.

2And suddenly there came from the sky a noise

like a strong driving wind, and it
filled the entire house in which they were.
3Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on
each one of them
4And they were all filled with the holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues,
as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.”
This represents the Holy Spirit igniting a flame of zeal within the confirmandi.

Furthermore, a wax seal is often used to portray an indelible mark on the soul. Confirmation is one of three Sacraments that places an indelible mark on the soul, along with Baptism and Holy Orders. Historically, masters or owners used a seal to mark their property or servants (CCC, 1295) In this, God claims us as His own with His seal upon our souls that cannot be washed away. Jesus also states in the New Testament that He is marked with His Father’s seal (Jn, 6:27). Lastly, Confirmation bears a large connection with oil. In the Sacrament, the bishop uses oil to anoint the recipient as a spiritual seal. This relates with the Old Testament in which it was used to anoint kings, heal people, and denote beauty and abundance (CCC, 1294). Using this oil, we are consecrated and anointed with Christ (CCC, 1295). Saint Thomas Aquinas affirms the importance of the oil in the Tertia Pars, question seventy-two of Article Two in his work Summa Theologica by stating that the Church uses oil in Confirmation much like the Holy Spirit used fire on Pentecost: to give an outward sign of God’s

work.
Additionally, Confirmation takes place in a Holy Mass. In order to be eligible to receive Confirmation, the candidate must be aware of Church teachings about the Holy Spirit and the power of the Holy Spirit. Furthermore, they cannot be aware of any grave sin. A person must have a fully initiated Catholic, or sponsor, accompany them in their journey to become a full Catholic. Additionally, the candidate chooses a saint upon whom to model their faith life and journey to holiness. The Bishop presides over the Mass because he is the only person with the delegated power to administer the Sacrament of Confirmation. The Mass continues as normal until after the homily. When the homily ends, the candidates renew their baptismal promises, signifying that Confirmation is a continuation of Baptism as one of the Sacraments of Initiation. The bishop then performs the Laying on of Hands, invoking the presence of the Holy Spirit. The bishop anoints the candidates with Chrism oil, giving the indelible seal, through the Holy Spirit. He then states, “Be sealed with the Holy Spirit,” to which the candidate responds, “Amen.” In the regular Sunday Mass, there is no glaring reminder of our Confirmation; however, it is important to remember that Confirmation makes us full members of the Church. To fully participate in Mass, Confirmation is required.
As Tertullian states in Chapter Eight in his work On the Resurrection of the Flesh, Confirmation is needed alongside baptism and the Eucharist to prepare the soul for entrance into God’s Kingdom: Baptism to cleanse it, Eucharist to nourish it, and Confirmation to anoint and consecrate it. In this way we please God by relying on Him to provide for us and give us salvation, and in this way we are better fit to reside with Him in Heaven.