Foundations of Confirmation

Purpose: Confirmation gives people the
courage to…

•

do what they know to be right, even
when others mock their beliefs

•

defend the Truth even when people
deny that truth exists

•

profess their faith in Christ even when
no one else believes

Names

• Confirmation (with strength) – in the

Latin Rite (Roman Catholic)

• Chrismation (anointing – made like

Christ) – in Eastern Catholic Rites

• Laying on of Hands (given authority) – in

Scripture

Confirmation - Sacrament of the Holy Spirit

Christ

When Christ was baptized, who descended upon Him? - the Holy Spirit

What term means “anointed one”? - Messiah (Hebrew); Christ (Greek)

What did he immediately do after that? - Be tested by the Devil, begin his public ministry

Then, what he begin?

The Church

When was the Church anointed with the Holy Spirit? - Pentecost (Acts 1, 2)

What did the Church do after that? - They were baptized and received the Holy Spirit

What opposition did the Church face? - extreme persecution, martyred in many cases

Confirmation - for the Christian

We are anointed with the Chrism – and are strengthened by the Holy Spirit

We become “anointed ones” – the Imago Christi

We are called to live as a witness to Christ in the world

We will face opposition as Christ did, both external (persecution) and internal (battling concupiscence)

Christ → Church → Confirmation

•Baptism

•Physical parallel - generation/ birth

•Spiritual need helped - fixes the
absence of spiritual life

•Key virtue - faith (trust)

•Confirmation

•Physical parallel - growth +
perfection of strength

•Spiritual need helped - strengthens
against infirmity in the soul

•Key virtue - fortitude (courage)

•Eucharist

•Physical parallel - nourishment

•Spiritual need helped - defends
against proneness to sin

•Key virtue - charity (love)

Sacraments of Initiation

Military Service

Spiritual Service

•Spiritual protection and service – help others get to heaven

•Signed with the Cross

•Educated in the faith – faith needs to be exercised

•Given the gifts of the Holy Spirit

•Religious instruction/ practice faith

•Accountability to God, Church, and self

•Protect and serve country

•Insignia of the country

•Trained in boot camp – skills need to be practiced

•Given battle gear/ weapons

•Learn how to use them

Confirmation →

“Soldiers for Christ”

• HS helps us to move beyond

fear/ complacency to boldness
(Acts 2)

• Accomplish holiness and perfection (beyond natural)

• We need to cooperate (ex opere operantis)

for full effect

• We are able to embrace our

struggles as a path to holiness

• We are called to act upon our

roles that we have been given as
priest, prophet, and king

• How do we act as priests? - offering 'right praise', properly order our lives

• How do we act as prophets? - speak the truth in love, with courage + confidence

• How do we act as kings? - living out our responsibilities through our vocation

Supernatural Strength