Season 2. Ep 33. Confirmation

What does the Sacrament of Confirmation do? If you were Confirmed, did it mark a turning point in your life? If you have not been Confirmed, do you feel like you are missing something? The Catechism says that the “effect of the sacrament of Confirmation is the full outpouring of the Holy Spirit as once granted to the apostles on the day of Pentecost”. Is this true in our lives? This episode of Physically Spiritual explores how to live the Sacrament of Confirmation.

Video Version

Audio Version

Timestamps

4:00 My Conversion & Confirmation

6:00 The History of Confirmation

8:00 How Confirmation Happens

10:45 The Effects of Confirmation

18:00 What Confirmation Can Do

25:00 Grace at the Opportune Moment

28:00 Charisms

32:30 Living Confirmation

Notes

Sacramentum Tantum

“The essential rite of the sacrament follows. In the Latin rite, "the sacrament of Confirmation is conferred through the anointing with chrism on the forehead, which is done by the laying on of the hand, and through the words: 'Accipe signaculum doni Spiritus Sancti' [Be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit.]." In the Eastern Churches of Byzantine rite, after a prayer of epiclesis, the more significant parts of the body are anointed with myron: forehead, eyes, nose, ears, lips, chest, back, hands, and feet. Each anointing is accompanied by the formula ‘SfragiV dwreaV PneumatoV ˘Agiou’ (Signaculum doni Spiritus Sancti): ‘the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit.’” Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1300. - http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p2s2c1a2.htm

Res et Sacramentum

“Baptism, the Eucharist, and the sacrament of Confirmation together constitute the "sacraments of Christian initiation," whose unity must be safeguarded. It must be explained to the faithful that the reception of the sacrament of Confirmation is necessary for the completion of baptismal grace. For "by the sacrament of Confirmation, [the baptized] are more perfectly bound to the Church and are enriched with a special strength of the Holy Spirit. Hence they are, as true witnesses of Christ, more strictly obliged to spread and defend the faith by word and deed." CCC, 1285. - Ibid. (I added the emphasis)

Seal/Mark/Character of the Sacrament

“By this anointing the confirmand receives the "mark," the seal of the Holy Spirit. A seal is a symbol of a person, a sign of personal authority, or ownership of an object. Hence soldiers were marked with their leader's seal and slaves with their master's. A seal authenticates a juridical act or document and occasionally makes it secret.” CCC, 1295. - Ibid.

“Like Baptism which it completes, Confirmation is given only once, for it too imprints on the soul an indelible spiritual mark, 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, 1304. - Ibid.

“This "character" perfects the common priesthood of the faithful, received in Baptism, and "the confirmed person receives the power to profess faith in Christ publicly and as it were officially (quasi ex officio)."” CCC, 1305. - Ibid.

“From this fact, Confirmation brings an increase and deepening of baptismal grace:

- it roots us more deeply in the divine filiation which makes us cry, "Abba! Father!";

- it unites us more firmly to Christ;

- it increases the gifts of the Holy Spirit in us;

- it renders our bond with the Church more perfect;

- it gives 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” CCC, 1303. - Ibid.

Res Tantum

“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.’” CCC, 1294. - Ibid.

“It is evident from its celebration that the effect of the sacrament of Confirmation is the full outpouring of the Holy Spirit as once granted to the apostles on the day of Pentecost.” CCC, 1302. - Ibid.

“Baptism is our Christian birth; Confirmation brings us to Christian maturity. [...] It endows the corresponding strength and confers on us the right to receive, at the opportune moment, the actual graces necessary to remain faithful to God, in spite of the difficulties and obstacles we may encounter.”  Fr. Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalen, OCD, Divine Intimacy, p. 209

The ALPHA Film Series, “Who is the Holy Spirit?” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObPGoqNAI10

Charisms

“There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; there are different forms of service but the same Lord; there are different workings but the same God who produces all of them in everyone. To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit. To one is given through the Spirit the expression of wisdom; to another the expression of knowledge 

according to the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit; to another mighty deeds; to another prophecy; to another discernment of spirits; to another varieties of tongues; to another interpretation of tongues.  But one and the same Spirit produces all of these, distributing them individually to each person as he wishes.” 1 Cor 12: 4 - 11 - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1corinthians/12

“Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us exercise them: if prophecy, in proportion to the faith; if ministry, in ministering; if one is a teacher, in teaching; if one exhorts, in exhortation; if one contributes, in generosity; if one is over others, with diligence; if one does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.” Romans 12: 6 - 8 - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/romans/12

The Rite for Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) - https://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/who-we-teach/christian-initiation-of-adults