Confirmation

In the west we are familiar with Confirmation being delayed until a later moment in life (in the Diocese of Erie, young people are Confirmed in their junior year of high school) and seldom is it administered at the moment of baptism.

We see the same phenomenon in the New Testament book of Acts, when the apostles baptized a convert. They laid their hands on the new believer:

“On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them; and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.” (Acts 19:5-6)

And when the apostles were not present, other believers baptized the converts. Then the apostles confirmed the baptism when they were in the area.

“Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God they sent to them Peter and John, who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit; for it had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit. (Acts 8: 14-17)

From these two accounts we can see that confirmation completes baptism.[1]

The confirmed receives the out-pouring of the Holy Spirit that happened to the apostles at Pentecost. And they are strengthened or fortified with His 7-fold gifts (Wisdom, Knowledge, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Piety, and Fear of the Lord.)

This strengthening is symbolically represented by the use of Sacred Chrism – a mixture of olive oil and balm, which the bishop blesses on Holy Thursday.

In ancient times athletes used to anoint their bodies with oil to limber up their muscles. The oil used in the sacraments symbolizes strength of soul.

The character of Confirmation gives us the power to be soldiers in Christ’s army, fighting with Him against evil. We do not fight against persons, but for them as an army of liberation to free them from the enemies of the soul.

Our weapons are:

Suffering and sacrifice.
Prayer – Our Lady told the children at Fatima, “Many Souls go to hell because they have no one to pray for and make sacrifices for them.”
Good example – Our example ought to encourage people to inquire into the Catholic Faith.
Encouragement

The gifts of the Holy Spirit help us by making us more alert to discern and more ready to do the will of God.

The Gifts of the Holy Spirit enable us to catch the breath of the Holy Spirit, moving the ship of our soul much faster and farther than we could ever sail it by using the virtues ourselves.

The power of the Holy Spirit, which our ship catches by unfolding the sails of the gifts, enables us to do even things that are humanly impossible. It is the gifts of the Holy Spirit in the souls of the saints that explain the seemingly impossible things in their lives.[2]