On Confirmation
The second sacrament associated with initiation into the Catholic Church is the Sacrament of Confirmation. In order to understand Confirmation, it is useful to understand Pentecost. The word “Pentecost” is a Greek name for the Jewish feast of “Shavuot” or “weeks”. Shavuot is a feast that was celebrated 49 days after Passover (i.e. on the 50th day). Hence the Greek name “Pentecost” which means “fiftieth.” The Feast of Pentecost commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles. Following from this, it may be said that the Sacrament of Confirmation is a personal Pentecost, whereby the Holy Spirit comes upon the individual.
The word Confirmation is defined as being “strengthened with”. That is to say, that Confirmation builds upon and strengthens the baptismal sacrament by drawing the confirmand deeper into the divine life of God. In addition, the confirmand is provided with the gifts of the Holy Spirit. These gifts are enumerated as wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. The gifts are based on the characteristics that the Messiah would possess (see Book of Isaiah 11:2–3). These gifts were initially given to the apostles (see John 7:39 and 20:22), who later would impart these gifts on others as depicted in Acts 8:14–17.
In accord with apostolic succession, the bishop is the ordinary minister of Confirmation. The bishop will extend his hands over those who are to be confirmed, pray that they may receive the Holy Spirit, and anoint the forehead of each with holy chrism (an oil) in the form of a cross. Holy chrism is a mixture of olive oil and balm, consecrated by the bishop. Oil was used in the Old Testament to anoint priests, prophets, and kings. To be so anointed is to become a member of “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation” (1 Peter 2:9). So it is with Confirmation that the confirmand becomes a member of the body of Christ. In anointing the person, the bishop will normally speak, “I sign thee with the sign of the cross, and I confirm thee with the charism of salvation, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”
Having been freed from the bonds of original sin by the Sacrament of Baptism, Confirmation unites us more closely to God and binds us more perfectly to His mystical body, the Church.
