Confirmation
On Confirmation St Hippolytus of Rome in in book Apostolic Tradition wrote the following. ":The bishop will then lay his hand upon them, invoking 'Lord God, you who have made these worthy of the removal of sins by the bath of regeneration, make them worthy to be filled with your Holy Spirit, grant to them your grace, that they might serve you according to your will, for to you is the glory Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in the Holy Church now and throughout the ages of ages, Amen" After this he pours the oil into his hand and then laying his hand on each of their heads, says "I anoint you with oil in God the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit" Then after sealing each of the on their forehead, "he shall give them the kiss of peace and say "The Lord be with you", and the one who has been baptised shall say "And with your spirit" So shall he do to each one. Apostolic Tradition
This is the form of Confirmation even to this day. But why Confirmation and Baptism.? It is certainly true that Adults will receive both at the same time but children will wait until early adulthood, so why? Baptism infuses the soul with many of the graces lost to mankind through the is of Adam. The Holy Spirit dwells in the soul and guards it from the temptations of the world and moves us to love. Confirmation however is the Holy Spirit coming into us in a special way as on that First Pentecost He came in tongues of fire and inspired the Apostles to go out and preach the Gospel. He was there guiding and with the gifts of wisdom,, understanding, Council, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety and Fear of the Lord they had the courage to speak fearlessly and surprised probably even themselves by gaining 3,000 converts in the first day.
But how does that work today. There are many priests and lay people who will tell you stories like my own. I was once as a lay person doing parish work in Newcastle. I and a partner knocked at a door and the woman was so welcome. She told us her story. She had been married or many years to a wonderful husband and they shared everything but the Catholic Fath although as a non-catholic he often went to Mass with her. I suggested we return my partner and I that evening and talk to him. When we returned and started talking I, who was just twenty, started talking about marriage and its wonderful gifts and the sharing of everything, and how his wife loved him so much she wanted to share her Faith. It just poured out of me and we had the woman weeping and even my partner weeping. My partner told me I was just wonderful in what I said and I replied "You do not really believe that I knew what I was talking about, I have not insight into marriage, that was the Holy Spirit" The Holy Spirit certainly was not having me spoiling the only chance the woman's prayers would be fulfilled.
What is sad in today's Church is that young people no longer love the Church nor Christ and when asked to make their Confirmation so many refuse and only go to 'please their parents'. That was not true in my day and it is time we all stopped saying everything is wonderful and look at the mess we have made.
This is the form of Confirmation even to this day. But why Confirmation and Baptism.? It is certainly true that Adults will receive both at the same time but children will wait until early adulthood, so why? Baptism infuses the soul with many of the graces lost to mankind through the is of Adam. The Holy Spirit dwells in the soul and guards it from the temptations of the world and moves us to love. Confirmation however is the Holy Spirit coming into us in a special way as on that First Pentecost He came in tongues of fire and inspired the Apostles to go out and preach the Gospel. He was there guiding and with the gifts of wisdom,, understanding, Council, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety and Fear of the Lord they had the courage to speak fearlessly and surprised probably even themselves by gaining 3,000 converts in the first day.
But how does that work today. There are many priests and lay people who will tell you stories like my own. I was once as a lay person doing parish work in Newcastle. I and a partner knocked at a door and the woman was so welcome. She told us her story. She had been married or many years to a wonderful husband and they shared everything but the Catholic Fath although as a non-catholic he often went to Mass with her. I suggested we return my partner and I that evening and talk to him. When we returned and started talking I, who was just twenty, started talking about marriage and its wonderful gifts and the sharing of everything, and how his wife loved him so much she wanted to share her Faith. It just poured out of me and we had the woman weeping and even my partner weeping. My partner told me I was just wonderful in what I said and I replied "You do not really believe that I knew what I was talking about, I have not insight into marriage, that was the Holy Spirit" The Holy Spirit certainly was not having me spoiling the only chance the woman's prayers would be fulfilled.
What is sad in today's Church is that young people no longer love the Church nor Christ and when asked to make their Confirmation so many refuse and only go to 'please their parents'. That was not true in my day and it is time we all stopped saying everything is wonderful and look at the mess we have made.
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