Confirming the Gifts of the Spirit

My Brothers and Sisters in the Lord:

As we continue to celebrate the Easter season, it is appropriate during this month of May to reflect on the sacrament of confirmation. As I begin this column, it is important to recall why I am doing this series on sacraments and various forms of service within the Church.

Throughout 2006, as an archdiocese, one of our special commitments has been developing a "culture of vocation" – that is, appreciating in a renewed way the call of every Christian to live our baptismal relationship with the Lord through the gifts and challenges of our particular state in life as married, single, consecrated religious, permanent deacon, or ordained priest. All these vocations are specific ways that each of us is living out our call to holiness; ultimately, as the late theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar explained, there is one Christian state of life, one Christian vocation – that is, allowing Christ Jesus to live within us and work through us. Confirmation – a sacrament which completes baptism and confers a lifelong sacramental character, empowers us to worship the Lord in the Holy Eucharist and sends us forth in service and Christian witness of life – all expressions of "vocation."

Part of initiation
As I mentioned in last month's column on baptism, we should think of the three sacraments of baptism, confirmation and Holy Eucharist as one process of initiation with three different "moments." In the case of adults being baptized and/or received into the Church, confirmation and first Eucharist are usually part of the same celebration at the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday.

In the Eastern tradition of our Church (such as the Chaldean, Melkite, Byzantine, Maronite, etc.), the custom has been to maintain the ancient practice of the unity of these three Sacraments, even with the baptism of children. But in our Western or Latin tradition, those baptized at infancy receive first Eucharist and confirmation at a later date – sometime after the age of reason (generally understood to be 7 years of age).

Theological basis for confirmation
Many theologians who have reflected on this sacrament over the years have suggested that Confirmation is "a sacrament in search of the theology." What they mean is this: In terms of sacramental and liturgical theology, the sacrament of confirmation does not necessarily stand on its own; as part of the Rite of Initiation into the faith, its meaning and purpose would be seen as a complement to the saving grace and new life of Baptism.

Over the years, depending when you were confirmed, you may have been exposed to varying "theologies" or "spiritualities" for the sacrament of confirmation. For instance, in the 1940s and '50s when many of us were confirmed, the language "soldiers of Christ" was commonly used. At the time of Vatican II, the theme of "witness" became more prevalent inasmuch as it flows from references to the Holy Spirit in the Acts of the Apostles and the Gospels. In many places, since confirmation is celebrated in late adolescence or early adulthood, the emphasis has been on Confirmation as a rite of passage into an adult faith commitment.

Centuries ago, as St. Thomas Aquinas wrestled with the purpose of the sacrament of confirmation, he described it as a "deputation to worship." In other words, he saw the sacrament as giving a person the right and responsibility to be an active participant in the liturgical and sacramental life of the Church. Clearly, the sacrament has to do with strengthening, completing, and renewing the grace of Baptism. There is also an obvious link between Confirmation and readiness to share in the Lord's Body and Blood in the Holy Eucharist and a willingness to translate our relationship with the Lord into genuine, loving service of neighbor.

History of the sacrament
What can we say of the sacrament and its history? Basically, in the early Church, there was no separate sacrament of confirmation; rather, it was the anointing with chrism which immediately followed the act of baptism. The emergence of a separate ceremony for the giving of the Holy Spirit happened in the Latin or Western Church to emphasize the role of the bishop. People were baptized at infancy by the priest but confirmed by the bishop; the bishop represented the universal communion of the Church and the apostolic tradition of the Church. Confirmation, therefore, had to do with a deepening connection with the worldwide Church and its history.

Please note that while the bishop is the ordaining minister of the sacrament of confirmation, for pastoral reasons, canon law allows the diocesan bishop to appoint or delegate priest(s) with the faculty to confirm. In our own archdiocese, at this time, we have one episcopal vicar for the Northwest Region with this special faculty. Although he does not vest in the bishop's garb (miter and crozier) it is still a true and valid celebration of the sacrament. In this column, therefore, you will note I make reference to the bishop or "confirming prelate."

Sequence of the sacraments of initiation
Depending on our age, most of us probably received the Sacraments of Initiation in the following order: Baptism at infancy, first Communion at seven years of age, and Confirmation somewhere between the ages of ten and fourteen. Yet in the earliest Church, the sequence would always have been: Baptism, then Confirmation, then first Eucharist. Coming to the Lord's Table was the last part of initiation and not a "middle" step in the process.

In some dioceses of our country – including some in Michigan — confirmation is ordinarily administered prior to or at the time of first Eucharist, thus attempting to preserve the traditional order of the three Sacraments of Initiation. In most dioceses of the country, however – including our own – the normal pattern is for Confirmation to be administered around the eighth grade, thus allowing students optimum time for catechetical formation and service opportunities. At the age of later adolescence, the young Christian has a better sense of the commitment they are making.

The ceremony itself – Context of Holy Eucharist
First of all, it is important to note that since Vatican II and the revision of the Rite of Confirmation, the ordinary context for celebrating the sacrament is during the Holy Eucharist. Perhaps some of you recall that for logistical and practical reasons, Confirmation was often celebrated as a separate ceremony completely unconnected to the Holy Eucharist. Placing the sacrament within the context of the Eucharist is most fitting since both Holy Eucharist and Confirmation are part of one's initiation into full membership in the Church. Secondly, a confirmed member of the faith should be ready to assume full participation in the Holy Eucharist and to take on roles of service at the Eucharist and in the name of the Church. Confirmation brings about in us a deeper configuration to Jesus Christ and His three-fold mission as Priest, Prophet and Shepherd-King. And so it is fitting that as confirmed members of His Body, we share in the mystery of His sacrifice, the Holy Eucharist.

Like the other sacraments celebrated within the Eucharistic liturgy, Confirmation occurs at the conclusion of the Liturgy of the Word and prior to the Liturgy of the Eucharist. The Scriptures must be the readings if it is during Advent, Lent, or the Easter Season; otherwise, special readings referring to the Holy Spirit can be chosen from the Lectionary. In any event, these Scriptures receive commentary and homiletic explanation as the bishop or confirming prelate delivers the homily.

Homily
Many of us recall the older custom of the bishop walking up and down the aisle at Confirmation asking various questions from the catechism. The current thinking is that the ceremony itself is not an occasion to test people's catechetical readiness; presumably that has been done ahead of time by a process of formation and study for a year or more. The time of confirmation is a special moment for the bishop to give insightful teaching on the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of a Christian and how it applies to the circumstances of young adults in the world today.

The ritual calls for a dialogue between the pastor and the bishop along with candidates and sponsors; this dialogue precedes the homily. The pastor proposes the candidates for Confirmation and the bishop inquires if they are properly prepared. The pastor (and perhaps others) testify as to the candidates' readiness for the sacrament. The confirming prelate then inquires of the candidates as to whether they themselves truly desire to be confirmed at this time. He also asks the sponsors whether they feel the candidates are ready and whether they are willing to continue to support these candidates as mentors and guides in the future.

Invoking the seven-fold gifts of the Spirit
At the end of the homily, the candidates for confirmation renew their baptismal promises – rejecting the devil and all his empty works and promises, and professing their faith in God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The bishop or confirming prelate then extends his hands over the candidates and prays for the outpouring of the seven-fold gifts of the Holy Spirit: the gifts of wisdom and understanding, courage and right judgment, knowledge and reverence, and spirit of wonder and awe in the Lord's presence. These seven-fold gifts are referred to in Isaiah chapter 11 as blessings that flow upon and through the promised Messiah, the Anointed One. In our Christian tradition, we believe that those who are confirmed in the Holy Spirit receive these seven gifts as they are anointed in the name of the Lord.

Laying on of hands
The gesture of laying on of hands or extending of hands is a very important sign in the tradition of the Church as a means of invoking the presence and power of God's Holy Spirit. Recall that this same extension of hands is part of every Holy Eucharist in the prayer of Epiclesis before the consecration; it is also part of the prayer for absolution in anointing of the sick, the essential sign and the sacrament of Holy Orders, and it is also part of the ritual for the sacrament of anointing of the sick.

Marked with chrism
After the invocation of the Holy Spirit, each candidate comes forward and is marked with Sacred Chrism in the form of a cross as the bishop or confirming prelate says, "Be sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit." This prayer reminds us that the Holy Spirit is truly the gift of God the Father. Secondly, the formula emphasizes — "being sealed" that is, the Holy Spirit is claiming us for God and will be protecting and guiding us in all our ways.

A saint's name
Over the centuries, a custom emerged of a person taking a new name at the time of confirmation — the name of a favorite saint whose intercession and example the candidate would like to follow. In many parishes there is also the custom of reaffirming one's own baptismal name inasmuch as confirmation completes or seals our Baptism. Both traditions are quite acceptable; in either case, all our parishes encourage candidates to take seriously the significance of a saint's name and example for their daily lives.

Greeting of Peace
The ritual of confirmation concludes with a greeting of peace and handshake between the newly-confirmed and the bishop or confirming prelate. Many of us remember the slap that we received from the bishop as part of the prior ritual. Prior to Vatican II, the slap was indicative of the hardship a person could expect to bear for following the Gospel. With the reform of the liturgy, as in the ritual of ordination, after the giving of the Spirit, there is a sign of peace, welcoming and encouragement.

The support of the community
An important part of the sacrament of confirmation is the role of the sponsor and the rest of the community of faith who support the person in preparation for the sacrament and pledge to continue to share their journey of faith. The sponsor can be a relative or friend, perhaps even the baptismal sponsor, thus showing continuity with the original moment of initiation. The critical point is that a sponsor be himself/herself already confirmed, a practicing and committed member of the Church, a credible role model, who offers encouragement and example.

When to celebrate
In most of our parishes, Confirmation is celebrated around the time of eighth grade or in the first half of the ninth grade. There was a time within the archdiocese back in the 1980s when a few parishes had permission to experiment with the "traditional order" of confirmation and so celebrated a combined service of confirmation-first Communion at age 7. Such experimentation ceased even before my own arrival 16 years ago.

Part of the wisdom of deferring confirmation to eighth or ninth grade is that it allows optimum time for catechetical formation and opportunities for Christian service. There are many excellent preparation programs that also include a Confirmation retreat, sometimes even a weekend experience. Many of the candidates are personally interviewed by their pastor and/or pastoral staff and write letters to their pastor and/or the confirming bishop or prelate.

Each parish ordinarily celebrates the Sacrament of Confirmation sometime during the liturgical year at an agreed upon date between the parish and the confirming bishop or prelate. We also have two archdiocesan events each year at which I usually preside; we administer the sacrament of confirmation on the feast of Christ the King in November and on the Feast of Pentecost in the spring. Both of these celebrations occur at the cathedral and they are wonderful reminders that Confirmation not only deepens our relationship with Christ but also immerses us more fully into the wider communion of the Church, the archdiocese and the Church Universal.

Sacrament of vocation
This month of May, many of our parishes will be celebrating the Sacrament of confirmation; it is truly a fitting time of the year since it is one of the great Easter Sacraments and the Scripture readings invite us to reflect on how we share in Christ's Resurrection in and through the power of the Holy Spirit. If by chance you yourself or a relative have not been confirmed, please consider calling your parish and looking into the preparation process – either through sharing in the Archdiocesan celebration or by starting the RCIA process next autumn. In any event, I hope these reflections have been helpful and give some perspective on this very beautiful sacrament, which indeed has a theology and spirituality that is very rich and challenging.

Hopefully, having reflected on the sacrament you would agree with me that we could give it yet another designation — "Sacrament of Christian vocation" for it is a sacrament that truly conforms us to Christ Jesus, allowing us a privileged share in His mission. For this reason, the Church teaches that confirmation — like baptism and holy orders – imparts a sacramental character; it truly changes us in the very depths or core of our being, claiming us for Christ and filling us with His Holy Spirit.

A final thought. I have always been somewhat amused at the way Bishop Schoenherr ended his Confirmations over many years: as he dismissed the newly-confirmed at the end of the liturgy, He would say: "Go in peace and may the Spirit disturb you…." The Spirit consoles but it certainly keeps surprising and challenging us!

Sincerely in the Lord,
†Adam Cardinal Maida