Confirmation is a Sacrament through which we receive the Holy Spirit to make us strong and perfect Christians and soldiers of Jesus Christ. Confirmation is a Sacrament of Initiation that brings to completion the grace received through baptism and Holy Communion. By this Sacrament the baptized are more perfectly bound to the church and are enriched by the gift of the Holy Spirit. This grace conforms believers more perfectly and fully to Christ and strengthens them to bear witness to Christ for the building up of his body, the Church.
“We know certainly that our God calls us to a holy life. We know that he gives us every grace, every abundant grace; and though we are so weak of ourselves, this grace is able to carry us through every obstacle and difficulty.” — Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton
ALETEIA EXPLAINS: Understanding the Sacrament of Confirmation (3:42)
The Recipient of Confirmation
Each baptized person not yet confirmed can and should receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. In the Latin Church, it is customary to confirm candidates between the age of discretion, also called the age of reason, and about sixteen years of age. It is not uncommon that Catholics not confirmed during this period of their lives for a variety of reasons are confirmed as adults, often on Pentecost Sunday. The candidate should be in the state of grace (that is, without serious sin), be well prepared by prayer and catechesis, and be committed to the responsibilities entailed by the Sacrament.
The Effects of Confirmation:
- Confirmation grants us the special grace by which our faith is deepened and strengthened, and we become concerned not only for our own spiritual needs, but for those of others.
- By Confirmation we also receive that grace Jesus promised to His Apostles: “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you shall be witnesses for me… even to the very ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
- The character of Confirmation is a spiritual and indelible sign which marks the Christian as a soldier in the army of Christ.
Prayer for Strength in Confirmation
Holy Father, we come before You with grateful hearts, seeking the strength and grace of the Holy Spirit during this sacred time of confirmation. May those being confirmed feel Your divine presence, grow in faith, and embody Your love. Guide them, Lord, as they commit to a life of service and devotion. Amen.
