Confirmation
Confirmation is a Catholic sacrament of mature Christian commitment and a deepening of baptismal gifts.
Like Baptism and Eucharist, it is a Sacrament of Initiation for Catholics and a Sacrament of faith in God's fidelity to us.
The sacrament of confirmation is found in Bible passages such as Acts 8:14 –17, 9:17 , 19:6, and Hebrews 6:2, which speak of a laying on of hands for the purpose of bestowing the Holy Spirit.
Acts 8:14-17 The apostles in Jerusalem heard that the people of Samaria had received the word of God, so they sent Peter and John to them. When they arrived, they prayed for the believers that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For the Holy Spirit had not yet come down on any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
Confirmation is administered by the bishop who anoints the candidate on the forehead with the holy oil of Chrism, the laying on of hands and saying: ‘Be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit'.
Gifts of the Holy Spirit
There are seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit :
- Wisdom
- Understanding
- Counsel
- Fortitude
- Knowledge
- Piety
- Fear of the Lord
The Gifts of the Holy Spirit are important for us because they help us to make wise decisions about important matters, understand the real meaning of life; advise and help others to make the right decisions. Also they encourage us to be strong to uphold and do what is right and to condemn and avoid what is wrong, to know the teachings of God and our true destiny, to give true worship and praise to God, and to fear offending God who is our loving Father.
Fruits of the Holy Spirit
There are twelve Fruits of the Holy Spirit:
- Charity
- Joy
- Peace
- Patience
- Kindness
- Goodness
- Generosity
- Gentleness
- Faithfulness
- Modesty
- Self-control
- Chastity
We will know we are producing these Fruits in our lives when we are loving, joyful , peaceful, patient , kind, good, generous, gentle, faithful, modest, when we exercise self-control and when we are chaste and pure towards other people in our daily lives.