This Sunday, we celebrate the confirmation of many young people in our parish. Confirmation is a special sacrament, and for these students, it is the last of their “Sacraments of Christian Initiation”. This sacrament – along with Baptism and Holy Eucharist – renders the recipient fully initiated into the Christian life. But what do we mean by fully initiated? For many with an un-Catholic, subjective, individualistic notion of religion, it could mean something akin to graduation: “Now that I’m confirmed, I get to decide, and I’m done”. This is obviously not what the Church means, though, this is how many individuals treat their confirmation, as a kind of terminus in the practice of their faith. But what the Church means by initiation is something much different, much better, much richer. The Sacraments of Christian initiation “lay the foundations of every Christian life…The faithful are born anew by Baptism, strengthened by the sacrament of Confirmation, and receive in the Eucharist the food of eternal life. By means of these sacraments of Christian initiation, they thus receive in increasing measure the treasures of the divine life and advance toward the perfection of charity" (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1212) These sacraments prepare the individual for a truly Christian life and provide those aids to everlasting holiness with God, which is the purpose of our lives.
Confirmation is a unique outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the individual who was first touched by grace in baptism. This outpouring of the Holy Spirit is the effect of this Sacrament, in order to strengthen the individual in the same way the Apostles were strengthened on the day of Pentecost. Often, the word “confirmation” is taken to mean something like “I confirm my Catholic faith”, which is perhaps part of the sacrament but is in no way the central meaning, since from the moment of our Baptism we are and forever will be Catholic, regardless of whether or not we choose to live accordingly; but woe to us if we choose to go our own way after having been lifted to so great a dignity. By “confirmation” is meant “ a strengthening” (from the Latin confirmatio) – a strengthening with grace accomplished by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The purpose of this strengthening is nothing less than to give us the power we need to be more faithful, radical witnesses of the Gospel. Here is what the Church teaches us about the effects of confirmation: “Confirmation brings an increase and deepening of baptismal grace: it roots us more deeply in the divine filiation which makes us cry, ‘Abba! Father!’; it unites us more firmly to Christ; it increases the gifts of the Holy Spirit in us; it renders our bond with the Church more perfect; it gives us a special strength of the Holy Spirit to spread and defend the faith by word and action as true witnesses of Christ, to confess the name of Christ boldly, and never to be ashamed of the Cross…” (CCC 1303). Confirmation is given to each one of us for the purpose of making us stronger, more faithful, more courageous, more committed Catholic Christians. Anything less is beneath the dignity and the call of the confirmed.
Confirmation places an irrevocable seal on our souls that empowers us to give witness to Christ, to confess His name boldly, and to never be ashamed of the Cross. This idea of a seal comes to us from ancient Roman times when a soldier would literally be “branded” as a mark of his commitment to the empire, as well as his responsibility as one who freely chose to “bear the mark” of a soldier; it was a sign of his duty and his dignity, his rights and his responsibilities. As one who had been selected and who freely placed himself at the service of the empire, the soldier would always be known by the mark he bore, which was to his honor so long as he was faithful to his commitments. However, this same mark could be to the soldier’s shame if he were not to live up to his duties and responsibilities; it was a terrible scandal for a man to have the mark of the soldier if he were known to be a defector from his post. Just so, for Catholics who “bear the mark of Christ” in confirmation, we must bear it with honor, integrity, loyalty, and courage. From the moment of one’s confirmation, this mark will exist on his soul into eternity; on the day of judgment, it will stand revealed as a “badge of honor” for the one who has lived faithfully according to the responsibilities and duties he bears to the Empire of Christ, or as a “mark of shame” for the one who defects from his post as a soldier of Christ, and who through sin or infidelity abandons the dignity of the Christian life to which he has been called. At a time when the Empire of Christ is lacking courageous witnesses, we should all consider our own witness, and pray for the courage to be more faithful to the Lord in every aspect of our lives, whether private or public, personal or communal.
Let us pray for our young people, that as they are marked for Christ this Sunday, they may approach this sacrament with hearts and souls open to the abundant graces the Holy Spirit has in store for them. Let us pray also for ourselves, that we may live as true soldiers of Christ, willing to boldly proclaim the Lord and His truth in the midst of the world, never being ashamed of the Cross and all that it means for us. Strengthened by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, may our union with Christ grow stronger day by day, and our bond with His Church grow always deeper. Let us become true soldiers of the Empire of Christ, so that on the day of judgment we may hear Him say: Well done, good and faithful servant…come, enter into the joy of your master” (Matthew 25:23). May God bless you in the week ahead and may Mother Mary lead you more deeply into the Sacred and Merciful Heart of Jesus. I remain,
Affectionately Yours in Christ,
Fr. Hess
