Why Confirmation?
Give ONE common misconception of Confirmation
1) Misconception: This is a Catholic Graduation
This is NOT a graduation. It is a full initiation into the Christian life, completes your baptismal graces, and sends you out as a WITNESS for Christ
2) Misconception: Confirmation is me choosing for myself that I want to be Catholic for the rest of my life
no, you are continually saying yes to your baptismal grace after baptism, always
***Response: Confirmation should not be thought of as the last thing you have to do, but rather as the Church equipping you to live and defend the faith in your life
Minister of the Eucharist?
Bishop/priest only someone consecrated ie Holy Orders
MATTER of Confirmation
1) Laying on of Hands
2) Anointing with perfumed oil (sacred chrism)
What does participating in Christ's PRIESTLY role allow us to do?
Offer sacrifices to the Father through Him
What does the character given to me in Confirmation allow me to do?
-marked as Christian
-with seal of God's Spirit
-clothed with power from on High
-to be His WITNESS
Through the anointing of Confirmation, we are consecrated EVEN MORE DEEPLY in what 3 roles of Christ?
Priest
Prophet
King
What does the Mass make present?
Christ's redeeming Sacrifice; Himself offered to the Father
MATTER of Eucharist
bread & Wine
What does participating in Christ's PROPHETIC role allow us to do?
Preach/Teach God's Word to all the nations
Ancient Israel: What was the ATONEMENT Sacrifice?
Atonement/Reparation
-atone for sin
-sprinkling of blood/life
-restored communion of life between God & His people
Give 2 ancient symbolisms of OIL
-abundance & joy
-cleansing
-healing
-limbering
-strengthening
-beauty
What does Greek Eucharistia mean?
Thankfulness or gratitude
We are thanking God in the perfect sacrifice = the Eucharist
FORM of Confirmation
"Be sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit"
What does participating in Christ's KINGLY role allow us to do?
Rule ourselves (in virtue and holiness) and lead others to God
Ancient Israel: What was the COMMUNION Sacrifice?
peace offering; give thanks; establish relationships
partially burnt; rest shared in sacred meal between offerer, priest, God
Why do we NEED Confirmation? Give ONE main reason
1) It's necessary for the completion of baptismal grace
trans- "change" + substance = change of substance
1376 The Council of Trent summarizes the Catholic faith by declaring: "Because Christ our Redeemer said that it was truly his body that he was offering under the species of bread, it has always been the conviction of the Church of God, and this holy Council now declares again, that by the consecration of the bread and wine there takes place a change of the whole substance of the bread into the substance of the body of Christ our Lord and of the whole substance of the wine into the substance of his blood. This change the holy Catholic Church has fittingly and properly called transubstantiation."204
FORM Of Eucharist
"Take this, all of you, and eat of it, for this is my body....Take this, all of you, and drink from it: for this is the chalice of my blood..."
Why is oil a fitting matter for the sacrament of Confirmation? Connect it to one of the effects!
CCC 1316 and 1293
oil = seal , consecration, set apart
Confirmation = gives us a spiritual seal / indelible spiritual mark
consecrates us to Christ (we belong to Him and share in His mission/service), He protects us
Ancient Israel: What was the Todah/Passover Sacrifice?
Sacred meal = lamb, bread, wine
Songs of Praise
Passover = Israel's collective Todah every year, remembering and thanking God for saving them out of Egypt/physical slavery/death
Why do we NEED Confirmation? Give ONE main reason
2) It's necessary for the Church to continue in the work of salvation.
CCC 1285 explains:
a) we are more perfectly bound to the Church
b) We are enriched with a special strength of the Holy Spirit
c) We are , as true witnesses of Christ, more strictly obliged to spread and defend the Faith by word and deed
Substance?
Accident?
Substance = WHAT a thing is
Accident = What can change about a substance w/o changing what it is eg color, quantity, position
---
Eucharist: the bread and wine undergo a substantial change; they become the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ
While the accidents remain (look, smell, taste, size, shape etc)
MINISTER of Confirmation
West: bishop & priest (priest can be delegated by bishop)
East: priest (uses oil (Myron) consecrated by bishop)
How does the ancient symbolism of OIL connect to the effects of Confirmation?
-abundance & joy
-cleansing
-healing
-limbering
-strengthening
-beauty
---------------------------------
our baptismal grace: PERFECTED
Holy Spirit; we are rooted MORE DEEPLY in divine sonship
Incorporated MORE FIRMLY into Christ
Our bond with the Church is STRENGTHENED
We are associated more closely with her Mission
We are helped to BEAR WITNESS to Christian Faith in words and deeds
What are requirements for the Passover sacrifice and how does Christ fulfill the Passover in the Eucharist?
Passover: lamb, unleavened bread, wine
Christ: THE Lamb, Blood of THE Lamb; under appearance of bread and wine
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Passover: saved from physical death/slavery
Christ: saves us from sin/slavery/spiritual and physical death
---
Passover: remember/thank God for saving them
Eucharist: makes present Christ's sacrifice / thanking God for redemption