Why is it important to be sealed with the spirit in confirmation?

Answer 1

This is a great question! Unfortunately not many people are able to articulate a good answer!

Let me begin by stating two of the most common errors concerning the Sacrament of Confirmation:

1) Confirmation as "Catholic Graduation" or "Sacrament of Adulthood." In this understanding the Sacrament is seen as a kind of "Sacrament of Adulthood" whereby the person is considered an adult in the Faith. Confirmation is in this understanding analogous to a Jewish Bar mitzvah.

2) Confirmation as "Sacrament of Choice." In this understanding Confirmation is contrasted to Baptism. The well meaning but sadly misinformed catechist will say something like "In Baptism God choose you, now in Confirmation you choose God." Of course this is nonsense becasue our human choice is always secondary to God's election. We do make a choice for God, but only AFTER God has made a choice for us.

What is Confirmation? Confirmation is the Sacrament of Mission. Baptism is the Sacrament of Sonship. In Baptism we are made "Son's in the Son" which is another way of saying we are given a share in the life of Christ. We are made heirs of the Kingdom. In Confirmation we are sealed with the Holy Spirit for Mission. We are strengthened to endure persecution for the Faith, and strengthened to boldly preach the Gospel to all creatures. The Sacrament of Confirmation, then, completes the work of Baptism and gives us full participation in the life of the Church.

If we look in The Bible, we know that the Baptism of the Church took place on the cross. Through the Cross the Church (The New Eve) came forth from the side of Christ constituted in blood and water. Yet there is still another aspect to redemption that must happen to complete the word of redemption: The sending of the Holy Spirit. This as we all know took place on the day of Pentecost. On this day, the Church was sealed in the Spirit, strengthened for her mission, empowered to stand for Truth in the face of persecution.

Put simply: In Baptism the individual is introduced to the Cross of Christ, in Confirmation the individual is introduced to the Pentecost experience of the Church. In other words what the Cross was for the Universal Church when Christ gave up his Spirit and his side was pierced, Baptism is now for the individual. What Pentecost was for the Universal Church, Confirmation is now for the individual. These two Sacraments are how the universal is made particular, or how the individual encounters the Cross, and Pentecost.

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Catholic AnswerConfirmation completes what was begun in Baptism; together with the Eucharist it is the third sacrament of initiation; the three form one unity. "For 'by the sacrament of Confirmation, [the baptized] are more perfectly bound to the Church, and are enriched with a special strength of the Holy Spirit. Hence they are, as true witnesses of Christ, more strictly obliged to spread and defend the faith by word and deed.' (Lumen Gentium 11; cf. Ordo confirmationis, Introduction)." - Catechism of the Catholic Church

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from The Catechism of the Catholic Church, second edition, English translation 1994

1302

It is evident from its celebration that the effect of the sacrament of Confirmation is the special outpouring of the Holy Spirit as once granted to the apostles on the day of Pentecost.

1303

From this fact, Confirmation brings and increase and deepening of baptismal grace:

- it roots us more deeply in the divine filiation which makes us cry, "ABBA! Father!; (Rom 8:15)

- 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; (Cf. Lumen Gentium 11)

- 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: (Cf. Council of Florence (1439): Denzinger-Schometzer, Enchiridion Symbolorum, definitionum et declarationum de rebus fidei et morum {1965} 1319; Lumen Gentium 11; 12)

Recall then that you received the spiritual seal, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of right judgment and courage, the spirit of knowledge and reverence, the spirit of holy fear in God's presence. Guard what you have received. God the Father has marked you with his sign; Christ the Lord has confirmed you and has placed his pledge, the spirit, in your hearts. (St. Ambrose, De myst. 7, 42: J.P. Migne, ed., Patrologia Latina (Paris: 1841-1855) 16, 402-403)