We are now on the last article on Confirmation. Here, we explore the graces and the effects of Confirmation as a third distinct idea contained in the definition of Sacrament (Sacrament is defined as “an outward/visible sign instituted by Christ to give grace.”).
By Confirmation Christians, that is, those who are anointed, share more completely in the mission of Jesus Christ to live a Christian life. It means that we are not just receivers, but we become doers of the Word of God. But doing that, would be quite difficult at times, and in our Confirmation, we were given the right tools to help us in our journey of faith. By tools and chief sacramental effect, we mean the bestowal of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: wisdom, understanding, knowledge, counsel, fortitude, piety, and fear of the Lord.
Wisdom : We can think deeply about the situation, conflict, or experience and see things the way God sees them.
Understanding: We experience a compassionate awareness of what others think and feel.
Knowledge : We can make good decisions based on the information we have at hand.
Counsel : Sometimes called “right judgement”, we can make good decisions based on what is right and wrong.
Fortitude : We experience the courage to overcome our fears,
Piety : We also called reverence, we can worship God more meaningfully
Fear of the Lord : The Holy Spirit enables us to be in humble wonder and awe at God’s creation and of our relationship with Him. (Jared Dees, the creator of TheReligionTeacher.com)
The reception of the of Confirmation completes one’s initiation into the Church and strengthens one in the power of the Holy Spirit to “spread and defend the faith by word and action as true witnesses to Christ, to confess the name of Christ and never be ashamed of the Cross” (CCC,1303)
Confirmation also impresses upon the soul an “indelible character” or “seal” As the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches: Because this seal indicates the indelible effect of the anointing with the Holy Spirit in the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Orders, the image of the seal has been used …to express the indelible “character’ imprinted by these three unrepeatable sacraments. (CCC, 698)