1. BY : Ismael Zepeda Allen Salgado Miguel Ayala Sergio Leon Kevin Linares Armando Morales CONFIRMATION

2. I. What does Confirmation celebrate? A. Lifelong Growth in the Spirit 1. The church affirms  a. The Holy Spirit operates in subtle ways throughout people’s lives.  b. Confirmation itself is one special moment when Christians consciously acknowledge the presence of the Holy Spirit and are given the fullness of the Spirit’s grace.  c. Caring people are bearers of God’s Spirit and “confirmers” of one another’s gifts. B. The Breath of God  1. Holy Spirit translates to “wind” or “breath of God” in Hebrew  2. The Holy Spirit at work in us may become apparent in simple and gentle moments a. i.e. being affirmed by a friend or being moved to tears of sympathy. C. Consciously Accepting the Gift  1. Self’s own talents and personality qualities start to emerge.  2. “Confirms” that the person’s initiation into Christ’s life at Baptism is now consciously being embraced.

3. Continue… D. Needing Other People 1. People need “confirmation” throughout their life about their talents. 2. Sponsor a. One person who the candidate chooses to accompany them through a particularly significant tome growing in the Spirit. b. ideally it would be a godparent from Baptism c. should be fully initiated into the church (Confirmation, Eucharist) 3. Mentor a. an chosen adult chosen by the candidate b. spiritually guides the person throughout the preparation c. the sponsor is intended to be the mentor 4. Learning in Community a. baptized usually by a bishop in front of a congregation  -bishops are the successors of the apostles- vivid sign of full incorporation into the church.

4. What does Confirmation celebrate? Continue… E. The Gifts of the Holy Spirit 1. The Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit- virtues or abilities that unfold in a person as she or he matures  A. Wisdom- the ability to make sensible decisions and judgments based on personal knowledge and experience and of the gospel  B. Understanding-being able to admit one’s faults, being able to sympathize with others, being able to look at underlying meanings and not just the results  C. Right judgment- having a good conscious and resorting to the bible teachings and of informed conscientious people  D. Courage- acting rightly and justly even if it means going against the crowd as well as acting on decisions and remaining faithful to your conscience.  E. Knowledge- being aware of what is going on in society so that you are able to make well inform choices.  F. Reverence- being able to recognize human beings and other creatures of the earth as your brother and sister; using your compassion for others as a measuring stick for your own choices  G. Wonder and awe in God’s presence- taking the time to pray and worship God in order to appreciate his presence in your life; live life with joy and enthusiasm of a child of God.

5. Continue… 2. Maturity: A Journey Not a Destination  A. some believe that maturity is a destination (destination model) - we travel through adolescence until one day we are at our destination- maturity as an adult and it remains the same throughout life  B. journey model - a continuous process of growth filled with paschal-like events - maturing is a process that takes a life time  C. Christian belief -the process of growing, changing, and maturing goes in us as long as we are alive

6. Continue… G. Who May Be Confirmed? 1. Person must be: A. Baptized B. In a state of grace, or forgiven of any grave sins through Baptism or Reconciliation. C. intending to receive the sacrament D. willing to take on the role of a disciple of Christ

7. II. The Ritual of Confirmation: Symbolic Actions and Words A. The Laying of Hands: A Powerful Connector] A. The Laying of Hands: A Powerful Connector] -“Be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit” -“Be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit” –1.Blessing, Creating, Comforting, Supporting  A. We work with our hands, create things, and “give each other a hand”  B. the greet, comfort, and console  C. heal by touch  D. support and lift people  E. help guide people  F. used to make connections with people –2.Spirit Touching Spirit  A. During confirmation, bishop anoints, with chrism on the forehead-place of wisdom  B. Feeling of hands on head gives a person the feeling of being strengthened by another’s touch  E. a bond is made the spirit of one touches the spirit of the other “BE SEALED WITH THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT”

8. Continue… B. Anointing with Chrism: A Commissioning to Service B. Anointing with Chrism: A Commissioning to Service –1.A Consecration  A. consecrated the person to share more completely in the mission of Jesus and the church  B. bishop usually those the consecration to link the person symbolically to the universal church –2.A Sign of the Cross  A. The bishop does the sign of the cross on the candidate’s forehead with chrism and says “Be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit.”

9. III. Confirmation's History A. A Separate Ritual A. A Separate Ritual –1. Western Church A. Anointing with chrism by the bishop after the water ritual of Baptism eventually had to take place long after the water ritual. A. Anointing with chrism by the bishop after the water ritual of Baptism eventually had to take place long after the water ritual. B. Priests began to Baptize because there were too many people for the bishop to Baptize. B. Priests began to Baptize because there were too many people for the bishop to Baptize. C. Confirmation took its own ritual status by the third century C. Confirmation took its own ritual status by the third century D. The separate anointing became a “regular” practice by the fifth century especially with the popularity of infant Baptism. D. The separate anointing became a “regular” practice by the fifth century especially with the popularity of infant Baptism. 2. The Eastern and Orthodox Churches A. Confirmation was never really separated from Baptism A. Confirmation was never really separated from Baptism B. Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist were given to infants in one ceremony presided by a priest. B. Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist were given to infants in one ceremony presided by a priest.

10. Continue… B. “Soldiers of Christ” 1.In the fifth century a certain abbot preached that Confirmation was related to preparing people for spiritual combat a. “A soldier of Christ” and a “witness for Christ” 2. Bishop traditionally gave the sign of peace 3. Later it changed for a touch 4. In the Middle Ages the Bishop gave a slap a. symbolizes the hardship we must endure for Christ 5. A few decades ago it was return back to the sign of the cross 5. A few decades ago it was return back to the sign of the cross C. Coming of Age Versus Lifelong Growth in the Spirit 1. Confirmation does not represent an arrival point or graduation from childhood to adulthood. 2. Celebrates and deepens the ongoing initiation into a new life with Jesus, which was started at Baptism

11. Continue… D. A Current Debate 1. Order of the sacraments of initiation ”original sequence”- Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist ”original sequence”- Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist Some believe that Confirmation should be received last so that the person would truly be conscious of the Holy Spirit at work in him or her Some believe that Confirmation should be received last so that the person would truly be conscious of the Holy Spirit at work in him or her 2. What age is the most appropriate to receive Confirmation Should be conferred at the age of discretion- 7-18? Should be conferred at the age of discretion- 7-18? Within the church there is still an ongoing debate on the order of the sacrament and the age one should receive them Within the church there is still an ongoing debate on the order of the sacrament and the age one should receive them

12. Continue… IV. Toward Full Initiation 1.Baptism and Confirmation celebrate a reality that is not limit to a certain age or time. 1.Baptism and Confirmation celebrate a reality that is not limit to a certain age or time. A. The ongoing birth of Christian into new life A. The ongoing birth of Christian into new life 2. Eucharist 2. Eucharist A. When first received it is a great personal event and it plunges the Christian more deeply into the Pascal mystery. A. When first received it is a great personal event and it plunges the Christian more deeply into the Pascal mystery. B. later becomes a frequent event for the Christian B. later becomes a frequent event for the Christian -a source of strength and nourishment that can sustain him or her for a lifetime -a source of strength and nourishment that can sustain him or her for a lifetime

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