Lesson 21
Is Confirmation Necessary For Salvation?
Yesterday I told you about the Minister, the Matter and Form, and the Recipient of the Sacrament of Confirmation, and today I want to tell you about the effects of confirmation.
After all, what difference does it make if you receive or don’t receive Confirmation? Jesus never said that “confirmation is necessary for salvation”, as he did for Baptism and Holy Communion. But Confirmation is like a medieval soldier putting on his coat of armor and clutching a sword to defend himself from the enemy.
The efficacy of the Sacrament of Confirmation depends largely on the subjective disposition of the person receiving it. The recipient can receive more or less grace. I have found that the younger the person – especially before adolescence – the more eager they are to receive it. If we delay Confirmation too long, many times adolescents in their searching years will choose not to be confirmed, or to delay it, and then they may never be confirmed in their life. That would be sad.
There are three effects of the Sacrament of Confirmation. First, an increase in Sanctifying grace if the recipient is already in the State of Grace, and along with that increase in Sanctifying grace comes a greater blossoming of the seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit: Wisdom, Understanding, Knowledge, Counsel, Fortitude, Piety and Fear of the Lord. With time, the fruits of the Holy Spirit ripen in that soul in grace and they live in such a way that they remind those who know or live with them of being “another Christ.” Even if the recipient is not in the state of grace, he/or she validly receives the sacrament and it is never repeated or administered again, just like Baptism.
Secondly, the recipient receives a special “sacramental grace” that helps that person be courageous and steadfast in practicing the faith. It makes them spiritually stronger, especially if they crave for that strength and beg the Holy Spirit to help him.
Finally, just like Baptism and Holy Orders, Confirmation imprints an indelible seal on the soul, that only God and the Angels can see, and because of that sacramental seal, the sacrament is never repeated.
So tune in every day of Lent to learn more about your Catholic faith, because if you Learn it, then you can Live it; and if you Live it, you will Love it; and if you Love it, you will never Leave it!
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