In this Spirit-filled episode of The Inner Life, Patrick Conley reunites with Fr. John Paul Erickson to unpack one of the most misunderstood sacraments in the Church: Confirmation.
Let’s be real: most of us have no clue what this sacrament actually does. “Isn’t it like, when we choose to be Catholic for real?” Umm… not exactly 😅. And don’t even get us started on the idea that it’s some sort of graduation ceremony from church life.
Be sure to catch the entire hour of conversation here.
✝️ Wait… What Is Confirmation Then?
According to Fr. Erickson (and Church teaching 😇):
Confirmation doesn’t mean you’re choosing the faith.
That’s a sweet thought, and sure, we hope you’re choosing Jesus. But the sacrament isn’t about you confirming anything. It’s about God confirming you: sealing and activating the grace you received at Baptism.
It’s NOT your Catholic “graduation.”
Nope. Confirmation is actually the beginning of your mission… not the end.
🕊️ What Does Confirmation Do Then?
-Seals you with the Holy Spirit 🙏
-Strengthens your soul with grace 💪
-Ignites the gifts from Baptism like a spiritual flamethrower 🔥
-Gives you courage to live and speak your faith boldly 💬🦁
-Equips your intellect to understand God’s truth and share it 💡📣
Confirmation makes you a missionary. Just like St. Paul was sent to the Gentiles, you’re sent to wherever God has planted you: workplace, marriage, Taco Bell, wherever.
💭 “But What If I Was Totally ‘Meh’ About My Confirmation?”
Fr. Erickson encourages you not to despair. God still showed up. 🙌
Even if you were ambivalent or spiritually checked out at your Confirmation, the Holy Spirit still came, fully.
Grace is like a gift that sits in the closet until you’re ready to open it. But it’s all there, waiting to burst out when you finally say: “Okay God, I need you now.”
So yes, even if you were spiritually zoned out, God’s grace still flooded in. And it still wants to work in your life.
Fr. Erickson compares Baptism and Confirmation like this:
🪣Baptism = Peter: gathering the family into the Church
🚀Confirmation = Paul: sent out to evangelize the world
Confirmation gives us the will to be courageous and the mind to proclaim truth, both rooted in love.
TL; DR: What to Tell Your Confirmation Class (or Yourself 😬)
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❌ Not a graduation
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❌ Not you choosing Jesus
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✅ God’s power confirming and activating your baptism
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✅ You’re now sent on mission
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✅ You have all the grace you need, whether you felt it or not
So, if you’ve been confirmed and thought you were done… Surprise! You’re just getting started.
💬 Want to reignite those Confirmation graces? Just ask the Holy Spirit. He’s ready.
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