« Ch. XXVII. Q. 145. What is Confirmation? | Main | Chapter XXVIII. The Holy Eucharist »
September 19, 2005
Ch. XXVII. Q. 146. What is the benefit of Confirmation?
THE BENEFIT of Confirmation is the reception of the Holy Ghost to dwell and work in the soul and body, and the reception of His sevenfold gifts; by reason of which the character given in Baptism is developed and completed, and strength is imparted for spiritual warfare, for worthy reception of the other Sacraments, and for perseverance and progress in virtue.1
2. The Holy Ghost is given in Baptism (cf. Baptismal Office) in this sense, that by means of that Sacrament we are brought within the place of His peculiar presence, the Body of Christ, and made special subjects of His sanctifying operations. But Holy Scripture teaches that in some real sense the personal gift of the Holy Ghost to the individual soul is reserved until Confirmation.2 In interpreting St. Peter's assurance, therefore, that those who were to be baptized should receive the Holy Ghost 3, we must remember that the Apostles were wont to administer the Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation together, when tins was possible.4 His conclusions, however, need qualification.5
3. The reception of the Holy Ghost in Confirmation secures to the soul His sevenfold gifts, viz.: (a.) Understanding, by which we penetrate the mysteries of the Faith: (b.) Wisdom, by which we appreciate the spiritual value of these mysteries and discriminate between truth and error: (c.) Knowledge, by which we penetrate the mysteries of the Divine law and of holiness: (d.) Counsel, by which we distinguish accurately between right and wrong action: (e.) True godliness, or reverent and tender piety: (f.) Ghostly strength, or moral courage and perseverance: (g.) Holy fear, or loving anxiety to avoid displeasing God. These gifts are distributed in diverse proportions, and their effect when properly used is to develop to perfection the germs of Faith, Hope and Charity, which are imparted in Baptism, and to produce in us those spiritual traits which are called the fruits of the Spirit, and those beatitudes which are mentioned in Christ's Sermon on the Mount.6
4. An indelible character is imparted once for all in Confirmation, complementary to that imparted in Baptism; and by reason of it the child of God is made a full participator in the privileges of grace and in the corporate functions and offices of the Church. Thus he becomes (a.) a full participator in Christ's royal Priesthood, the corporate functions of which, however, are discharged on earth through a special and representative ministry of His own appointment: (b.) a soldier of Christ, equipped and empowered to vanquish the world, the flesh and the devil: and (c.) is more fully endowed with capacity to receive the other Sacraments worthily.7
5. The fruits of the Spirit are love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, patience, modesty, temperance and chastity.8
1 Schouppe, XII. 36-39: Mason's Faith of the Gospel, IX. 10: Hutchings on the Holy Ghost, 247-256.
2 Acts VIII. 15-17
3 Acts II. 38
4 cf. Mason's Relation of Confirmation to Baptism, for the history of this question.
5 See Hutchings on the Holy Ghost, 4th Edit. pp. v, vi: Puller's Distinctive Grace of Confirmation: Grueber's Rite of Confirmation, 32-44: Ewer's Grammar of Theol., 135-143.
6 Ewer on the Holy Spirit, 126-158: Grammar of Theol., 146-162: Hutchings, 192-206, 244-247, 265-272.
7 I. Cor. I. 21, 22. Percival, 129: Grueber, 44: S. Thos. Sum. Th., III. 72. 5, 6: Hutchings, 253.
8 Gal. V. 22, 23. Hutchings, 208, 209: Ewer's Grammar of Theol., 162-164: On the Holy Spirit, 159-164.
Posted by Trevor at September 19, 2005 06:12 PM