The Essential Power of Confirmation

Is Confirmation really important? What does it do that Baptism doesn’t already do? For many, Confirmation can seem like an afterthought or some rite of passage. However, Mike Gormley and Dave VanVickle share why it is so much more than that. They explain its incredible significance and why it is essential for someone striving for salvation.

Snippet from the Show
The most underplayed sacrament of the life of the Church is one of the most important.

Definition of Confirmation (Catechism of the Catholic Church, Paragraph 1285)

Baptism, the Eucharist, and the sacrament of Confirmation together constitute the "sacraments of Christian initiation," whose unity must be safeguarded. It must be explained to the faithful that the reception of the sacrament of Confirmation is necessary for the completion of baptismal grace. For "by the sacrament of Confirmation, are more perfectly bound to the Church and are enriched with a special strength of the Holy Spirit. Hence they are, as true witnesses of Christ, more strictly obliged to spread and defend the faith by word and deed."

Effects of Confirmation (Catechism of the Catholic Church, Paragraph 1303

From this fact, Confirmation brings an increase and deepening of baptismal grace:

- it roots us more deeply in the divine filiation which makes us cry, "Abba! Father!";
- it unites us more firmly to Christ;
- it increases the gifts of the Holy Spirit in us;
- it renders our bond with the Church more perfect;
- it gives us a special strength of the Holy Spirit to spread and defend the faith by word and action as true witnesses of Christ, to confess the name of Christ boldly, and never to be ashamed of the Cross:

Recall then that you have received the spiritual seal, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of right judgment and courage, the spirit of knowledge and reverence, the spirit of holy fear in God's presence. Guard what you have received. God the Father has marked you with his sign; Christ the Lord has confirmed you and has placed his pledge, the Spirit, in your hearts.

Prayer from End of Episode (Led by Dave VanVickle)

Lord Jesus, we thank you so much that you are not a God who remains far off but that you are a God who comes after us and romances us and gives Yourself to us. And we, Lord, through an act of our will, whether we feel it or not, give ourselves totally and completely to You. We are sorry for our sins and the ways that we failed, but we trust in Your mercy and in the sacrifice of Your cross, Lord, that you can make us into sons and daughters. Lord Jesus, you sent your Holy Spirit down upon us and we're so thankful for the grace of that Holy Spirit and we ask

the third person in the Trinity, the Lord, the Giver of Life, we ask you, O Holy Spirit, to come into our hearts once again more fully. We surrender to You and we ask that You would stir up every bit of grace within us, that You would come more plentifully into our hearts and that You would use us to conquer the world for the love of God and for the ability to make others sons and daughters of the Father. We ask this in your holy name, Jesus. Amen.