Folia Theologica et Canonica 3. 25/17 (2014)
IUS CANONICUM - Michael Carragher, O.P., The sacrament of confirmation and personal development
184 MICHAEL CARRAGHER, O.P. commonplace in Sacred Scripture to recognise this movement from childhood to maturity e.g.l Corinthians 13, 11: “When I was a child, I spoke like child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became a man I gave up childish ways”. Adult catechumens must be instructed sufficiently about the truths of the faith (at least know the creed)27 and, about their Christian obligations (the Ten Commandments) and how to pray the Our Father. The Fourth evangelist says “And this is eternal life that they know thee the one true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent” (17.3). The synoptic gospels recount the episode of the rich young man when he asked what he must do to enter eternal life. Jesus replied: “You know the commandments” (Mark 10, 19). All the evangelists agree that Our Lord received baptism at the hands of John the Baptist but nowhere do we read that he received confirmation. Baptism confers the fullness of grace cancelling all sins both original and actual. Our Lord, the sinless one, had already received this fullness from the first instant of his conception (John 1.14). Whether he. Our Lord, administered baptism or not is a moot question but it is sure that he did not confirm just as it is not recorded that he ever used oil for the healing of sick, in ordaining the apostles as priests, or in strengthening someone in the faith. In the case of confirmation he instituted the sacrament by promising it (John 16:7); “Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Counsellor will not come to you; but if I go I will send him to you”. See also John 7:39 where it states that the fullness of the Holy Spirit could not be given before the resurrection and ascension of our Lord. “Now he said this about the Spirit, which those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given because Jesus was not yet glorified”. St. Thomas opines that the fullness of the Holy Spirit was given for spiritual strength which belongs to one who has reached maturity and thus begins to interact actively with other people. Before that stage a baby or a child who receives baptism is more or less actively involved in trying to master or develop the normal functions of human beings and thus perhaps is self-centred. To signify that that Our Lord enjoyed the fullness of the Holy Spirit St. Thomas merely comments that he was “gifted with the oil of gladness” referencing psalm 44. It is a scriptural datum accepted on faith. According to canon 880§ lthe matter of the sacrament of confirmation is the anointing of chrism on the forehead. Chrism is a composite substance constituted by oil and balsam. There is no intrinsic reason why (olive) oil should have been chosen, but its inherent properties lend a certain fittingness why it presents itself as matter of the sacrament apart from historical precedents when it was employed for the anointing of kings and other important personages, instanced in the case of David 1 Samuel 16:13 “Then Samuel took the hom of oil and 27 Young, F., The Making of the Creeds, London 1991.
