  Think about a time when you felt sluggish, tired, lethargic, lazy, off your game….  What brought you back, brought you out of your slump?  Was it physical? Non-physical (something you said, a thought you had)?  Is it reliable, that is does it work every time? To Animate

  “Almost everything that seemed to be beyond human ability and ingenuity in those early years [of the church] was attributed to the power of God and the Holy Spirit.”  the disciples courage to speak the news of Christ’s resurrection  people’s willingness to accept it  miraculous cures and conversions  decisions and courses of events that led to the spread of the Gospel  the Communities survival of Jewish and Roman persecution Attributed to the Holy Spirit (Martos)

  In the early Church the ritual that signified one’s acceptance of Christ and openness to His Spirit was…Baptism  You ceased to be ruled by evil spirits  You could still sin but only if you ignored the Holy Spirit  Other signs of having received the Spirit  Living in a spirit of love  Service and ministering to the communities needs  Avoiding sin and scandal  Obeying family, civil, and religious authorities  These activities were known as the “Seal of the Spirit” Receiving the Spirit (Martos)

  100 – 150ca CE  Christian initiation was heavily influenced by Jewish rituals for initiating gentiles inc:  Water ritual, prayers, culminating in Eucharistic meal  200ca CE  Christian initiation began to separate out into two major components: 1.A ritual signifying new life “spiritual regeneration.”  Water 2.A ritual signifying reception of the Spirit  Laying on of hands – symbolic imitation of the apostles actions in the New Testament  Pouring oil, sign of the cross, kiss of peace  “Consignation” The Separate Ritual

  The Bishop ought to be present for initiation  Symbolized local community and whole Christian community  Few Bishops. Many Christians. (More on this later.)  Eastern Church  The myron was blessed by a Bishop  Laying on of hands was “transmitted” via myron  Western Church  No consistent remedy for absence of bishop  Example 1) priests were given the authority to do the consignment provided the chrism was consecrated by a bishop  Example 2) only Bishops could consign as they were successors of the apostles Bishop or No Bishop?

  “Three developments made it increasingly difficult for bishops to preside over all the Baptisms that were performed” 1.In late fourth century Christianity became official religion of Roman empire 2.In the fifth century Augustinian teaching on original sin increased infant baptism 3.Missionaries to northern Europe did not bring many bishops with them Bishops are limited by the laws of physics

  Luke’s second book – the sequel to his Gospel  Gospel: God’s Word spread to the Jewish people  Acts of the Apostles: God’s Word spread to the Gentiles  Questions for Acts Chapter two: 1.How do the Apostles act before Pentecost? 2.…After Pentecost? 3.What does the Holy Spirit do for the Apostles? Acts of the Apostles

  Old Testament  The Creation Stories  Ezekiel  Isaiah 11:2  “The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him-- the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD—”  New Testament  Christ’s conception  John the Baptist – what happened at Christ’s Baptism?  Christ promising the Spirit (the Advocate) at the Last Supper  Pentecost  The Holy Spirit brings life, courage, unity, hope… The Holy Spirit OT and NT

 The Effects of Confirmation:  It gives us the Holy Spirit so that we are more deeply rooted in as sons and daughters of God  The Spirit will lead and guide us  Unites us more firmly to Christ  It increases the Gifts of the Holy Spirit  It strengthens out relationship with the Church  It involves us more deeply in the Church’s mission to live the Good News  Adults in the Church  Helps us bear witness to our faith through our actions.

  Each celebration of the sacraments is made up of:  Word ex: “I Baptize you in the name of…”  Action ex: water being poured over the head of the one being baptized  The actions within a sacrament could have several meanings, but it is words that give form or definite meaning to the actions.  Traditionally: “res et verbum.”  The thing and the word  Thing = Matter = Action  Word = Form Matter and Form

  Form: [Confirmation Name], be sealed with the gifts of the Holy Spirit.  Matter: Bishop imposing hands on the one being confirmed and anointing with sacred chrism. Matter and Form of Confirmation