Confirmation
This sacrament is really, the completion of the Sacrament of Baptism. Originally,
the baptism was complete with the anointing and laying on of hands. But it
seemed good in the West to separate the two. Young children who were baptised,
came back to be taught and then receive the strengthening of their baptismal
grace in Confirmation.
In the New testament it is that strengthening that is suggested for those who had
only been baptised in the name of Jesus, or received only the baptism of John the
Baptist, we see this in Acts 8.17,19.2-6, and this distinction is also made in
Hebrews 6.2.
The prayer at Confirmation is that the person may, receive the sevenfold gifts of
the Holy Spirit initially found in Isaiah 11:1-3, then later in the Epistles. The
complete gift that is given in baptism is strengthened in the laying on of hands.
Confirmation gently unfolds what baptism means, a continuance of what has
already begun.
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