transmitted it to us. [1] To declare the effects of Confirmation, no sacramental matter could have been more appropriate than chrism: oil, by its nature unctuous and fluid, expresses the plenitude of divine grace which flows from Christ the head, through the Holy Ghost, and is poured out, " like the precious ointment on the head, that ran down upon the beard of Aaron, to the skirt of his garment;" [2] for "God anointed him with the oil of gladness, above his fellows," [3] and " of his fulness we all have received." [4] Balsam, too, the odour of which is most grateful, signifies that the faithful, made perfect by the grace of Confirmation, diffuse around them, by reason of their many virtues, such a sweet odour that they may truly say with the Apostle; " We are the good odour of Christ unto God." [5] Balsam has also the quality of preserving incorrupt whatever it embalms; a quality well adapted to express the virtue of this Sacrament; prepared by the heavenly grace infused in Confirmation, the souls of the faithful may be easily preserved from the corruption of sin.
The chrism is consecrated with solemn ceremonies, by the bishop. That this its solemn consecration is in accordance with the instructions of our Lord, when at his last supper he committed to his Apostles the manner of making chrism, we learn from Pope Fabian, a man eminently distinguished by his sanctity, and by the glory of martyrdom. [6] Indeed, reason alone demonstrates the propriety of this consecration; for in most of the other sacraments, Christ so instituted the matter as to impart to it holiness; it was not only his will that water should constitute the matter of the Sacrament of Baptism, when he said: " Unless a man- be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter the kingdom of God;" [7] but he also, at his own baptism, imparted to it the power of sanctifying; "The water of baptism," says St. Chrysostome, " had it not been sanctified by contact with the body of our Lord, could not cleanse the sins of believers." [8] As, therefore, our Lord did not consecrate by using the matter of confirmation, it becomes necessary to consecrate it by holy and devout prayer, which is the exclusive prerogative of bishops, who are constituted the ordinary ministers of this Sacrament.
The other component part of this Sacrament, that is to say, its form, comes next to be explained. The faithful are to be admonished that when receiving Confirmation, they are, on hearing the words pronounced by the bishop, earnestly to excite themselves to sentiments of piety, faith, and devotion, that on their part no obstacle may be opposed to the heavenly grace of the Sacrament. The form of Confirmation consists of these words: "I SIGN THEE WITH THE SIGN OF THE CROSS, AND I
- ↑ Vid. Aug. in Ps. 44. vers. 9. et lib. 13. de Trinit. cap. 26. Greg, in 1. cap. can. Cone. Laod. cap, 48. et Carth. 2 c. 2. et3. c. 39. Dionys. de Eccl. Hierar. c. 2. et 4 De oleo vide Ambr. in Ps. 118 et lib. de Spiritu Sancto, cap. 3. Cyprian Epist 70
- ↑ Ps. cxxxii. 2.
- ↑ Ps. xliv. 8.
- ↑ John i. 16.
- ↑ 2 Cor. ii. 15.
- ↑ S. Fab. papa, uti supra.
- ↑ John iii. 5.
- ↑ Hom. 4. oper. imperf. et habetur de consec. disk 4. c. Nunquid.
