A Soldier of the Emperor and a Soldier of Christ
Confirmation
Confirmation is a Sacrament through which we receive the Holy Ghost, to make us strong and perfect Christians and soldiers of Jesus Christ.
Here is a story of a man who was made a strong and perfect Christian through the sacrament of Confirmation. This man was born in the year 286 at the time when the Church was being persecuted by the Roman Emperors. He was a soldier of the Emperor of Rome, but more than that, he was a member of the Emperor's personal bodyguard. He was one of those who fought closest to the Emperor in battle and kept danger from him. His name was Sebastian, a brave soldier of the Emperor, The name Sebastian itself means "noble." Through Confirmation, Sebastian had also become a soldier of Christ. He was discovered performing acts of charity in the name of Jesus Christ and accused to the emperor of being a Christian. The Emperor tried to force him to sacrifice to idols but Sebastian would not. Then he was handed over to the archers of Rome who tortured him by shooting arrows at him. Finally they killed him. St. Sebastian is shown to us in art as a young man in the uniform of the Roman army, lying dead, pierced with arrows. A soldier of the Emperor and also a brave soldier of Jesus Christ.
Here is a question you may often have asked yourselves. Could I suffer the things which the martyrs did? They suffered so much for Christ would I be able to do the same? Perhaps you have answered the question to yourself, "No, I could not." That is wrong. You could. If that time should come that you would be called upon to suffer for your faith, the Holy Ghost will give you strength to endure. To give strength means to confirm. The Holy Ghost confirms us in Confirmation. He gives us strength. With the Holy Ghost dwelling within us we will be able to bear suffering if the time should come because Confirmation makes us strong and perfect Christians and soldiers of Jesus Christ. The prayer which the Bishop says after Confirmation is a very beautiful one. He prays for those whom he has just confirmed in these words, "O God, grant that the hearts of these whose foreheads we have annointed with Thy sacred chrism and signed with the sign of the Holy Cross, may, by the same Holy Spirit coming down into them, and by His dwelling in them be made the temple of His glory, who with the Father and the same Holy Spirit livest and reignest God world without end. Amen."
Confirmation
Confirmation is a Sacrament through which we receive the Holy Ghost, to make us strong and perfect Christians and soldiers of Jesus Christ.
Here is a story of a man who was made a strong and perfect Christian through the sacrament of Confirmation. This man was born in the year 286 at the time when the Church was being persecuted by the Roman Emperors. He was a soldier of the Emperor of Rome, but more than that, he was a member of the Emperor's personal bodyguard. He was one of those who fought closest to the Emperor in battle and kept danger from him. His name was Sebastian, a brave soldier of the Emperor, The name Sebastian itself means "noble." Through Confirmation, Sebastian had also become a soldier of Christ. He was discovered performing acts of charity in the name of Jesus Christ and accused to the emperor of being a Christian. The Emperor tried to force him to sacrifice to idols but Sebastian would not. Then he was handed over to the archers of Rome who tortured him by shooting arrows at him. Finally they killed him. St. Sebastian is shown to us in art as a young man in the uniform of the Roman army, lying dead, pierced with arrows. A soldier of the Emperor and also a brave soldier of Jesus Christ.
Here is a question you may often have asked yourselves. Could I suffer the things which the martyrs did? They suffered so much for Christ would I be able to do the same? Perhaps you have answered the question to yourself, "No, I could not." That is wrong. You could. If that time should come that you would be called upon to suffer for your faith, the Holy Ghost will give you strength to endure. To give strength means to confirm. The Holy Ghost confirms us in Confirmation. He gives us strength. With the Holy Ghost dwelling within us we will be able to bear suffering if the time should come because Confirmation makes us strong and perfect Christians and soldiers of Jesus Christ. The prayer which the Bishop says after Confirmation is a very beautiful one. He prays for those whom he has just confirmed in these words, "O God, grant that the hearts of these whose foreheads we have annointed with Thy sacred chrism and signed with the sign of the Holy Cross, may, by the same Holy Spirit coming down into them, and by His dwelling in them be made the temple of His glory, who with the Father and the same Holy Spirit livest and reignest God world without end. Amen."
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