In Confirmation two things are confirmed: God’s love for you, and your love for God. For Anglicans, the confirmation of God’s love is made through the Bishop who lays his hand on the candidate’s head and prays,
“Defend, O Lord, this thy Servant with thy heavenly grace, that s/he may continue thine forever; and daily increase in thy Holy Spirit, more and more, until s/he come unto thy everlasting kingdom.” (page 560, Book of Common Prayer)
The person confirms their love for God and their desire to follow the Lord Jesus when they affirm their Baptismal promises, and then leave their seat and come forward to kneel before the Bishop.
Confirmation and Holy Baptism go together. In Baptism, God washes us and adopts us through the work of His Spirit. At Confirmation the Holy Spirit strengthens us. He gives us spiritual gifts to assist us in the new life. You may think of these as a tool box of spiritual tools to help us follow the Lord Jesus. These gifts include: wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge, true godliness and holy fear.
The Rite of Confirmation has been a practice of the Church since the earliest of times. The Apostles laid their hands upon those who were baptized, and prayed that they might receive the Holy Spirit.
Confirmation offers us a ‘concrete’ way of responding to God’s love for us. In modern terms, we might say that in it we receive the Lord’s personal touch through the Bishop.
If you are interested in receiving the Laying on of Hands, please contact the Church Office at 855-5209 or office@stgeorgesmoncton.ca.