Confirmation increases sanctifying grace, gives its special sacramental grace, and imprints a lasting character on the soul.
1. Confirmation grants us the special grace by which our faith is deepened and strengthened, and we become concerned not only for our own spiritual needs, but for those of others.
Confirmation makes us sharers with Christ in His role of Redeemer. We participate with Him in the task of extending His Kingdom, by adding new souls to His Mystical Body. Our words and our works are directed not merely to our own sanctification, but also to the purpose of making Christ’s truths alive and real for those around us, we are “soldiers of Christ.”
2. By Confirmation we also receive that grace Jesus promised to His Apostles: “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you shall be witnesses for me… even to the very ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
The confirmed will not longer remain on the defensive fighting for his faith when being attacked. He will go forth joyfully in the fulfillment of vocation of soldier of Christ. He will become restless unless he is doing something worth-while for others–something to make more secure their promise of eternal life. He will join the ranks of Catholic Action, he will start being a real soldier of Christ, he will be “another Christ.”
3. The character of Confirmation is a spiritual and indelible sign which marks the Christian as a soldier in the army of Christ.
The confirmed as Christ’s soldier will be loyal to his King, Whose cause he serves. He is prepared to undergo any sufferings, even death if necessary. He will do all in his power to expand the kingdom of God. Because Confirmation imprints an indelible character on the soul, it may be received only once.