Tom of Disputations has a sharp post up: a rough-draft taxonomy of factions within the Church, based on which Sacrament they reject. He remarks that Confirmation is "rejected by pretty much everyone, since almost no one has any idea what it's actually for."
Well, I would dispute that. I am all for Confirmation (even though I'm don't have a complete understanding of what it's for. But I do have some idea.) So, does that mean I get my own faction? And if I do, what should I call it?
I first blogged about Confirmation in a combination "faith seeking understanding" and "resentful Gen-X rant" post last fall. I've had the question of Confirmation on my mental back burner ever since. It's something I want (and need) to study more, both to understand the Sacrament and to grow in understanding of the Holy Spirit and His actions.
I was thinking about it again more recently when I started hearing about the "Restored Order of the Sacraments" in the Latin Rite (that is, Confirmation before First Communion instead of adolescence or even later.) I saw it first on a Catholic mother's message board and then in this post on Fidelis.
Don't feel like slogging through the long meandering (recycled) reflection in the extended entry? Here's the executive summary: I think the Restored Order is a great idea. After the revolution, when I become Liturgist-in-Chief (complete with draconian powers of enforcement), I will implement it from east to west. While I wait for news of my appointment, I'll be studying up on Confirmation and learning more about the Holy Spirit, and striving to grow in devotion to Him.