<p><em>Fr. Cyprian Consiglio, OSB Cam, Prior<br /></em></p>

<p>Fr. Bruno made a distinction in his book <em>The Future of Wisdom</em> which I really like and which I have used often. He wrote about these two moments in the Christian life: there is the Baptismal moment and there is the Eucharistic moment. If I may express it in my own words: at Baptism we find out who we are (at least we are meant to); we're supposed to discover our union with God as our identity. But in the Eucharistic moment we are broken open for the world, inserting ourselves in the world in creativity and service. But I want to add something to that: when adults are received into the Church through the Rite of Christian Initiation, after they are baptized and before they receive Eucharist for the first time they are also confirmed; they receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. There's another moment there: in some way you could think of Confirmation as the rest of Baptism, the seal of Baptism, maybe even a second Baptism. Maybe the first christening is the Baptism of Water and the chrismation of Confirmation is the Baptism of Fire. Maybe Eucharist is our presence and action in the world, but the fire of the Spirit is the energy behind that eucharistic participation. Baptism is the promise; Confirmation leads us to the fulfillment of that promise in the Eucharist, and our lives as Eucharist. We need all three: Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist––<em>the Spirit, the water and the blood</em>.</p>
