One may wonder why should one be chrismated. Is not baptism enough? Are there any benefits derived from the Sacrament of Chrismation? The answer to these questions can be found in the writings of the Church Fathers.
In his 21st Catechetical Lecture, St. Cyril of Jerusalem says that we are made christs when we are chrismated. Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit after He was baptized. We are anointed with the Holy Chrism which represents the Holy Spirit after we are baptized.
Having been baptized into Christ, and put on Christ (Gal. 3:27), ye have been made comformable to the Son of God; for God having foreordained us unto adoption as sons (Eph. 1:5), made us to be conformed to the body of Christ’s glory. (Phil. 3:21) Having therefore become partakers of Christ (Heb. 3:14), ye are properly called Christs, and of you God said, "Touch not My Christs" (Psalm 104:15, LXX; Psalm 105:15, Hebrew), or anointed. Now ye have been made Christs, by receiving the antitype of the Holy Ghost; and all things have been wrought in you by imitation, because ye are images of Christ. He washed in the river Jordan, and having imparted of the fragrance of His Godhead to the waters, He came up from them; and the Holy Ghost in the fulness of His being lighted on Him, like resting upon like. And to you in like manner, after you had come up from the pool of the sacred streams, there was given an Unction, the anti-type of that wherewith Christ was anointed; and this is the Holy Ghost; of whom also the blessed Esaias, in his prophecy respecting Him, said in the person of the Lord, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He hath anointed Me: He hath sent Me to preach glad tidings to the poor." (Isaiah 61:1) (The Catechetical Lectures, Lecture XXI, paragraph 1, by St. Cyril of Jerusalem 318-386 A.D., vol. 7, p. 149, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series)
The ointment used in chrismation should not be regarded as common ointment. It represents the Holy Spirit, but when applied to various parts of a person's body in the Sacrament of Chrismation, the Holy Spirit sanctifies a person's soul.
But beware of supposing this to be plain ointment. For as the Bread of the Eucharist. after the invocation of the Holy Ghost, is mere bread no longer, but the Body of Christ, so also this holy ointment is no more simple ointment, nor (so to say) common, after invocation, but it is Christ’s gift of grace, and, by the advent of the Holy Ghost, is made fit to impart His Divine Nature. Which ointment is symbolically applied to thy forehead and thy other senses; and while thy body is anointed with the visible ointment, thy soul is sanctified by the Holy and life-giving Spirit. (The Catechetical Lectures, Lecture XXI, paragraph 3, by St. Cyril of Jerusalem 318-386 A.D., vol. 7, p. 150, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series)
When one is chrismated, one becomes armed with the Holy Spirit to fight against the devil.
For as Christ after His Baptism, and the visitation of the Holy Ghost, went forth and vanquished the adversary, so likewise ye, after Holy Baptism and the Mystical Chrism, having put on the whole armour of the Holy Ghost, are to stand against the power of the adversary, and vanquish it, saying, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." (Phil. 4:13) (The Catechetical Lectures, Lecture XXI, paragraph 4, by St. Cyril of Jerusalem 318-386 A.D., vol. 7, p. 150, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series)
St. Ephraim the Syrian said that when we are anointed with the Holy Chrism, Christ invisibly marks us as His sheep.
Christ and chrism are conjoined; the secret with the visible is mingled: the chrism anoints visibly, — Christ seals secretly, the lambs newborn and spiritual, the prize of His twofold victory; for He engendered it of the chrism, and He gave it birth of the water. (Fifteen Hymns for the Feast of Epiphany, Hymn 3, verse 1, by St. Ephraim the Syrian, 306-378 A.D., vol. 13, p. 268, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series)
Since then she, that sinner, stood in need of forgiveness, the anointing was for her an offering, and by it her love reconciled her Lord. But you who are the flock, among the profane and unbelievers, the Truth by the chrism is your seal, to separate you from the strayed. (Fifteen Hymns for the Feast of Epiphany, Hymn 3, verse 3, by St. Ephraim the Syrian, 306-378 A.D., vol. 13, p. 268, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series)
The chrism of the meek and lowly One, changes the stubborn to be like its Lord. The Gentiles were wolves and feared, the severe rod of Moses. Lo! The chrism seals them and makes, a flock of sheep out of the wolves! And the wolves that had fled from the rod, lo! They have taken refuge in the Cross! (Fifteen Hymns for the Feast of Epiphany, Hymn 3, verse 7, by St. Ephraim the Syrian, 306-378 A.D., vol. 13, p. 268, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series)
We are called Christians because we are anointed with the Holy Chrism.
And about your laughing at me and calling me “Christian,” you know not what you are saying. First, because that which is anointed (christos) is sweet and serviceable, and far from contemptible. For what ship can be serviceable and seaworthy, unless it be first caulked [anointed]? Or what castle or house is beautiful and serviceable when it has not been anointed? And what man, when he enters into this life or into the gymnasium, is not anointed with oil? And what work has either ornament or beauty unless it be anointed and burnished? Then the air and all that is under heaven is in a certain sort anointed by light and spirit; and are you unwilling to be anointed (christos) with the oil of God? Wherefore we are called Christians on this account, because we are anointed (christos) with the oil of God. (To Autolycus, Book II, chapter 12, by St. Theophilus of Antioch, 115-181 A.D., vol. 2, p. 92, Ante-Nicene Fathers)
Having been counted worthy of this Holy Chrism, ye are called Christians, verifying the name also by your new birth. For before you were deemed worthy of this grace, ye had properly no right to this title, but were advancing on your way towards being Christians. (The Catechetical Lectures, Lecture XXI, paragraph 5, by St. Cyril of Jerusalem 318-386 A.D., vol. 7, p. 150, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series)
So then, there are spiritual benefits derived from having received the Sacrament of Chrismation. When someone is chrismated, he or she is marked as one of Christ's sheep and his or her soul is sanctified by the Holy Spirit. People are made "christs" when they are chrismated. They are armed with the Holy Spirit to fight the devil after the priest chrismates them. The name, Christian, is derived from the practice of chrismation.
Steve
Ante-Nicene Fathers, edited by Alexander Roberts, D.D. & James Donaldson, LL.D., volumes 1-10, Hendrickson Publishers, Peabody, Massachusetts
Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, edited by Philip Schaff, D.D., LL.D., volumes 1-14, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., Peabody, Massachusetts
Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, edited by Philip Schaff, D.D., LL.D. & Henry Wace, D.D., volumes 1-14, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., Peabody, Massachusetts
In his 21st Catechetical Lecture, St. Cyril of Jerusalem says that we are made christs when we are chrismated. Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit after He was baptized. We are anointed with the Holy Chrism which represents the Holy Spirit after we are baptized.
Having been baptized into Christ, and put on Christ (Gal. 3:27), ye have been made comformable to the Son of God; for God having foreordained us unto adoption as sons (Eph. 1:5), made us to be conformed to the body of Christ’s glory. (Phil. 3:21) Having therefore become partakers of Christ (Heb. 3:14), ye are properly called Christs, and of you God said, "Touch not My Christs" (Psalm 104:15, LXX; Psalm 105:15, Hebrew), or anointed. Now ye have been made Christs, by receiving the antitype of the Holy Ghost; and all things have been wrought in you by imitation, because ye are images of Christ. He washed in the river Jordan, and having imparted of the fragrance of His Godhead to the waters, He came up from them; and the Holy Ghost in the fulness of His being lighted on Him, like resting upon like. And to you in like manner, after you had come up from the pool of the sacred streams, there was given an Unction, the anti-type of that wherewith Christ was anointed; and this is the Holy Ghost; of whom also the blessed Esaias, in his prophecy respecting Him, said in the person of the Lord, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He hath anointed Me: He hath sent Me to preach glad tidings to the poor." (Isaiah 61:1) (The Catechetical Lectures, Lecture XXI, paragraph 1, by St. Cyril of Jerusalem 318-386 A.D., vol. 7, p. 149, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series)
The ointment used in chrismation should not be regarded as common ointment. It represents the Holy Spirit, but when applied to various parts of a person's body in the Sacrament of Chrismation, the Holy Spirit sanctifies a person's soul.
But beware of supposing this to be plain ointment. For as the Bread of the Eucharist. after the invocation of the Holy Ghost, is mere bread no longer, but the Body of Christ, so also this holy ointment is no more simple ointment, nor (so to say) common, after invocation, but it is Christ’s gift of grace, and, by the advent of the Holy Ghost, is made fit to impart His Divine Nature. Which ointment is symbolically applied to thy forehead and thy other senses; and while thy body is anointed with the visible ointment, thy soul is sanctified by the Holy and life-giving Spirit. (The Catechetical Lectures, Lecture XXI, paragraph 3, by St. Cyril of Jerusalem 318-386 A.D., vol. 7, p. 150, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series)
When one is chrismated, one becomes armed with the Holy Spirit to fight against the devil.
For as Christ after His Baptism, and the visitation of the Holy Ghost, went forth and vanquished the adversary, so likewise ye, after Holy Baptism and the Mystical Chrism, having put on the whole armour of the Holy Ghost, are to stand against the power of the adversary, and vanquish it, saying, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." (Phil. 4:13) (The Catechetical Lectures, Lecture XXI, paragraph 4, by St. Cyril of Jerusalem 318-386 A.D., vol. 7, p. 150, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series)
St. Ephraim the Syrian said that when we are anointed with the Holy Chrism, Christ invisibly marks us as His sheep.
Christ and chrism are conjoined; the secret with the visible is mingled: the chrism anoints visibly, — Christ seals secretly, the lambs newborn and spiritual, the prize of His twofold victory; for He engendered it of the chrism, and He gave it birth of the water. (Fifteen Hymns for the Feast of Epiphany, Hymn 3, verse 1, by St. Ephraim the Syrian, 306-378 A.D., vol. 13, p. 268, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series)
Since then she, that sinner, stood in need of forgiveness, the anointing was for her an offering, and by it her love reconciled her Lord. But you who are the flock, among the profane and unbelievers, the Truth by the chrism is your seal, to separate you from the strayed. (Fifteen Hymns for the Feast of Epiphany, Hymn 3, verse 3, by St. Ephraim the Syrian, 306-378 A.D., vol. 13, p. 268, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series)
The chrism of the meek and lowly One, changes the stubborn to be like its Lord. The Gentiles were wolves and feared, the severe rod of Moses. Lo! The chrism seals them and makes, a flock of sheep out of the wolves! And the wolves that had fled from the rod, lo! They have taken refuge in the Cross! (Fifteen Hymns for the Feast of Epiphany, Hymn 3, verse 7, by St. Ephraim the Syrian, 306-378 A.D., vol. 13, p. 268, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series)
We are called Christians because we are anointed with the Holy Chrism.
And about your laughing at me and calling me “Christian,” you know not what you are saying. First, because that which is anointed (christos) is sweet and serviceable, and far from contemptible. For what ship can be serviceable and seaworthy, unless it be first caulked [anointed]? Or what castle or house is beautiful and serviceable when it has not been anointed? And what man, when he enters into this life or into the gymnasium, is not anointed with oil? And what work has either ornament or beauty unless it be anointed and burnished? Then the air and all that is under heaven is in a certain sort anointed by light and spirit; and are you unwilling to be anointed (christos) with the oil of God? Wherefore we are called Christians on this account, because we are anointed (christos) with the oil of God. (To Autolycus, Book II, chapter 12, by St. Theophilus of Antioch, 115-181 A.D., vol. 2, p. 92, Ante-Nicene Fathers)
Having been counted worthy of this Holy Chrism, ye are called Christians, verifying the name also by your new birth. For before you were deemed worthy of this grace, ye had properly no right to this title, but were advancing on your way towards being Christians. (The Catechetical Lectures, Lecture XXI, paragraph 5, by St. Cyril of Jerusalem 318-386 A.D., vol. 7, p. 150, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series)
So then, there are spiritual benefits derived from having received the Sacrament of Chrismation. When someone is chrismated, he or she is marked as one of Christ's sheep and his or her soul is sanctified by the Holy Spirit. People are made "christs" when they are chrismated. They are armed with the Holy Spirit to fight the devil after the priest chrismates them. The name, Christian, is derived from the practice of chrismation.
Steve
Bibliography
Ante-Nicene Fathers, edited by Alexander Roberts, D.D. & James Donaldson, LL.D., volumes 1-10, Hendrickson Publishers, Peabody, Massachusetts
Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, edited by Philip Schaff, D.D., LL.D., volumes 1-14, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., Peabody, Massachusetts
Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, edited by Philip Schaff, D.D., LL.D. & Henry Wace, D.D., volumes 1-14, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., Peabody, Massachusetts
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