As an addendum to my post on the Chrism Mass I came across this lovely quotation from Cyril of Jerusalem's Mystagogic Catechesis. Cyril was Bishop of Jerusalem in the 4th Century and much of what we do in the special ceremonies of Holy Week goes back to the liturgies he celebrated for the pilgrims who gathered in Jerusalem to celebrate Easter. The Mystagogic Catechesis were the addresses given to the newly baptized after Easter explaining to them something of the meaning of the 'mysteries' they had experienced.
Be sure, however, not to regard the Chrism as a mere ointment. Just as after the invocation of the Holy Spirit the Bread of the Eucharist is no longer just bread but the Body of Christ, so when the Holy Spirit has been invoked on the sacred Chrism it is no longer merely an ordinary ointment. It is Christ's gift which instills his divinity into us through the presence of the Holy Spirit. With a symbolic meaning it is applied to your forehead and sense organs. Just as the body is anointed with a visible ointment, so the soul is sanctified by the Hidden Holy Spirit.
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