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A. The first Commandment does not forbid the honoring of the saints, but rather
approves of it; because by honoring the saints, who are the chosen friends of
God, we honor God Himself.
A. Invocation means calling upon another for help or protection, particularly
when we are in need or danger. It is used specially with regard to calling
upon God or the saints, and hence it means prayer.
A. We honor the Saints because they honor God. Therefore, it is for His sake
that we honor them, and hence by honoring them we honor Him.
A. Another reason why we honor God by honoring the Saints is this: As we honor
our country by honoring its heroes, so do we honor our religion by honoring its
Saints. By honoring our religion we honor God, who taught it. Therefore, by
honoring the Saints we honor God, for love of whom they became religious heroes
in their faith.
A. The first Commandment does not forbid us to pray to the saints.
A. The first commandment does not forbid us to pray to the Saints, because if
we are allowed to ask the prayers of our fellow-creatures upon earth we should
be allowed also to ask the prayers of our fellow-creatures in heaven.
Moreover, the Saints must have an interest in our welfare, because whatever
tends to make us good, tends also to the glory of God.
A. By praying to the saints we mean the asking of their help and prayers.
A. We do not slight God Himself by addressing our prayers to saints, but, on
the contrary, show a greater respect for His majesty and sanctity,
acknowledging, by our prayers to the saints, that we are unworthy to address
Him for ourselves, and that we, therefore, ask His holy friends to obtain for
us what we ourselves are not worthy to ask.
A. We know that the saints hear us, because they are with God, who makes our
prayers known to them.
A. We believe that the saints will help us because both they and we are members
of the same Church, and they love us as their brethren.
A. The saints and we are members of the same Church, because the Church in
heaven and the Church on earth are one and the same Church, and all its members
are in communion with one another.
A. The Communion of the members of the Church is called the Communion of
Saints.
A. The communion of saints means the union which exists between the members of
the Church on earth with one another, and with the blessed in Heaven, and with
the suffering souls in Purgatory.
A. The following benefits are derived from the communion of saints: the
faithful on earth assist one another by their prayers and good works, and they
are aided by the intercession of the saints in Heaven, while both the saints in
Heaven and the faithful on earth help the souls in Purgatory.
A. We can best honor the saints by imitating their virtues, and we shall learn
their virtues from the written accounts of their lives. Among the Saints we
shall find models for every age, condition or state of life.
A. The first Commandment does not forbid us to honor relics, because relics are
the bodies of the saints or objects directly connected with them or with our
Lord.
A. There are three kinds or classes of relics:
- (1) The body or part of the body of a saint;
- (2) Articles, such as clothing or books, used by the saint;
- (3) Articles that have touched a relic of the body or other relic.
A. The relics of the true Cross and relics of the thorns, nails, etc., used in
the Passion are entitled to a very special veneration, and they have certain
privileges with regard to their use and the manner of keeping them that other
relics have not. A relic of the true Cross is never kept or carried with other
relics.
A. The Church permits us to give relics a veneration similar to that we give
images. We do not venerate the relics for their own sake, but for the sake of
the persons they represent. The souls of canonized saints are certainly in
heaven, and we are certain that their bodies also will be there. Therefore, we
may honor their bodies because they are to be glorified in heaven and were
sanctified upon earth.
A. The Church takes the greatest care in the examination and distribution of
relics.
- (1) The canonization or beatification of the person whose relic we receive
must be certain.
- (2) The relics are sent in sealed packets, that must be opened only by the
bishop of the diocese to which the relics are sent, and each relic or packet
must be accompanied by a document or written paper proving its genuineness.
- (3) The relics cannot be exposed for public veneration until the bishop
examines them and pronounces them authentic; that is, that they are what they
are claimed to be.
A. Before using any relic or giving it to another we should be certain that all
the requirements of the Church concerning it have been fulfilled, and that the
relic really is, as far as it is possible for any one to know, what we believe
it to be.
A. God Himself has frequently honored relics by permitting miracles to be
wrought through them. There is an example given in the Bible, in the IV Book
of Kings, where it is related that a dead man was restored to life when his
body touched the bones, that is, the relics of the holy prophet Eliseus.
A. The first Commandment does forbid the making of images if they are made to
be adored as gods, but it does not forbid the making of them to put us in mind
of Jesus Christ, His Blessed Mother, and the saints.
A. We show that it is only the worship and not the making of images that is
forbidden by the first commandment:
- (1) Because no one thinks it sinful to carve statues or make photographs or
paintings of relatives or friends;
- (2) Because God Himself commanded the making of images for the temple after
He had given the first commandment, and God never contradicts Himself.
A. It is right to show respect to the pictures and images of Christ and His
saints, because they are the representations and memorials of them.
A. We have, in this country, a civil custom similar to that of honoring
pictures and images of saints, for, on Decoration or Memorial Day, patriotic
citizens place flowers, flags, or emblems about the statues of our deceased
civil heroes, to honor the persons these statues represent; for just as we can
dishonor a man by abusing his image, so we can honor him by treating it with
respect and reverence.
A. It is not allowed to pray to the crucifix or images and relics of the
saints, for they have no life, nor power to help us, nor sense to hear us.
A. We pray before the crucifix and the images and relics of the saints because
they enliven our devotion by exciting pious affections and desires, and by
reminding us of Christ and of the saints, that we may imitate their virtues.
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