God
of course forbade the worship of statutes but he did not forbid
the religious use of statues. |
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There
are certain people who make a ridiculous comment on Catholics.
They say that Catholics worship statues. They violate God’s
commandment – “You shall not make for yourself
a graven image or any likeness of anything that is in heaven
alone, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the
water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or to
serve them” (Ex 4-5). Catholics have images of Christ
and the saints in their churches and in their families. So
some people call them idolaters. Those who are really ignorant
of what Holy Bible say about the purpose and uses of statues
have this misunderstanding. God of course forbade the worship
of statutes but he did not forbid the religious use of statues.
In the book of Ex 25:18-20 the Lord commands the making of
statues.
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| In
1 Chr 28:18-19 David gave Solomon the plan for the altar of
incense. |
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The
Holy Spirit revealed himself under at least 2 visible forms –
that of a dove at the baptism of Jesus and a tongues of fire on
the day of Pentecost. |
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| In
Num 21:8-9 it is written that Moses was told to make a bronze
serpent and set it on a pole, and if a serpent bit any man,
he would look at the bronze serpent and live. One had to look
at the bronze statue of the serpent to be healed, which shows
that statues could be used ritually not merely as religious
decoration. Just as it helps to remember one's mother by looking
at her photograph so it helps to recall the example of the saints
by looking at their pictures and statues. Catholics use statues
as well as pictures of saints for this purpose and also as teaching
tools. Human beings are made of flesh and blood. So it is always
helpful to keep some kind of remembrance of the great saints,
so that it will be easy for ordinary people to be attracted
towards the virtuous lives of the saints. Then there is no need
of misinterpretation about bowing or kneeling in front of the
saints. It is only a form of honour or respect, which we show
towards these great souls. |
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God
is spirit. These is no form for God. The Lord spoke to Moses
at Horeb in the midst of the burning bush. But later God did
reveal himself under visible form. The Holy Spirit revealed
himself under at least 2 visible forms – that of a dove
at the baptism of Jesus (Mt 3:16, Mk 1:10, Lk 3:22, Jn 1:32)
and as tongues of fire on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4).
In the incarnation of Christ his Son, God showed mankind an
icon of himself. Paul said “He is the image of the invisible
God, the first born of all creation”. That is why various
images and statues of these forms of incarnate Jesus Christ
were made to deepen our knowledge and love of God.
The Catholic
Church always condemns the sin of idolatry. The church fathers
and church councils were against such sins. One should have
the common sense or prudence to recognize the distinction
between thinking a piece of stone or plaster is a God and
desiring to remember visually Christ and the saints in heaven
by making statues in their honour. The making and use of religious
statues is thoroughly biblical and everybody who knows the
Bible will see the truth in it.
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Just
as it helps to remember one's mother by looking at her photograph
so it helps to recall the example of the saints by looking at their
pictures and statues. |
