The Idolitry Debate

I never set foot in a Catholic Church until I went to sea on the USS Oriskany. Upon entering there was no doubt about who and what this Church celebrated. Everywhere I looked I saw Jesus on the cross. There were several saints scattered around the room; Mary the Mother of Jesus, Joseph, the man who took Jesus as his son, Saint John the Baptist, Saint Peter with his keys and Saint Paul, all of whom serve as reminders of the life of Christ on earth. The walls were covered with artwork - paintings of the life of Christ and the crucifixion. Then there were the Stations of the Cross. The Catholic Church awakens all your senses.

Non-Catholics seem to interpret Exodus 20 in a literal sense. The non Catholics often refer Catholics to the Commandments; which according to the first commandment, God said: “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them or serve them (Ex. 20:2–5).

 

God does not prohibit statues or images; he prohibits the adoration of them. If God truly meant that we were not to possess any statues at all, then he would later contradict himself. Just five chapters after this commandment in Exodus 20. God commanded Moses to build the ARK of the Covenant, which would contain the presence of God and was to be venerated as the holiest place in all of Israel. Here is what God commanded Moses concerning the statues on it: “AND YOU SHALL MAKE TWO CHERUBIM OF GOLD; OF HAMMERED WORK SHALL YOU MAKE THEM, ON THE TWO ENDS OF THE MERCY SEAT. MAKE ONE CHERUB ON THE ONE END, AND ONE CHERUB ON THE OTHER END; OF ONE PIECE WITH THE MERCY SEAT SHALL YOU MAKE THE CHERUBIM ON ITS TWO ENDS.” (Ex. 25:18–19).

In Numbers 21:8–9, not only did our Lord order Moses to make another statue in the form of a bronze serpent, he commanded the children of Israel to look to it in order to be healed. The context of the passage is one where Israel had rebelled against God, and a plague of deadly snakes was sent as a just punishment. This statue of a snake had no power of itself—we know from John 3:14, — but God used this image of a snake as an instrument to effect healing in his people.

Further, in 1 Kings 6, Solomon built a temple for the glory of God, described as follows: “In the inner sanctuary he made two cherubim of olivewood, each ten cubits high. . . . He put the IMAGE of the cherubim in the innermost part of the house. . . . He carved all the walls of the house roundabout with carved figures of cherubim and palm trees, and open flowers, in the inner and outer rooms. . . . For the entrance to the inner sanctuary he made doors of olivewood. . . . He covered the two doors of olivewood with carvings of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers; he overlaid them with gold (1 Kgs. 6:23, 27, 29, 31, 32). King Solomon ordered the construction of multiple images of things both “in heaven above” (angels) and “in the earth beneath” (palm trees and open flowers). And then, after the completion of the temple, GOD DECLARED HE WAS PLEASED WITH ITS CONSTRUCTION (1 KGS. 9:3).

 

Now for those who criticize the catholic Church; didn’t God know what King Solomon had done? It becomes apparent, given the above evidence, that a strictly literal interpretation of Exodus 20:2–5 is erroneous. Otherwise, we would have to conclude that God prohibits something in Exodus 20 and he commands the same thing elsewhere.

 
Why would God use these images of serpents, angels, palm trees, and open flowers? Why didn’t he heal the people directly rather than use a “graven image”? Why didn’t he command Moses and Solomon to build an ark and a temple void of any images at all?

Many non-Catholics also claim that, while Catholics may say they do not adore statues, their actions prove otherwise… Catholics kiss statues, bow down before them, and pray in front of them. According to the protestants, that represents the adoration that is due God alone.

The problem was not with the bowing; it was with the adoration. Bowing does not necessarily entail adoration. For example, Jacob bowed to the ground on his knees seven times to his elder brother Esau (Gen. 33:3), Bathsheba bowed to her husband David (1 Kgs. 1:16), and Solomon bowed to his mother Bathsheba (1 Kgs. 2:19). In fact, in Revelation 3:9, John records the words of Jesus: “Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and learn that I have loved you.” This simply indicates that there are different categories of “bow” or “worship” as clearly seen in the examples above. We have the LATRIA which is the adoration due to God alone; this is clearly different from the relational worship or we give to ourselves to indicate respect. This is very clear with the Yoruba culture of Nigeria, where a child prostrates or lies down to greet an elder. This does not mean that he is rendering the elder a Latria worship or guilty of idolatry, however, it is just a relational worship which indicates respect. HENCE, WE MUST KNOW THAT THE IDEA OF “WORSHIP” IS VERY BROAD AND ITS USAGE MUST FLOW WITH THE PROPER SENTIMENT WHICH INDICATES WHAT IT REALLY MEANS.

The Catholic Church does not believe any statue or image has any power in and of itself. The beauty of statues and icons move us to the contemplation of the Word of God as he is himself or as he works in his saints. And, according to the Scripture, as well as the testimony of the centuries, God even uses them at times to impart blessings (e.g., healings) according to his providential plan.

For us, having statues or images is just as natural as having your pictures or those of your loves ones, especially those that have departed from us. Most times we keep these images or pictures of our relations in our wallets or at homes or even in our electronic devices, which remind us of the ones we love here on earth. I hope the fact is becoming clear now; Catholics interpret Pictures and statues of saints much in the same way that pictures of friends and family are. They are not idols, but visible reminders of what they represent.

For idolatry to exist, a person must worship something or think of it as if it were God. A man who kisses a picture of his wife and children is not practicing idolatry. He is merely expressing love for his family. The same applies to pictures and statues of saints. If we kiss and salute our country's flag, our heart is not directed towards the cloth or fabric that made the flag, but to the country it represents. 

Idolatry is an interior disposition. It is wrong to judge interior motives by what we think we see. For we cannot read another persons minds and feelings, only God can. Catholics strongly deny that what we practice in having images is worshiping, but rather venerating. Worship is not the same as venerate.
The lives of the saints are inspirational to Catholics. Their images remind us of their testimony, which can encourage us in our own walk with God. In the early Church, when 99% of the people couldn’t read and there were no readily available texts, statues, pictures and stained glass windows were the common man’s Bible. In fact, the early christian tombs were engraved with christian symbols and images.

If Exodus 20 were to be taken in the strictest sense, just think what it would mean. Not only could you not have images of saints, but also no pictures of friends or family, no statues of heroes, and no picture Bibles or dolls for children. After all, if the Bible strictly prohibits the making of images, then you can’t do it for any reason, even to make profile picture in Facebook.

What about Exodus 25:18 which God himself commanded Moses to make images? Did God violate His own commandment or protestants are just so poor in interpreting the bible in context?

Catholics interpret the bible in context, not by just picking a single verse, but the whole content of what the author wanted to present.

 

What I see when I gaze on a statue or picture of Mary or reach out to touch a statue of her, I see a young woman, a normal teenager. Well, normal in all respects except one. We Catholics believe she was born without the "original" sin of Adam and Eve. I think it's in the Bible, not sure where, but it is one of our core beliefs. It's why we call her the "Immaculate Conception". God sends his angel Gabriel to Mary to tell her of her impending pregnancy. At first, just like any other teenager, she questions the angel. How can that be? I've never been with a man. The angel explains to her that the Holy Spirit will come upon her. Without hesitation, without question, she replies “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” This is a woman of great faith and steadfast belief in God; much stronger than mine. I asked myself how many times I've met challenges, circumstances or events in my life with "let it be to me according to your (Gods) word? Sadly, none. To me "Let it be done to me..." is one of the most important parts of the Nativity.

I also see Joseph, earthly father of Jesus. Not much is said about Joseph. About the only thing said is that an angel talked to him and he went and took Mary as his wife. I can almost hear him say "let it be done to me..." This is a man with strong faith and steadfast belief in God. Again, much stronger than mine. He is important because like me, he is a husband, someone strong in faith that I should look at and learn from.

When I gaze upon that picture or touch that statue of Mary I also see the "Holy Family". Jesus, Mary and Joseph; I also hear the words "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." Why the numbers 2 or 3? Look at the Holy Family, Mary and Joseph make 2, with the child Jesus, it's 3. I also hear the words "And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son." Notice the one similarity? ... In my name...

The last Tuesday of March in 2018, Lolly had gone to Church for a meeting, I sat down with our Blessed Mother in prayer with the Rosary. (we call her Blessed because she carried Jesus in her body for 9 months then cared for him the rest of his (human) life) The Lord brought the vision of Joseph, the Holy Family and "in his name" together in a way I understood. When Lolly got home I asked her to join me every day in prayer together in his name. Those two verses are why I make the sign of the cross and say In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit before I pray. When Lolly and I pray it is with the authority from God. Another one of our core beliefs.

When I gaze upon a picture of Jesus or reach out and touch a statue of him in his robes, I see a teacher, a "fixer" if you will, someone that can make things right, I see a deity that knows the problems of humanity first-hand and I hear his words from the night before he was crucified: Not my will but Thy will be done. He might have learned it from his parents - Let it be done to me... When I see him on the Cross, I see a man who suffered greatly for me and all other believers. I see a man who conquered death.

My wife and I have had the privilege of going to Europe and the Holy Land a few times and see some of the great Churches of the past. When I see the artwork, stained glass, paintings and sculpture, every time I pray the Rosary, I remember the Bible Stories taught to us in Sunday School, I also remember the Bible Stories read to me by MY Mother from those little "Golden Books (remember those?)." Our Rosary is about those stories, the life of Jesus.

I hope you can see that when I stand in front of a picture or statue, there is a lot more going on inside of me than just the earthly senses and motions. I don't keep God hostage in the Bible, He goes everywhere I go, his words come to me in prayer, especially the Rosary.

As far as praying to Mary goes, listen to the words: Hail Mary full of Grace, the Lord is with you... These are the words Gabriel used when he talked to Mary. "Blessed are you among women and Blessed is the Fruit of Thy womb Jesus..." Those are the words of Elizabeth when Mary went to see her. "Holy Mother of God..." We call Mary that because we (Catholics) believe in a Holy Trinity of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Since the Son of God is also considered to be God, we call Mary the Mother of God (She is also referred to as the Mother of God in Revelation). "Pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death." We are not praying to Mary, we are asking her to pray for us because she is closer to God than we are. It's no different than me asking my neighbor to pray for me. I also ask the saints and Jesus to pray to God for me. 

I hope this dispels my family's notions that I'm a heathenish idol worshiper.

Outside of the Bible

Is There Really No God’s Word and Work Outside of the Bible?

John 21:25 states: “And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written.” And it is said in John 20:30, “And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written.” This verifies that the work and word of the Lord Jesus are also not completely recorded in the New Testament. Therefore, “There is no work or word of God outside of the Bible” does not conform with the facts.

Is There Really No God’s Word and Work Outside of the Bible?

People who understand the Bible all know that the New Testament was formed by people around 300 AD based on the letters left by the disciples. During the compilation of the Bible, because of the disputes and omissions of the editors at the time, a part of God’s word conveyed by prophets was not recorded in the Old Testament. This is an openly accepted fact. If we say that God's work and word don’t exist outside of the Bible, then are the omitted prophecies of the prophets not the word of God? Even in the New Testament, the Lord Jesus said more than just those words. John 21:25 states: “And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written.” And it is said in John 20:30, “And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written.” This verifies that the work and word of the Lord Jesus are also not completely recorded in the New Testament. Therefore, “There is no work or word of God outside of the Bible” does not conform with the facts.

God says, “If you wish to see the work of the Age of Law, and to see how the Israelites followed the way of Jehovah, then you must read the Old Testament; if you wish to understand the work of the Age of Grace, then you must read the New Testament. But how do you see the work of the last days? You must accept the leadership of the God of today, and enter into the work of today, for this is the new work, and no one has previously recorded it in the Bible. Today, God has become flesh and selected other chosen ones in China. God works in these people, He continues on from His work on earth, and continues on from the work of the Age of Grace. The work of today is a path that man has never walked, and a way that no one has ever seen. It is work that has never been done before—it is God’s latest work on earth. Thus, work that has never been done before is not history, because now is now, and has yet to become the past. People do not know that God has done greater, newer work on earth, and outside of Israel, that it has already gone beyond the scope of Israel, and beyond the foretelling of the prophets, that it is new and marvelous work outside of the prophecies, and newer work beyond Israel, and work that people can neither perceive nor imagine. How could the Bible contain explicit records of such work? Who could have recorded every single bit of today’s work, without omission, in advance?”

Therefore, we must treat the Bible correctly. We can not limit God’s end-time work to the Bible, nor can we use the Bible to measure the Lord’s end-time work. Instead, we should actually examine God’s end-time work and listen to God’s voice so that we can receive the Lord’s return and meet God's will.

Faith

Faith, what is it? Why is it important in our life? How do we get it? How do we make it stronger? These are questions that we all need to answer for ourselves.

Hebrews 11:1–3 defines faith using words which are frequently quoted, and also frequently misunderstood:

“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.”

As with the rest of the Bible, context is critical. In this passage, the writer demonstrates that faith in God is really ''trust.'' What we have seen of God's nature and character should lead us to trust Him, and trust naturally leads to obedience.

This is not an endorsement of ''blind faith''. Instead, the writer presents the idea of ''faith'' as a confident look to the future, based on man’s reliance on God's nature and character. Faith is not just simple obedience to a set of rules or statements. Before we can have faith, we must understand in whom and in what we have faith. Without understanding, we cannot have true faith.  Also, our understanding must be built on the foundation of the scriptures, the traditions of our forefathers and on our own personal experiences.

The naive or inexperienced person is easily misled and believes every word he hears, but the prudent man is discrete and astute (Proverbs 14:15). The Christian apostle Paul wrote:

"Test everything that is said to be sure it is true, and if it is, then accept it." (1 Thessalonians 5:21).

Christian faith must be aligned with the concepts presented in the Bible, the life of Jesus and the ideals he presented. The Christian sees the mystery of God and his grace. This causes Man to want to know God more and to become obedient to God. To a Christian, faith is not static but causes one to want to learn more of God and to grow.

Christian faith has its origin in God. What are some examples of Faith in God? Hebrews chapter 11, introduces an impressive list of heroic believers from the Old Testament in a passage often called the "Faith Hall of Fame." These men and women and their stories stand out to encourage and challenge our faith.

By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.

By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.” For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith.

By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

By faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise. And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.

All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. Indeed, they were longing for a better world—a heavenly one.

By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had embraced the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead, and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death. By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future. By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons, and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff. By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions concerning the burial of his bones.

By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and the application of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel. By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned. By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the army had marched around them for seven days. By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.

And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again.

There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated; the world was not worthy of them.

They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground. These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.

Sadly, one of the great misconceptions in the Christian life is that we can create faith on our own. We can’t. We struggle to stoke up faith by doing Christian works, by praying more, by reading the Bible more; in other words, by doing, doing, doing. But Scripture (Ephesians 2, 1 - 10) says that’s not how we get it:

"As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh a and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast, for we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

So, what is Faith? It is the firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, and strength of God.

Why is it important in our life? Ephesians 2, 1 - 7 answers that:

“As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.”

How do we get it? Again Ephesians 2 has an answer:

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

How do we make it stronger?

Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you: For every one that asks receives; and he that seeks finds; and to him that knocks it shall be opened (Matthew 7:7-8 ).

Faith is not an easy concept for a human to grasp. It must be researched through studying the Bible and the works of our Saints. What we hear from our teachers, preachers, priests and others around us must be tested through our understanding of our research. If it is true, we must apply it to our daily life; if false, we must reject it completely.

Votive Ships

One of my Internet friends sent me this story about emergency conditions at sea and what Catholic Sailors in days of old did to placate the situation. Being a Catholic and once a Sailor, I found this ancient custom interesting. 

 

I went through a hurricane on the carrier USS Oriskany. The storm was so strong it sent waves over the pilot-house which was almost 80 feet above the waterline. ... Time to start praying as these old mariners did...

 

The following is just some of what I came up with after just a few minutes of searching. ... 

 

A votive ship, sometimes called a church ship, is a ship model displayed in a church. As a rule, votive ships are constructed and given as gifts to the church by seamen and ship builders. Votive ships are relatively common in churches in the Nordic countries Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland, as well as on Åland and Faroe islands, but are known also to exist in Germany, the United Kingdom and Spain.

 

The practice of displaying model ships in churches stems from the Middle Ages and appears to have been known throughout Christian Europe, in both Catholic and Lutheran countries. The oldest known remaining votive ship is a Spanish ship model from the 15th century. A model ship originally displayed in Stockholm Cathedral but today in the Stockholm Maritime Museum dating from circa 1590 is the oldest surviving example in the Nordic countries.

Votive ships are quite common in France, in coastal towns either as model ships or as paintings they are known under the Latin term of Ex-Voto.
The church of Sainte Anne d'Auray in Brittany has the biggest French collection of marine ex-votos, but the practice even extends to the Mediterranean French shores, including Corsica.

 

Lisa Nichols Hickman: Epiphany and votive ships - The traditional votive ships of Finland teach lessons on stewardship. Lisa Nichols Hickman is pastor of New Wilmington Presbyterian Church in New Wilmington, Pennsylvania.

 

Sacred Vessels - SHIP models have a long tradition in religious rites and imagery.

 

Glasgow Cathedral - Votive Ship

 

The devotion of the votive ships in Canada

 

Turku Cathedral Votive Ship

 

Models of ships in churches

 

1638 St. Mary Magdalene Church of Kawit (Parokya ni Santa Maria Magdalena) is one of the oldest churches in the Philippines. Vicariate of St. Mary Magdalene celebrated its Golden Jubilee in November 2011. It was initially said to be built of wood as early as 1638 through the help of six Filipino families from the towns of Maragondon and Silang, Cavite.Saint Mary Magdale Church It belongs to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Imus, the diocese that has jurisdiction over all the Catholic parishes in Cavite. The town Kawit which was formerly known as Cavite Viejo during Spanish occupation was frequent by Spanish marines and slowly turned into a "Red Light District" and to help solve the bad reputation of the place Manila Archbishop Miguel Garcia Serrano (1618–1629) ordered to place St. Mary Magdalene as patroness of the town. Some people and researchers say that it is possible that she may not be the original patron saint of the town since most of the old parishes in Cavite was consecrated to the Virgin Mary. The Church is known for healing and helping resolve personal problems. Mary Magdalene (original Greek Μαρία ἡ Μαγδαληνή), or Mary of Magdala and sometimes The Magdalene, is a religious figure in Christianity. St. Mary Magdalene's statue , the antique and miraculous life-size image of Mary Magdalene in Kawit, Cavite has a "mark" in the middle of her forehead, it resembles a mole and no living local in Kawit knows why the statue has such a mark. Speculations suggests that this is the symbolic mark of Jesus's finger tips during the resurrection when he had appeared to Magdalene and said Noli me tangere (Touch Me Not). Some suggests that this mark is to clearly identify her identity from the Virgin Mary.

 

First Mass in the Philippines

 

March 31 commemorates the anniversary of the first Catholic Mass in the Philippines in 1521.

Each year Filipinos commemorate the anniversary of the first Catholic Mass celebrated on the island of Limasawa in Southern Leyte.

According to Vatican News, “On Easter Sunday in 1521, Father Pedro de Valderrama celebrated the first Catholic Mass in what is now the Philippines, specifically on the island of Limasawa in Southern Leyte.

The date was March 31, and the Spanish priest was part of an expedition to the so-called ‘East Indies’ led by the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan.”

The Mass was celebrated on an “improvised altar” and the congregation included local inhabitants.

The past few years have seen several jubilee celebrations, celebrating 500 years since the first Mass. Those celebrations were postponed during COVID in 2021, but were held successfully in 2022.

John Burger also adds in his article for Aleteia that, “Since 2013, Filipino Catholics have been observing a nine-year preparatory cycle to prepare for the great anniversary. With a particular theme assigned to each year, the Church in the Philippines has sought to deepen and reinvigorate its missionary character, with programs tailored by each of the country’s dioceses and archdioceses.”

What the Rosary Means to Me

Pope Pius XI once said that “the rosary is a powerful weapon to put the demons to flight and to keep oneself from sin…If you desire peace in your hearts, in your homes, and in your country, assemble each evening to recite the Rosary. Let not even one day pass without saying it, no matter how burdened you may be with many cares and labors.” His words speak to a truth that the Church has recognized for centuries. In addition to blessing us with joy and peace, the Blessed Mother also protects us from harm. The devil and his demons tremble before her. They could not tempt her into sin, and they know what a powerful intercessor she is, calling us to conversion and a return to the Lord.

"The devil and his demons tremble before her. They could not tempt her into sin, and they know what a powerful intercessor she is, calling us to conversion and a return to the Lord."

The Rosary is MY communion with God on a personal level.

This is why I pray the Rosary. Our Blessed Mother's intercession and protection is what I hope for when praying Her rosary. I trust that Christ will not turn away from His mother when She looks upon him with loving eyes and pleads for mercy on my behalf.

Archbishop Fulton Sheen knew that one of the most profound ways to find Christ is in the rosary. More than a mantra, each mystery allows us to reflect on the message of the Gospel, the pivotal moments in the life of Jesus. “The rosary is the book of the blind,” he says, “where souls see and there enact the greatest drama of love the world has ever known; it is the book of the simple, which initiates them into mysteries and knowledge more satisfying than the education of Universities and other men; it is the book of the aged, whose eyes close upon the shadow of this world, and open on the substance of the next. The power of the rosary is beyond description.”

Most commonly recognized in the United States as a symbol of Catholicism, other religions including Buddhism, Hinduism, some branches of Protestantism, Paganism and Islam employ rosary bead traditions as well. There has been a lot said about "who" gave Catholics the Rosary, how it was given and why. Does all that matter? All the prayers in the Catholic Rosary are found in the Bible, even the Protestant Bible. What is more important? The traditions of counting beads on a string, which actually started long before Catholicism by shepherds while tending their herds; who we got it from - men were already counting beads before our Holy Mother talked to St. Dominic; how we got it, why we got it? Or is the most important thing the prayers themselves and what those prayers mean? Do I need a string of beads to pray the Rosary? No! The string of beads is for the earthly part of me, something for my earthly will, attitudes and feelings to grab on to and be guided by. My spiritual will (the Holy Spirit), attitudes and feelings are guided by the prayers in my soul. Those prayers come from Jesus.

To me, the Rosary is the whole Bible (yes, I think you need to understand the Old Testament to fully understand the first decade - the Annunciation) that can, with a little work, can be committed to memory. The "Mysteries" are what I contemplate and meditate on while we are praying, they awaken the Holy Spirit within me. The Rosary, in the words of Pope St. Paul VI, is a “compendium of the Gospel.” It is so devised that it helps us to reflect briefly on the principal events of our redemption.

Why do I prefer to pray in front of Our Holy Mother or at the foot of the large crucifix in every Catholic Church? I'm comfortable with Her and Her Son. I have felt Her presence, not every time I pray the Rosary, but many times. I ask her to intercede for me and to pray to God for me because She is the human Mother of Jesus and Jesus is God. I do not think God would refuse to hear a prayer from Mary, our Holy Mother. If you think I am praying to Mary, you need to re-read the "Hail Mary" again. By-the-way, every word of the Hail Mary and the context in which they are used is found in the Bible, even the Protestant Bible.

Many times non-Catholic Christians accuse Catholics of praying to the Saints and not going to Jesus. Catholics have always gone to Jesus. Every day at Mass millions of Catholics recite the Lord’s Prayer. If one listens closely during Mass, everything is asked “Through Christ our Lord”. Practicing Catholics have the most intimate relationship with Jesus Christ, greater then any Protestant Christian group; by Christ’s command we actually consume his Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity at every Mass. Christ literally becomes part of us and strengthens us on our road to holiness and salvation. Protestants have communion services every so often but the bread and wine (or grape juice) is just a symbol of Christ’s body and Blood. The Catholic and Orthodox Churches are the only Churches that have the real presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. What greater personal relationship can one have with Jesus then actually partaking in his Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity?

Just like Catholics who go directly to Jesus but also ask Mary and the Saints to pray for us, Protestants themselves ask for the prays of their: pastors, ministers, elders, family and friends. There is nothing wrong with this; James 5:16 says “The prayer of a righteous man has great power in its effects” and we are told to “pray for one another.” With this in mind, how greater are the prayers of Mary and Saints, particularly Mary, who is most blessed among all of humanity. All Christians should have an intimate relationship with Jesus but also be united with the other members of the Body of Christ in prayer. As said earlier death temporally separates Christians physically but death cannot separate those who have been baptized in Christ’s life, death and resurrection and live in Christ Jesus.

The Rosary is not a devotion to Mary. It is a devotion that leads one to the divine Trinity of Persons through the hearts and minds of Jesus Incarnate and Mary Immaculate. It is a celebration of faith, of confidence and of love in the Most Holy Trinity. It is Mary’s instrument to bring us closer to her divine Son, and to become more involved in our lives as her children.

My Realization of Self and God

I never thought much of my spirituality and how it affected the people around me. Especially my family, relatives and friends. I always thought it was strictly between myself and God. Growing up as a young boy no one ever called me a name, or degraded me in any way because of my "religion" or my "religious practices." I never had to defend myself against harsh religious comments. I can't say that we all "respected" each other's religion; Sixth grade and below, we didn't really understand things such as respect and religion; Seventh grade and above, guys were more interested in girls and cars, girls were more interested in guys and their cars. Religion just wasn't one of the personal characteristics we were interested in. As an adult however, it seams to be just the opposite. Religion and the religious practices of a person are very important to that person's family and friends. Sometimes a change in a person's religion or religious practices causes such an outrage in that person's family that the person becomes ostracized from his or her family.
 
My "spirituality" has become a concern of some in my immediate family. My beliefs and spiritual life is not the same as it was when I left home at the age of 18 after enlisting in the Navy. Words such as "idol worshiper" and "Mary worshiper" have been used by those who I hold in very high esteem. My core values have been strained, but they do remain in tact. I respect everyone and their view of what I have become, even if I don't agree with their assessment. when I was very young, patience was one of the things I lacked and a temper was something I had in abundance. Today I have an abundance of patients and the strength and guidance from God to use it wisely against the temper I once had. So, bring on your judgements of me but also know that I leave judgement to God. I will continue to live the religious practices, traditions and spiritual mannerisms I have learned from the Catholic Church, prayer and research. I leave it to the Lord to defend His religious practices, traditions and spiritual mannerisms as they are lived out in my life.
 
Some might say I "converted" to Catholicism but, no, I think I grew into it. It took a lot of thinking, soul-searching, research, looking back and looking forward, trying to see how God and spirituality fit into my life. It did not happen "overnight" or even over a decade.
 
I was born into a white Anglo-Saxon Protestant world - Baptist to be precise. The first church I remember attending is Donald Smith Memorial Baptist Church in Oaklawn, Illinois. It was kinda-sorta behind our house. It was a rectangular two-story building. The first floor was for "Sunday School" for the kids, the second floor was the main chapel. It was just pews, pulpit and a large head and shoulder portrait of Jesus above the choir loft behind the pulpit. I even remember Mrs. Cunningham was both my first grade public school teacher and my Sunday School teacher. She would seek out my Mom every Sunday morning <sigh> I couldn't get away with anything that year. I was too young to really understand who God was and what he did.
 
After 5th grade, my family moved to New Lenox Illinois. We started going to Ridgewood Baptist Church in Joliet. I don't remember too much about it. If my memory serves me correctly, both of my sisters, at one time or another, worked in the Church Office. it was another rectangular building with pews and a pulpit, with no pictures, statues or any other artwork. It didn't leave much of an impression on me. I don't know, maybe it was just because I was still young then. After a couple of years, my parents started going to the First Baptist Church of New Lenox. It was very small. Again, it was another rectangular building with pews and a pulpit, no pictures, statues or any other artwork. I don't remember much about it either. I was baptized into that church when I turned 18 and was on my way into the military. I think it was more of me "covering all my bases" than a real commitment. I was a senior in high-school, I didn't want to commit to anything. I had just joined the Navy because I didn't want to be drafted. At that time, all draftees were sent to Vietnam.

The military had all kinds of "chaplains" ironically, the only ones I met were Catholic Chaplains. It's "ironic" because my record clearly stated that I was Protestant.

My first ship, the USS Oriskany took me all over the Pacific and Indian oceans. Everywhere we went there was always a Catholic Church and the Catholic Chaplain always made it a point to invite me to "tour" a Church with him. Many of them were very old and very elaborate with sculptures, paintings and stained glass. Many people have what I will call an "uneducated view" of the religious sculptures, paintings and other artworks. The artwork in a Catholic Church comes from a time when most people could not read or write. Many of the great Masters could not read, but they wanted to glorify God. They did so through their artwork. What I see in especially the old Churches is the Bible in pictures and sculptures. Michelangelo, painter of the Sistine Chapel, creator of many statues - most notably, "David", architect of St. Peter's Dome, and much more, could not read or write; but he could praise God and preach the Gospel through his hands, to others who like him, could not read the scriptures but they could "read" his sculptures through his paintings and statues. It's the God that the artwork portrays that is being worshiped, not the artwork nor the artist.

Is it wrong to sit down and gaze upon a picture of someone long past, say, a parent? Someone you might have loved very much, and yearn for them to come back? Is it wrong to look at that picture and talk to that person as if he or she was there with you and tell him or her how much you miss him or her? Is it wrong for you to believe the person in that picture is in Heaven looking after you? Is it wrong to ask the person in the picture for help and believe that he or she is praying with you to God for an answer? Is it wrong to go to the grave-site of someone you love and discuss a problem with them? Is it wrong to ask that loved one to help you pray or to pray with you to God?
 
Through the Catholic Church, it's architecture, art, history and philosophy; I have come to know and believe in two families; my earthly one, consisting of my parents, sisters, wife's family and my spiritual family, consisting of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. Pictures of my earthly family come from cameras, pictures of my spiritual family were made by the Masters. Both are made by humans.
 
The Rosary - nothing seems to say Catholic more than the Rosary. I've heard many say that it isn't found in the Bible. That's true, very true, the Rosary is in fact not found in any Christian Bible. But, the Bible is in fact in the Rosary. Again, artwork created for those who could not read or write. The Rosary contains the New Testament, from the birth of Jesus to his death, resurrection and beyond. I use it every day as an aid in prayer, it helps to "make the world around me go away", so that I can speak and listen more reverently and clearly to God. If non-Catholics would just listen to the words or read the Rosary, especially the last sentence of the "Hail Mary," they would know that we are not praying to Mary or anyone else, we are in-fact praying only to God.  
 
My commitment to God and to religion did not happen over night. It happened over many years of searching self and soul; searching the earthly world and the spiritual world; searching various religions, cultures and ways of life. I have called on St. Peter, St. Paul and a few other saints who were once as human as I am now, in just the same way I still call on my Dad and Mom who have both passed away for advice. Catholicism as I know it, is not a religion, it's a way of life. A way of life defined not by anything earthly, but by a God that is open to everyone, a God who is compassionate but demanding unquestioned faith and belief.  
 
My self and soul search goes on and will keep going on; the earthly world tries to pull me in one direction, the spiritual world tries to pull me in another direction. I put no boundaries between my worlds, I try my best not to judge anyone in either world. I do my best to leave judgement to God.
 
It doesn't matter what we label ourselves as, Protestant, Catholic, Jehovah Witness, Methodist, ... What matters, to God, is how we live. Do we follow Jesus and his disciples? Or do we judge each other on how we go about our daily lives, how we as individuals worship, or how we as individuals interpret individual passages in the Bible? Do we throw away the Bible and peck at each other over "our" individual interpretation of individual passages of a very large book?

God made us all different, maybe we should accept the differences and accept each other as brothers and sisters the way Jesus accepted his disciples and all those who believed and had faith in him. "Catholic" is only a label, how and what I believe and have faith in along with how I worship is my way of life. It is between me and God and wrong for me to judge others on their way of life and wrong for them to judge me on how I live my life.

Lastly, through my research, Catholicism teaches me that I should not only "love" all of humanity, but that I should also respect everyone's race, age, sex, career, culture, customs, traditions, character, religion and their points of view. Essentially, as a Catholic, I should respect every aspect of every person's life. "Catholic" means universal. It is OK to respectfully disagree with someone but not OK to disrespect them or any part of their being. 

So, bring on your criticisms of how I live my life. I'll just pass them on to the Lord and let Him deal with them.

What Does it Mean to be a Catholic Man?

When the time drew near for David to die, he gave a charge to Solomon his son. “I am about to go the way of all the earth,” he said. “So be strong, act like a man, and observe what the Lord your God requires: Walk in obedience to him, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and regulations, as written in the Law of Moses. Do this so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go." (1 Kings 2:1 - 3 NIV)

While some, like me choose to live a life defined by Catholicism, many are born into the faith. As such, it’s no surprise that some Catholics don’t fully comprehend what the religion is about. Yes, they know the Caticisum and physical movements involved with Catholic Traditions (sign of the cross) and all the words in the Rosary. But they don't seem to grasp the true meanings behind the doctrine, traditions and prayers. So what does it mean to be Catholic?

As simple as this question may seem, it’s something that many of us don’t really know the answer to. Because being Catholic means more than just reciting the rosary, believing in saints, or going to Mass every Sunday. In fact, there is no single definition that can define what a Catholic is.

Look around you right now. God made us all different. If you asked a dozen Catholics what it means to be Catholic, you would get a dozen different answers. One article defines being Catholic as a continuous personal encounter with Christ that renews our spirit. While another says that being Catholic means sensing God’s presence and power in and around us. But these definitions do not fully encapsulate the essence of being a Catholic. To really understand what it means to be Catholic, let’s first define what a Catholic is.

Defining Catholicism

The word “Catholic” came from a Greek term that means “through the whole”. It can also mean something that is “universal”, “worldwide”, or “all-inclusive”. The first recorded use of the term was in St. Ignatius of Antioch’s letter to the Smyrneans. In there, he wrote that:

"wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church."

I didn't become a real Catholic right away. I went through RCIA. My wife Lolita was my sponsor. At that time, I went more to learn than to actually become a Catholic. Some of the things that bothered me was Mary, the Rosary and prayer books. 

What does this mean for us?

During Jesus’ ministry, he emphasized the importance of loving God and loving others regardless of who they are. He showed it himself when he talked with the Samaritan woman in the well, dined with sinners, and preached to the Gentiles.

This is why one of the basic tenets of Catholicism is the universality of God’s love. Catholics come from all corners of the world. We speak different languages, have widely varying cultures, and live very different lives. Yet, we are united in God’s love – a love so great that He sacrificed His only son so that our sins may be forgiven.

The Difference Between Christians and Catholics

There’s a common misconception that Catholics are not Christians. While non-Christians tend to think that “Christians” and “Catholics” are the same.

All Catholics are Christians but not all Christians are Catholics. The term “Catholic” usually refers to members of the Roman Catholic Church. While “Christians” refer to anyone who believes in Christ regardless of their religious affiliation.

There are several things that set Catholics apart from other Christians such as:
the use of symbolism in expressing our faith (statues, pictures, rosaries, etc.),
practicing the Holy Sacraments, having a standard liturgy, the belief in the communion of saints.

What Do Catholics Believe In?

Every religion has its own core set of beliefs and teachings. Here are some of the tenets that define the Catholic faith:

The Trinity

One of the most basic Catholic doctrines is the Trinity: that there is one God manifested in three persons:

1. The Father, Who Is The Creator;

Catholics believe in God, the loving Father, and Creator. We believe that His love is overflowing and limitless.

2. The Son, Who Is The Redeemer

Catholics believe that God sent his own beloved Son, Jesus Christ. The Redeemer, our Lord, and Savior, who suffered and died on the cross, rose from the dead to save us from our sins, and gave us the gift of eternal life.

3. and the Holy Spirit, Who Is The Sanctifier.

Catholics believe in the Holy Spirit and the powerful presence that it gives to the church. Provided by the Lord, Jesus Christ, to the Church at Pentecost, the Holy Spirit lets us live a righteous and faithful life. It acts as a comforter, especially in times of our trials.

Christ’s Teachings

Like all Christians, the Catholic faith puts much emphasis on the teachings of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

In the Old Testament, God gave us ten commandments to follow. Jesus, in the New Testament, summed those up into two: to love God above all else and to love others as we love ourselves. Through his parables and preaching, he also taught us to practice forgiveness and mercy. These teachings form the core of the Catholic church’s dogma which every faithful must strive to follow.

Sacraments

Catholics worship, praise, and follow God by living a sacramental life. We believe that the sacraments bring us up close and personal with God. For example, the bread and wine in the Holy Eucharist is more than just a symbol of receiving the body and blood of Christ. It’s about communing with God and being one with Him.

Applying The Scriptures in Our Daily Lives

To be able to follow God and live a righteous life, Catholics acknowledge the importance of reading and practicing the teachings in the Holy Bible.

Bearing Witness to God

Like how Christ endured suffering and rejections, Catholics preach the word of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In a world where the values and teachings are often contrary to what God and Jesus say, Catholics speak up for what we believe to be right and true.

The Communion of Saints

This is what most people often misunderstood about us Catholics. And even some Catholics misunderstood the values of believing in the communion of saints. The latter part of the Nicene Creed also concisely sums up this belief.

But when we say we believe in the communion of saints, that doesn’t mean that we tend to think of them as equal to God and Christ. We are connected to our Christian family through the Holy Spirit. We don’t worship our brothers and sisters but we do respect them and ask them to pray for us. The Bible says that the prayer of a holy person is very powerful. Saints are holy people who can pray for us. They are an instrument for us to be more connected to God and feel His eternal love.

So What Does It Mean to be Catholic?

As mentioned, there is no single phrase or sentence that can define the Catholic faith. If you ask Catholics right now about what it means to be Catholic, you’ll surely get varying answers. But for me, being a Catholic means fulfilling the mission that Christ set for humanity: to love God and love all others. Being a Catholic is a life-long and continuous encounter with God. It’s about living our lives as Christ’s disciples and as living witnesses to His divine grace.

I grew up in a Baptist home. We (my parents, sisters and I) went to Sunday School and the adult "Church" service afterward, every Sunday. Then, again every Sunday, about 1:00pm, the Church doors were locked until about 8:00am the next Sunday. Once in a while there was a "Prayer Meeting" on a Wednesday evening. The rest of the week you were on your own to battle human temptations of what looked good, tasted good or felt good. Temptations aimed at your mind and body.

My parents told me the Church services on Sunday were to help me focus my life on the ways that Jesus taught us when he was here. I can tell you that as a kid, a re-focus once a week didn't do me much good. I got even worse when I enlisted in the Navy. The culture of the military can corrupt a man fairly quickly. If one isn't careful, it causes booze and women to flow freely. Especially when he only re-focuses his life once a week. Other temptations such as asking if God really exists, can come from surviving dangerous situations or combat when you hear the screams of the dying, and know there's nothing you can do to help.

Lolita and I try to go to Mass every day now. I still sin and I can still be corrupted. Partaking of the sacrament every day has done a lot to build up my mental and spiritual strengths to fight the temptations that earthly life throws at me every day. The traditions followed during Mass, some that go all the way back to Abraham, are daily reminders of the Saints that came before me, living a life of pain, hardship and sorrow, yet they still would not betray the God that created them.

My parents didn't want me to use prayer books. They said I shouldn’t depend on prayers written by others and even less on recited repetitive prayers, such as the Rosary. Rather, I should pray from the heart. Of course, we should pray from the heart. But, we also should not be surprised to find our hearts and minds, when at prayer, sometimes need the encouragement and guidance of holy men and women who have left behind prayers that beautifully express God’s merciful love and promote the growth and development of our devotion. It is also important that in our private prayer we should use the vocabulary of faith and devotion common to all through the ages and across the globe.

Catholic prayer books, prayers we recite at Mass and other spiritual events, help us to discover how prayers drawn from the scriptures, rooted in the Liturgy, and flowing from the hearts of the holy, wise, and the learned, help us in our journey to God. They can also renew the joy and hope within us that our faith gives us through God’s love.

The Rosary started out as a school for me. It was a place to start learning the Bible. The mysteries of each of the decades are the major important events in the Bible. By following the mysteries I'm following the life of Christ. By memorizing the Rosary, I'm permanently embedding the life of Christ in my heart mind and sole. By praying the Rosary I'm receiving strength of mind and heart to overcome the daily temptations of life. I'm also praising God and asking for his forgiveness. Today, the Rosary is something that helps me to filter out all the earthly things in my life and concentrate on communing with God.

Today, a custom I follow when praying the Rosary is to meditate on each of the mysteries while my mouth proclaims the Hail Marys and my fingers traverse the beads. Meditation to me consists of focusing my mind, heart and sole on the mystery and renewing my personal commitment to the point that is embedded in the mystery. For example, lets take the first mystery, the Annunciation. the announcement of the birth of Jesus to Mary:

Mary at that time was betrothed to Joseph. In those days men and women were betrothed when they were engaged to be married. This usually took place a year or more before marriage. From the time of betrothal the woman was regarded as the lawful wife of the man to whom she was betrothed ( Deuteronomy 28:30 ; Judges 14:2 Judges 14:8 ; Matthew 1:18-21 ). The year of engagement was so that the husband could go away and build a house for his new family. In those days, normally, if a woman became pregnant during the engagement, she was considered a whore and taken to the edge of town and stoned to death.

Mary knew the consequences of her pregnancy but she still said “I am the Lord’s servant, May your word to me be fulfilled.” (Luke 1:38).

Mary's actions are what is conveyed to me in my meditation. No mater what the consequences, I must fulfill the Lord's word to me.

It helps me to understand the Lord's words in the Bible if I know the circumstances surrounding the words. The mysteries in the Rosary is a good place to start studying and researching those circumstances.

I don't always achieve meditation, it's not easy. It takes a lot of mental and spiritual strength filter out all the earthly stuff from my heart mind and sole. It helps to read about the history of the mystery, and to learn about the culture of the society around the mystery. All of that helps me to understand what God is trying to teach me through the Rosary...And the daily readings.

Family Prayers Before Meals

I grew up in a Baptist family. We prayed before all our meals. When my sisters and I were young, we took turns saying the prayer. "Thank you Lord for the food we eat, thank you Lord for the birds that sing, thank you Lord for everything, Amen." Once we got older and understood what God and prayer was all about, our Dad normally said the prayer in a more "adult" way. 

We didn't have prayer books. In our family it was considered wrong to pray from a book or card. We were told not to depend on prayers written by someone else, nor should we recite rote prayers; we should "pray from our heart." 

 

Of course we should pray from our heart. At the same time we should not be surprised that our hearts and minds, while at prayer, need the encouragement and guidance of holy men and women who have left behind prayers that beautifully express God's merciful love and foster our devotion. Prayers drawn from Scripture, rooted in the Liturgy and flowing from the hearts of the holy men and women of the past, the wise and the learned help us in our journey toward God. 

Family Prayers Before Meals

By Fr. Michael Rennier - published on 08/11/24

We strive to bless our meals so the food might nourish souls as well as bodies. In doing so, we open ourselves up to the deeper spiritual aspect of the meal.

My most recent obsession is Renaissance butter knives with musical scores of meal blessings engraved onto them. I’ve lived all my life not knowing these exist and now that I know they do, I don’t know how I lived without them. I need them.

The photograph comes from a review of and exhibition of Renaissance Devotionals in Cambridge, Mass. written by Dr Carrie Gress. The review tells us:

These four knives with ivory or ebony handles and etched steel blades show how music would enhance devotion tin the Italian Renaissance home. Each one is inscribed on the blade with the name of a voice part (‘Superius’, ‘Contratenor’, ‘Tenor’ and ‘Bassus’) and the words and music of a Benediction on one side of the blade and a Grace on the other.

Read the full article at blog.pontifex.university. 

 

I have a reverie, an image in my mind. It’s me, my wife, and our six devoted, angelic children holding up our butter knives and using them to chant a benediction over dinner. We are in perfect harmony. We are well dressed and our hair is combed. There are no crumbs on the table left over from lunch. We are “magazine-worthy,” a perfect picture of an ideal family. These knives will change everything.

Collective chaos

In reality, our current meal prayers as a family are hurried, individual prayers each one of us mutters under our breath as we individually sit down. Our dining room buffet is covered in laptops, cameras, notebooks, and schoolbooks so it isn’t useful anymore for placing dishes of food on it to collectively serve the meal. That’s why we all sit down randomly and individually. Once we hear that dinner is ready, we all rush to the kitchen like ravenous wolves to get our fair share of the food. It’s very much like surviving a stampede.

 

Sometimes my boys have eaten an entire plate of food before I even manage to sit down. They’re waiting there at the other end of the table with both hands on their plates, a hungry look in their eyes, ready to bolt from the table and pile on a second serving.

 

I’ve often thought about imposing some order and using the meal prayer booklets from Clear Creek Abbey. They’re a little out of our league talent-wise with all the collective singing and figuring out what page to be on, but I think it would be nice to have a more formal set of prayers for the family to practice and pray together. If not every single night, then maybe at least a few nights per week. It would slow us down and impose some dignity on the opening ceremonies.

Sharing holy meals

But the desire is more than that. Meal prayers aren’t only a way to formalize a meal. They’re a way to make the food itself sacred by offering it to God along with our gratitude. The Scriptures begin and end with meals; the first words of God to Adam and Eve are an invitation to dine, and the vision of St. John of Heaven is basically a giant wedding banquet (in other words, a family meal). In the meantime, the final act of Our Lord before his death is to share a meal with his disciples, and the way Catholics make sacred the Lord’s Day is to participate in that meal at Holy Mass. During his ministry, Our Lord often joined in with meals. He ate with his disciples, his friends, seekers, pharisees, and, yes, sinners. Meals are all-encompassing. No one is left out, not even the wrong sort of people.

 

If meals are sacred, what are we to make of the fact that the wrong sort of people are still invited? I look around at my dinner table. I wonder if we are the wrong sort of people. We get on each other’s nerves. I impatiently chastise the kids to chew with closed mouths. I admonish them to take their elbows off the table and sit up straight. Sometimes our conversation is interesting. Other times it’s boring. Sometimes we laugh. Occasionally we gripe at each other. There are times when we rush through to get to some other event. We aren’t perfect, not by a long shot. We are, in this sense, very much the wrong sort of people. It takes some grace to sit here, together.

Striving toward the ideal

We practice our little rituals. Our hurried prayers. I put on a Puccini record. The five-year old dims the electric chandelier and lights two candles. She does this every night to make dinner fancy. She has the right idea. We imperfect people are gathered round the table learning to live together, meal after meal. We love each other and want to share time together. Good time or bad time. Boring or enchanting.

I don’t think we really need the knives with prayers engraved on them. All we need is to pray together, sincerely, and thank God that we are welcome at the table, that he cares for us and has given us each other. The important point is to pray together and eat together. Yes, we can improve our meal blessing, but it can be simple. Anyone can do it.

 

It makes sense that we would strive to bless the meal. It’s so the food might nourish souls as well as bodies. In acknowledging the ritual, we are opening ourselves up to the deeper spiritual aspect of the meal. It’s a heavenly banquet, a sign of familial unity. In our family, there will always be a place at this table for these children. Hopefully someday, their future children will join us. The blessing is for the whole family, past, present, and future. The blessing is for the food but ultimately it is for us, that Christ himself would fix a plate and take a seat.

Published by Aleteia (aleteia.org) 8/11/24