Published in the bulletin of Holy Ghost Catholic Church in Knoxville, TN, on Palm Sunday.
My dear Parishioners,
Peace! There are nine (9) “In Brief” articles in the Catechism of the Catholic Church addressing the First Commandment of the Decalogue, ‘You shall not have other gods.’ The following is a reflection on CCC 2141.
The First Commandment which safeguards our monotheism also prohibits idolatry or the worshiping of ‘graven images’ (cf. Exodus 20:4; Leviticus 26:1; Deuteronomy 4:16). The prohibition does not seem to be absolute as we see the Lord God command Moses to fashion “two cherubim of beaten gold” to adorn the ark and the propitiatory (cf. Exodus 25:18) and a “fiery serpent out of bronze” and to set it on a pole that all who had been bitten by serpents might live (cf. Numbers 21:7–9). Neither the cherubim nor the serpent were to be adored, nor do we adore the images of the Lord Jesus. Adoration is for God alone. The various images do remind us of Almighty God and His power. In the case of the Lord Jesus, the various depictions may include all the mysteries of His life, such as His birth in Bethlehem, His miracles and public life, His Passion and glorious resurrection. Jesus Christ is true God and true man. His humanity may be depicted in sacred art without offending faith in the one only God. Jesus assures Saint Philip and us that anyone who has seen Jesus has seen the Father (cf. John 14:9). Sacred art in the Christian East has focused almost exclusively on two-dimensional images, icons. While in the West statues have likewise been employed to foster devotion to Christ, His blessed Mother, His friends the saints.
Saint John Damascene (AD 675–749) in his volume On Holy Images presents the orthodox Catholic understanding concerning the veneration and use of icons. The Second Council of Nicaea (AD 787), following the lead of Saint John Damascene teaches that the cult or veneration of holy images is founded on the mystery of the Incarnation of the Word of God. Idolatry is against the First Commandment, the worship of false gods. The cult or veneration of images is not against the First Commandment. In history, iconoclasts smashed or broke images of Christ and His saints. The respect show to the various depictions of the Lord Jesus, His blessed Mother the Virgin Mary, and the other saints is directed not to so much paint, wood, stone or the like, but to the one depicted. When the faithful kneel or light candles or incense the various depictions of Christ Himself, His Blessed Mother the Virgin Mary or His saints these marks of honor and respect are directed toward the ones depicted and not toward the paint, the mosaic, glass, marble, bronze, or wood. Art may depict the human figure but is unable to depict human nature per se. The God-man Christ Jesus may be depicted according to His human nature, His divine nature can not be depicted any more than the human nature He assumed.
God bless you!
Father John Arthur Orr