SACRAMENTS AND SACRAMENTALS
Part IV
It is no news now that my cherished readers and I have come to the realization that many of those who accuse the Catholic Church of having Sacramentals and images of the Saints and Mary actually have the images of their church pastors (and sometimes their families) hanging on their living room walls, and sometimes stamped on their car parts and office door as stickers, others wear theirs as wristbands and so on.
If torn between either using the images of a pastor or sacramentals or anything thing for protection, which would you choose? I personally wouldn’t have a hard time since it is obvious which my choice will be.
As promised, today we shall read the Bible and reflect personally on just a few instances in both the Old and New Testaments that attest to the use of Sacramentals.
BIBLICAL BASIS FOR SACRAMENTS AND SACRAMENTALS
~ Naaman, who had leprosy, went to Elisha for a cure. Elisha told him “Go wash in the Jordan 7 times, and your flesh shall be clean.” (2 Kg 5:10) Naaman was furious and said …”I thought he would…call on the name of the Lord, his God, and wave his hand over the spot, and cure the Leprosy.” Sometimes God calls us to heal people by the laying of hands, and sometimes God uses material things.
~ People were healed by Peter’s shadow (Acts15:5 );
~ The lady with hemorrhages was healed by touching Jesus’ garment (Mk 9:20, 6:56, Lk 8:44, Mat 14:36);
~ Jesus cured the blind man using mud. (Jn 9:6);
~ Holy oil is found in the Bible “…anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.” (James 5:14, 15; Mat 6:13);
~ In the Old Testament, “..when the man came in contact with the bones of Elisha, he came back to life and rose to his feet” (2 Kings 13:20-21 (Note: this is also a model for the Catholic concept of relics)
~ In the book of Acts we find “So extraordinary were the mighty deeds God accomplished at the hand of Paul that when face cloths or aprons that touched his skin were applied to the sick, their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them.” (Act 19:11-12);
I think the next time, anyone accuses you of idol worship and so on, it should be your turn to ask them why they also use wrist bands, handkerchiefs, stickers and so on which they claim protects them! You will be surprised at some of their answers, since you already know the truth.
In any case, we wake each day to realize the very people who lambast us for doing some things doing either the same or very similar things they had earlier condemned us for. You can think of the vestments of our priests and bishops, holy water and oils, and even the Mass etc. Some can only be counterfeit though. If it must be done, it must be done well!
Truth cannot be hidden!
I am happy though that the light of truth is shining so brightly!
Once these items are blessed by our priests, they become sacred objects. Let us not mishandle or leave them around, anyhow.
I am afraid someone will pick them up and now claim he has received a “revelation” from God about them and even rebrand them.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit…
To be continued…
(You may WhatsApp your questions and contributions for further clarifications)
Padre Antonio
(WhatsApp number: +233 541 859198)
(You may whatsapp your questions and contributions for further clarifications)
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