Let’s go in a different direction for a spell – I tire of crosses. Perhaps we will come back some day.
Let’s do devotions for a little while.
Devotions have always been an important part of the Catholic experience though there are different levels at which people like to be involved. There are, of course, those who reject them out of hand and say that Vatican II freed us from devotions and then there are those who take them to such an extreme as to misuse and abuse them.
Vatican II in fact warmly commends devotions while trying to reign in some of the abuses. There are 5 principals to keep in mind when looking at a devotion of any sort.
1. All devotions flow through Christ to the Father in the power of the Holy Spirit. So a devotion to Mary is to ask her to intercede for us with her son to the Father in the power of the Holy Spirit.
2. A true Catholic devotion is at least aware of the greater Church. It is never “me and Jesus.”
3. It should always include Scripture in some way.
4. It should flow from the sacramental life of the Church.
5. It should relate in some way to the liturgical calendar of the Church.
Lastly, when devotional objects are used (medals, candles, holy water, etc. . .) the objects themselves are not what is important per se, but what is behind the object and gives it its meaning. So a scapular is not itself a talisman that protects you from anything – it is the prayers of the community and the intercession of the Blessed Virgin that is.
Let’s do devotions for a little while.
Devotions have always been an important part of the Catholic experience though there are different levels at which people like to be involved. There are, of course, those who reject them out of hand and say that Vatican II freed us from devotions and then there are those who take them to such an extreme as to misuse and abuse them.
Vatican II in fact warmly commends devotions while trying to reign in some of the abuses. There are 5 principals to keep in mind when looking at a devotion of any sort.
1. All devotions flow through Christ to the Father in the power of the Holy Spirit. So a devotion to Mary is to ask her to intercede for us with her son to the Father in the power of the Holy Spirit.
2. A true Catholic devotion is at least aware of the greater Church. It is never “me and Jesus.”
3. It should always include Scripture in some way.
4. It should flow from the sacramental life of the Church.
5. It should relate in some way to the liturgical calendar of the Church.
Lastly, when devotional objects are used (medals, candles, holy water, etc. . .) the objects themselves are not what is important per se, but what is behind the object and gives it its meaning. So a scapular is not itself a talisman that protects you from anything – it is the prayers of the community and the intercession of the Blessed Virgin that is.
2 comments:
How do you have a devotion?
Thank you Father! Perhaps too, you can touch on how novena are *not* like chain letters...
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