What are the sacred relics?
The relics are the remains (in Latin: reliquiae = debris) from the body of saints or blessed. In a broad sense also includes objects that have been used or blessed saints during their life or even things that have touched the relics. Source
Bible Relics
* In the Old Testament Moses
God promises that his staff will do amazing things (Exodus 4.17), as happened in the eyes of Pharaoh Ramses 11 (Exodus 7.9 to 12), with the plagues of Egypt (Exodus chapters 7-8), when it opened in two Red Sea (Exodus 14.16 ), when he made water spring from rocks in the desert Sinal (Exodus 17.5-6) \u200b\u200band in the war against the Amalekites (Exodus 17.9); God does miraculously retoiñar staff of Aaron, that it placed within the sacred ark was in the Santlsimo. (Numbers 17.16-26).
The remains of Joseph were brought from Egypt to Shechem, for they were buried in the Promised Land. (Gen. 50, 25, Ex 13, 19, Joshua 24.32, Hebrews 11, 22).
"... it was also The bones of Joseph, as he talks promise made on oath to the children of Israel "The bones are carried solemnly in procession. (Ex 13, 19).
God manifested the acceptance of this veneration of the relics of saints with real miracles. We are told, for example in the Second Book of Kings:
"Elisha died and was buried. Moabite raiding bands in the country each year, and it happened that people who carried a dead man, they saw one of those bands. Then placed the corpse in the tomb of Elisha and saved themselves. When the man touched the bones of Elisha, he revived and stood up immediately. "(2 Kgs 13, 20-21).
* In the New Testament
In the New Testament we see how a woman expresses her faith and get the healing touch the robe of the Lord. Jesus said that his faith (by touching the robe) is what has saved:
"As he traveled, a woman who for twelve years padecfa bleeding, approached from behind and touched the fringe of his cloak as she thought "I only touch his cloak, save me." Jesus turned and saw her, he said: "Courage, daughter, your faith has healed you." And from that moment, the woman was healed. "(Mt 9 20-22)
Similarly we see that the objects touched by Paul acted cures miraculous:
"God worked extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, to the extent that imponran the sick handkerchiefs or used clothes he speaks, and they disappeared from the disease and Salla espfritus bad." (Acts 19: 11-12).
RESULT: miracles God to authorize the garments worn by St. Paul to the faithful used with a religious healing, is declaring that the practice you are welcome. Will be done directly and without any semblance of superstition, but the practice is holy, if we are to believe the Bible.
Not only relics but even Peter's shadow healed the sick, "so much so that even drew the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that, when Peter, even his shadow any of them. "Acts 5.15. Two versrculos then see that the Pharisees, filled with envy at the miracles , objected to these practices.
The veneration of relics in the early centuries of the Church
The Charter of the faithful of the Church of Smyrna, 156 AD is representative of the veneration of martyrs: "We bones that are more valuable than precious stones and finer than refined gold, and put them in an appropriate place where the Lord will allow us to meet. "
also very ancient practices of the Church, veneration of the tombs of Saints Peter and Paul [Eusebius Ecclesiastical History 11, 25 Migne Greek Fathers, 20, 208S], and we will reserve the pious relics martyrs.
The foundation of the Doctrine of the relics:
Lateran Council:
early thirteenth century the Fourth Lateran Council, shall be prohibited the veneration of relics without "certificate authenticity "and trade in relics, speaking been booming in recent centuries (in the ninth century partnership talks emerged devoted to the sale of relics and regulation), will decrease.
This council agrees:
" Cap . 62. Of the relics of saints. However it has been frequently criticized the Christian religion by the fact that some displayed for sale the relics of the saints and show each step, so that henceforth it is not censored, do ordain by this decree that the ancient relics in no way displayed outside their capsule or expose for sale. In. As for the newly found, no one dares to publicly venerate as they have not been before approved by authority of the Roman Pontiff ... "
Council of Trent
Fundamental is the teaching of the Council of Trent:" We also I.os bodies of the martyrs and others living with Christ, were living members of Christ and temple of the Holy spirit, to be "resurrected at some point to eternal life and glorified, should be revered by the faithful ... was rejected, so when some say you should not pay obeisance to the loa relics of saints and that is useless to be venerated by the faithful as other memorabilia. These views have been condemned by the Church and the Church now condemns them again "(Denzinger 985; compare 998).
The cult of relics, like the Church always stresses on a cult, that is, the veneration expressed at relics is related to the person of the martyr and the saints who are revered in itself (Dz 302 337 985). The "ultima ratio" of the cult of relics is always the "divine excellence that shines in all these different elements."
Relics Classification
The relics can be of three grades:
1st grade: a fragment of the body, viz: the relics of St. Therese of Lisieux and St. Margaret Mary Alacoque.
2nd grade: a piece of clothing or something that the saint used during his lifetime (rosary, Bible, cross, etc.) Also objects associated with the suffering of a martyr.
3rd grade: any object that has been touched to a relic of the first degree or the tomb of a saint.
Mistakes must be avoided in relation to the relics
1 - Believing that the relics have the power for themselves. This serf fetishism and superstition. They are not magic talismans or ARTlCLE. Our focus is to venerate the saint.
2 - Exaggerating the importance of relics in the Church. The relics can be a help to faith but are not central to it.
3 - scorn or doubt that God can use His chosen instruments to perform miracles for your designs. Does God give a rod needed Moses to perform miracles? No. God does not need neither rod nor Moses, but God wanted to take advantage of both.
4 - Trading in relics, falsify, exploit the gullible. Surely you have committed excesses of this kind. San Agustln (+430) denounced impostors dressed as monks that vendfan false relics. Pope St. Gregory (+604) banned the sale of relics and the desecration of graves in the catacombs. Despite that many abuses were committed as Protestants rejected the relics in general. The Council of Trent (1563) upheld the invocation of saints, the veneration of relics and tombs of saints.
"Waiting for the Resurrection in this case lie the bones of Saint Margaret Mary"
This text can be read at the bottom of your picture lying in the chapel of the apparitions of the monastery of Visitation of Paray-Ie-Monial, indicates one of the essential dimensions the veneration of the relics of saints from the beginning of the Church, which is faith in the resurrection of our bodies.
Christians we need concrete signs to express our faith, and through this body veneration of saints also affirm our belief in the resurrection of the flesh. This faith tells us that at the end of time and after the Second Coming of Jesus, our glorified bodies will join soul so that we can enjoy God forever in heaven in all our person, our immortal soul and with our own body as they are already there Jesus, the Blessed Mother, and some saints with Christ s risen among them, according to pious belief, also San Jose.
0 comments:
Post a Comment