09 December 2019

Baltimore Catechism #1 - LESSON TWENTY-SEVENTH THE FIRST COMMANDMENT—ON THE HONOR AND INVOCATION OF SAINTS

LESSON TWENTY-SEVENTH THE FIRST COMMANDMENT—ON THE HONOR AND INVOCATION OF SAINTS
331. Q. Does the first Commandment forbid the honoring of the saints? A. The first Commandment does not forbid the honoring of the saints, but rather approves of it, because by honoring the saints, who are the chosen friends of God, we honor God Himself.

332. Q. Does the first Commandment forbid us to pray to the saints? A. The first Commandment does not forbid us to pray to the saints.

333. Q. What do we mean by praying to the saints? A. By praying to the saints we mean the asking of their help and prayers.

340. Q. Does the first Commandment forbid us to honor relics? A. The first Commandment does not forbid us to honor relics, because relics are the bodies of the saints or objects directly connected with them or with our Lord.

341. Q. Does the first Commandment forbid the making of images? A. The first Commandment does forbid the making of images if they are made to be adored as gods, but it does not forbid the making of them to put us in mind of Jesus Christ, His Blessed Mother, and the saints.

342. Q. Is it right to show respect to the pictures and images of Christ
and His saints? A. It is right to show respect to the pictures and images of Christ and His saints, because they are the representations and memorials of them.

343. Q. Is it allowed to pray to the crucifix or to the images and relics of the saints? A. It is not allowed to pray to the crucifix or images and relics of the saints, for they have no life, nor power to help us, nor sense to hear us.

344. Q. Why do we pray before the crucifix and the images and relics of the saints? A. We pray before the crucifix and images and relics of the saints because they enliven our devotion by exciting pious affections and desires, and by reminding us of Christ and of the saints, that we may imitate their virtues.

Next - Baltimore Catechism #1 - LESSON TWENTY-EIGHTH FROM THE SECOND TO THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT

Please note that there are gaps in the numbering, and some questions are out of order, because the questions are numbered to agree with the 'Explanation of the Baltimore Catechism' (Baltimore Catechism #4)

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