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Angels Pewter Magnet Set $22.00 … |
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Pope John Paul II, Saint Anthony, Michael, Christopher, Benedict & More Catholic Religious Magnets Lot Total 14 Different $9.99 14 Different Magnets on 9 by 7 Inch Sheet…. |
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2.25 Inches Wide X 3 Inches High, Guardian Angel Metal Magnet (Set of 6) $12.74 Milagros’ exclusive collection of magnets for everyday use! Favorite Catholic saints and images are featured on super-strong magnets suitable for any magnetic surface. 2.25 Inches Wide X 3 Inches High… |
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Hymns of Worship $7.98 In his years as a recording artist, Fernando Ortega has become well known as a great interpreter of classic hymns. Now for the first time, the best of these songs have been compiled to create Hymns of Worship. Curb Records. 2003. … |
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May Angels Welcome You/ Catholic $11.63 May Angels Welcome You contains songs of comfort and peace for anyone who has suffered a loss or needs encouragement. The hymns and songs speak ofour Savior s love and compassion, especially during times of trial. With orchestral arrangements by David Phillips and vocals by RobertKochis, the album brings new life to some favorite songs. Artist: Robert Kochis Format: Audio CD, 1 disc, 11 tracks Run… |
Catholic Angels!
GOD’S MESSENGERS, ANGELS 2 A CATHOLIC
Catholic Angels Questions
Does the bible speak of guardian angels?
I know Catholics believe in guardian angels. How come?
Is it mentioned anywhere in the Bible?
Psalms Chapter 91
11: For he will give his angels charge of you to guard you in all your ways. 12: On their hands they will bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.
Matthew Chapter 18
10: “See that you do not despise one of these little ones; for I tell you that in heaven their angels always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven.
Hebrews Chapter 1
13: But to what angel has he ever said, “Sit at my right hand, till I make thy enemies a stool for thy feet”? 14: Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to serve, for the sake of those who are to obtain salvation?
Don’t Catholics Worship Statues?
While cleaning out my shed, I found a tattered, black and white photo of my father. I was ecstatic. You see I have never met my father, although from what I have been told he was a wonderful man. Five weeks after giving birth to me, my 21 year-old mother received notice that my father had been killed in action. He had been sent to Vietnam when my mom was seven months pregnant, so he never got a chance to hold me or even get to know me.
Of course I revere this photo. The image of my young father, dressed in his uniform, and smiling broadly at the camera is something that I will always treasure. By looking at the photo I have a means to both honor and remember him. Am I somehow worshipping my father’s photo by giving it a prominent place on my mantle piece? Of course not. I know that it is just a picture, no matter how treasured, and that my real father is no longer alive.
The same concept is true of Catholic artwork. No one thinks that a bit of plaster is the real Virgin Mary. Paintings, statues and religious artwork have no actual power.
Some will argue that there should be no religious artwork at all. They will point to Exodus 20:4 that states you shall not carve idols for yourselves in the shape of anything in the sky above or on the earth below or in the waters beneath the earth. Let’s pretend for a moment that this verse wasn’t completely taken out of context. Read literally it would mean that we can use no visual images at all, not artwork, not movies (which are visual representations of living things), not even photographs. Remember the verse itself makes no exception for non religious artwork.
God, himself, commanded the Israelites to make statues to adorn his temple. Exodus 25:18-20 Make two cherubim of beaten gold for the ends of the propitiatory, fastening them sot that one cherub springs direct from each end. The cherubim shall have their wings spread out above, covering the propitiatory with them; they shall be turned toward each other, but with their faces looking toward the propitiatory. Considering that these statues were connected to the ark, it is hard not to call them religious in nature.
The verse though is actually taken out of context. The next verse reads Exodus 20:4 You shall not bow down before them (idols) or worship them. For I, the Lord, am a jealous God…. This makes defending the Catholic practice very easy. We do not worship idols or statues. You can not accidentally worship something, worship has to be purposeful or else what is the point?
I will occasionally have conversations with some non-Catholic’s who will point out that Catholics do certainly kneel in front of statues. Kneeling by itself is not an act of worship. This can be proven by many examples. Men are certainly not worshipping their intended bride when they kneel while proposing. We are not worshipping the sides of our beds when we pray before we retire. For many years society knelt in honor of royalty. This was not a form of worship but of respect. Today, bowing is common in Asia, yet no one believes that Asians are worshipping their friends and family.
Even in the bible we find people bowing down without intent to worship. Some examples are Genesis 19: 1-Lot bows his face down to the ground before the two angels and he is not corrected by them. Genesis 18:2 Abraham also bows to the ground in front of angelic guests. Again this is not worship but a way to exhibit hospitability and respect due to guests. In II Samuel 9: 8 we are old that Jonathon’s son bows to David. Just from studying the bible alone, we can deduce that bowing or kneeling is not, by itself, an act of worship.
Just as I can look at the photo of my father and remember someone that I never knew, Catholics can contemplate religious artwork and be reminded of the holy men and women who have passed on into heaven and whose lives remain an example for us all.
About the Author
I am a convert to Catholicism. Currently, I live in NC with my four children and my wonderful husband of nearly 19 years. My website is:
http://debrasrandomthoughts.blogspot.com/
