The faith of our fathers - Carmel Apologetics

SACRED IMAGES. 237other veneration of images than that which meansveneration of their prototype, there is surely nomore idolatry in it than there is in the respectshown in the utterance of the Most Holy Namesof God and Christ; for, after all, names are butsigns or symbols, and even, as such,inferior toimages, for they represent much less vividly. Sothat when there is question of honoring images,this is to be understood in the same way as whenit is said that at the name of Jesus every kneeshall bend, or that the name of the Lord is blessed,or that glory be given to His Name. Thus, thebowing before an image outside of us is no moreto be reprehended than the worshipping beforean internal image in our own minds for the ex;ternal image does but serve the purpose of expressing visibly that which is internal."In the Book of Exodus, we read: "Thou shaltnot make to thyself a graven thing, nor the likenessof any^ingthat is in heaven above, or in the earthbeneath, nor of those things that are in the watersunder the earth. Thou shalt not adore them norserve them." lProtestants contend that these wordscontain an absolute prohibition against the makingof images while the Catholic Church insists;thatthe commandment referred to merely prohibits usfrom worshipping them as gods.The text cannot mean the absolute prohibitionof making images ; for in that case God would1Chap. xx.