Saint: Difference between revisions
→Honor to God
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* see [[Intercession]] entry for more | * see [[Intercession]] entry for more | ||
== | == Veneration of Saints is worship of God == | ||
* Saints were chosen and sanctified by God | * Saints were chosen and sanctified by God | ||
** so we honor God by honoring the Saints who were sanctified by God | ** so we honor God by honoring the Saints who were sanctified by God | ||
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* The "Golden Legend", a 13th century book on the saints, originally called ''Legenda sanctorum'' ("Reading of the Saints") explained six reasons why we should honor the Saints | * The "Golden Legend", a 13th century book on the saints, originally called ''Legenda sanctorum'' ("Reading of the Saints") explained six reasons why we should honor the Saints | ||
* From Vol 6 entry on "The Feast of all Hallows" ("All Saints") | * From Vol 6 entry on "The Feast of all Hallows" ("All Saints") | ||
<ol> | |||
<li> When we honor ("worship") the Saints, we honor (worship) God who sanctified the Saints: | |||
<pre> The first is, for the honour of the divine majesty, for when we do worship the saint or saints, we worship God in his saints, and say that he is marvellous in them. For who that doth honour to saints, he honoureth him specially which hath sanctified them. </pre> | |||
<li>To honor the Saints so that they may pray for our health: | |||
<pre>The second is to have aid in our infirmity, for by ourselves we may have none health, therefore have we need of the prayers of saints, and therefore we ought to honour them, that we may deserve that they aid and help us. </pre> | |||
<li> To increase our "surety" (state of peace, security"): | |||
<pre>The third cause is for the augmentation of our surety, that is to say for the glory that is purposed in us; in their solemnity our hope and surety be augmented and increased. And if mortal men and dead might thus be enhanced by their merits, it is truth that the might and puissance shall nothing thereby be minished ne lessed. </pre> | |||
<li> As examples to follow, especially to focus on heavenly and not "earthly things": | |||
<pre>The fourth for the example of us following. For when the feast is remembered, we be called to ensue and follow them. So that by the example of them we despise all earthly things, and desire celestial things. </pre> | |||
<li> To partake of the Heaven they enjoy while we are here on earth: | |||
<pre>The fifth is for the debt of interchanging neighbourhood, for the saints make of us feast in heaven. For the angels of God and the holy souls have joy and make feast in heaven of a sinner that doth penance, and therefore it is right when they make of us feast in heaven, that we make feast of them in earth. </pre> | |||
<li> To be made worthy of honor by honoring the Saints: | |||
<pre>The sixth is for the procuration of our honour, for when we honour the saints we procure our honour, for their solemnity is our dignity, for when we worship our brethren we worship ourselves, for charity maketh all to be common, and our things be celestial, earthly and perdurable. </pre> | |||
Quotations from: [https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/basis/goldenlegend/GoldenLegend-Volume6.asp Golden Legend, Vol 6] | |||
</ol> | |||
== The "Communion of Saints" == | == The "Communion of Saints" == | ||