Sacramentals

Well.

This wasn't so bad. :) I was expecting more controversy!

I was kind of looking forward to some in-depth discussion of the ads you see in the personals section of the newspaper, thanking St. Jude for favors received, or of the neighbors who bury a statue of St. Joseph upside-down in their garden.

But one of the first things the instructors said last night was: "in NO case does the Church endorse the 'medieval' superstitious behavior (their words!) that has grown up around religious symbols. Motions you make (like genuflecting, the sign of the cross) are not like waving a wand. Objects you use (like holy water, medals, rosaries, candles) are not talismans. Prayers that are said (the Our Father, the Hail Mary, various forms of blessings) are not incantations. This is NOT magic, and to live otherwise is just bad Catholicism."

"Being blessed by the Archbishop is no more effectual than being blessed by a Deacon in the local parish, or being prayed over by a devout Catholic friend. In fact, the last might be the most meaningful and encouraging of all. It's not (they actually said this!) like the Archbishop is cable internet, the deacon is DSL, and the friend is dial-up, when it comes to prayer. All are equal when they petition Him."

Hmpf. Sort of took the fun right out of it. ;)

Honestly, it really was a very grace-full evening in class last night, and it was clear that the desired emphasis for Sacramentals was on the person's attitude - an attitude of devotion and reverence - not on the rituals or the symbols themselves. They are devotional aids, nothing more; means of putting ourselves in a mindset to cooperate with the grace of God.

I told them about my practice of using the rosary in a modified way.. not using the large beads as prompts to contemplate the 4 categories of sacred mysteries (which I can't remember anyway), but rather using them to pray for certain people whom I love dearly and care deeply about. I said I hoped I wasn't being disrespectful with it, but that it just made the whole process of prayer much more meaningful to me, and after all wasn't that the whole point?

The instructor just said: "Ding, ding, ding, ding! You got the prize for the right answer! That's *exactly* it - there is no rubric, no proper formula. It's simply an aid for your communion with God. Go right ahead just as you're doing. I'm confident that God shares your love for those same people, and will come to their aid as you pray."

Yeah. That's exactly what I wanted to express, and what the whole business means to me. That God would see my love for these who are so dear to me.. and respond with His characteristic mercy and care.

I'm glad I still had a napkin handy from the snacks they served. For the next couple of minutes I needed it. :)