Covering the Crucifix (Catholic Liturgical Celebrations)

EWTN ^ | December 20, 2011 | Father Edward McNamara

[rzman21]

The Church Fathers warn that every heretical sect claims authority based on the Bible.

“For those are slothful who, having it in their power to provide themselves with proper proofs for the divine Scriptures from the Scriptures themselves, select only what contributes to their own pleasures. And those have a craving for glory who voluntarily evade, by arguments of a diverse sort, the things delivered by the blessed apostles and teachers, which are wedded to inspired words; opposing the divine tradition by human teachings, in order to establish the heresy.”
Clement of Alexandria,Stromata,7:16 (post A.D. 202),in ANF,II:553-554

“When heretics show us the canonical Scriptures, in which every Christian believes and trusts, they seem to be saying:’Lo, he is in the inner rooms [ie., the word of truth] ‘ (Matt 24.6). But we must not believe them, nor leave the original tradition of the Church, nor believe otherwise than we have been taught by the succession in the Church of God.”
Origen,Homilies on Matthew,Homily 46,PG 13:1667 (ante A.D. 254),in CON,392

“True knowledge is [that which consists in] the doctrine of the apostles, and the ancient constitution of the Church throughout all the world, and the distinctive manifestation of the body of Christ according to the successions of the bishops, by which they have handed down that Church which exists in every place, and has come even unto us, being guarded and preserved without any forging of Scriptures, by a very complete system of doctrine, and neither receiving addition nor [suffering] curtailment [in the truths which she believes]; and [it consists in] reading [the word of God] without falsification, and a lawful and diligent exposition in harmony with the Scriptures, both without danger and without blasphemy; and [above all, it consists in] the pre-eminent gift of love, which is more precious than knowledge, more glorious than prophecy, and which excels all the other gifts [of God].”
Irenaeus,Against Heresies,4,33:8 (inter A.D. 180-199),in ANF,I:508

http://www.cin.org/users/jgallegos/private.htm

[NYer]

Why do Catholics want to keep Christ on the cross? Like the tomb it has been empty for 2000 years!

Lol! I am not laughing at you! Your comment, however, brought back a conversation I had with the pastor at my previous parish. He shared your notion. In fact, when I confronted him over the absence of a crucifix (mandated by canon law) on/over/or adjacent to the altar, his response was: "Christ was on the cross for ONLY 3 hours; He is risen forever! That response was commensurate with stabbing me in the heart with a dagger.

Dear friend in Christ, the Crucifix differs from the cross, in that it depicts the image of Christ being crucified, rather than that of the empty cross.The addition of His figure to the empty cross is intended to emphasize His human nature, which enabled him to suffer physical pain and death.

Not all crucifixes are identical.Depending on the mission of the church, the depiction of Jesus may evoke various emotions ranging from sorrow, to fear, or to awe. However, the purpose of the crucifix remains the same: to remind Catholics of the price Christ paid for humanity's redemption.

It also affords us the opportunity to practice Ignatian Spirituality, placing ourselves with those at the foot of the cross, looking up at our redeemer, with humble hearts. Jesus Christ died for our sins. We need to reflect on that immense act of selflessness and turn our lives over to Him daily. Do you not agree?

[wastoute]

To all:

Just “poking the hornet’s nest”! I prefer the empty cross. It is MY cross He said “to pick up daily” and empty because of Him.