Statues can Build or Destroy the Concept of God in our Souls

Humans beings are made up of body and soul. That is why we need concrete examples or parables to grasp things that we cannot grasp by theory alone.

And human nature longs for a good fit between ideas and the symbols that match those ideas.

This explains the role of statues in the Catholic religion. They provide us with something concrete to match the idea we have in our minds, to complete, for example, the idea we have of the Sacred Persons of Our Lord and Our Lady.

This also explains why, among other reasons, Our Lord wished to stamp His Face on the Holy Shroud, which is perhaps the greatest relic in Christendom after the True Cross.

When we contemplate the Sacred Face, we see most precious elements to grasp the Majesty and Severity of Our Lord, as well as the seriousness with which we should consider His Passion, Death and Resurrection.

Above is a statue of Our Lord, which is beautiful yet inferior to the Holy Shroud in strength. This statue helps us understand the goodness and patience that Our Lord has towards us sinners. It helps us to hope for Our Lord's forgiveness, and, therefore, for the day when He will receive us by His mercy into Heaven for all eternity.

This statue strengthens and confirms our faith.

Can we say the same about the statue shown below?

Who would dare say this statue strengthens our faith? That it helps to make our idea of Our Lord more grand and majestic? That it attracts us to Him? That it gives us the desire to stay at His side?

Absolutely not!

At least for me, this statue is repugnant. It stifles in my soul the true and authentic concept of Our Lord Jesus Christ. It is attempt to smother my filial piety and adoration for Our Lord in the tabernacle of my soul.

By making these comments, I am not judging anyone. This is a simple commentary on a statue made by human hands. It brings me to conclude that it has an effect on my soul, which is the opposite of what it should have.

Where is the statue from?

It is from the main altar in the new basilica of Fatima, Portugal. At the site where Our Lady appeared six times. Where God worked the Miracle of the Sun, with the intention to bring mankind to conversion, to make us listen to Our Lady's message, and to make us love Our Lord more and more.

This statue is a sad contradiction with the Fatima message.

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This commentary was taken and adapted and translated by me from:

http://resistirnafe.blogspot.com/2009/04/imagens-pro-e-contra-deus.html