A shocking realization

[chuckbobb]

as I was preparing for confession I realized that I worshiped a idol.
I thought I prayed to “God” but I found that I was actually Praying to a statue of Jesus not the being who died at Calvary
I was praying to who I thought was God not who he actually was!

I used to wonder why God never spoke back to me
But maybe it’s because I was never speaking to him in the first place!

but now I am at a loss. My finite brain cannot begin to imagine who God actually is.

so this is my question.
Who should I pray to?
the man who died at Calvary?
the man who transformed water into wine?
I don’t know.

so I guess I will ask you
How do you pray? (who do you pray to?)
and
Who should I Pray to?

thank you
God bless
ChuckBobb

 

[MT1926]

My finite brain cannot begin to imagine who God actually is.

I think you summed it all up with this statement.

You are trying to over think this. Praying to God is like having a conversation. Just talk to him as you would talk to anyone else. You can even tell him how you are struggling with this very issue. He will listen. Thank him for the gifts in your life. Thank him for the struggles as well, because he can use these struggles to make you a better person. Make a request of him just like you would anyone else. God answers all requests, just sometimes that answer is no. He knows what is best for us.

as I was preparing for confession I realized that I worshiped a idol.
I thought I prayed to “God” but I found that I was actually Praying to a statue of Jesus not the being who died at Calvary
I was praying to who I thought was God not who he actually was!

I highly doubt you were praying to a statue. Just the fact that it was a statue of Jesus means you were thinking of him. Unless, you were actually saying “all great and powerful statue hear me” or if you think there is more than one God and the statue of Jesus was a second God. Now that would be wrong. All in all God doesn’t expect us to be perfect and have all knowledge of the universe. I am sure we don’t, at all times, need to know the perfect definition of who we think God is. Heck I don’t think I could give you a perfect definition right now, without looking up the proper way to word it.

Finally I think God is probably speaking to you, your mind just won’t shut off long enough to hear him. I have that problem quite often. I am a multitasker and the brain never takes a break. Must be why I don’t sleep much.

 

[runningdude]

I do not see any evidence of idolatry, but merely a realization of the profound mystery that is God.

God is one divine nature, consisting of three divine persons: God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit.

God the Father is the source of all that is, was, and ever will be, but God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are co-eternal. The Son is said to have been “Begotten, not made” by the father, it is simply an attribute of his divine nature that he is the Son. Similarly, the Holy Spirit “proceeds” from the Father, via the Son.

God the Son, is Jesus Christ. God the Son took on a Human Nature, and became a true man. When you worship the person of Jesus Christ, you worship God Himself.

Incidentally, Jesus Christ was hung on the Cross for the crime of Blasphemy; claiming to be God. Jesus was factually innocent of this crime, as he was true God and true Man.

 

[ProdglArchitect]

as I was preparing for confession I realized that I worshiped a idol.
I thought I prayed to “God” but I found that I was actually Praying to a statue of Jesus not the being who died at Calvary
I was praying to who I thought was God not who he actually was!

I used to wonder why God never spoke back to me
But maybe it’s because I was never speaking to him in the first place!

but now I am at a loss. My finite brain cannot begin to imagine who God actually is.

so this is my question.
Who should I pray to?
the man who died at Calvary?
the man who transformed water into wine?
I don’t know.

so I guess I will ask you
How do you pray? (who do you pray to?)
and
Who should I Pray to?

thank you
God bless
ChuckBobb

I don’t see any idolatry here. Unless you were literally praying to a piece of stone, you’re good. I use statues and images of Christ to help me focus on him. when I do, I’m not praying to the piece of stone, or to a painting or anything like that, I am praying to Jesus, the man, the second person of the Trinity.

If you’re really concerned about it I have two suggestions.

1: Close your eyes and just pray -to- God. Don’t focus on anything except for your prayers and the fact that you want to offer them to our Lord.

2: Pray to the Eucharist. If you find you cannot pray unless you have something physical to focus on, but are worried about being idolatrous, find a chapel that does perpetual adoration and literally pray to our Lord, fully present in the Eucharistic Host.

 

[adamhovey1988]

Often, I will pray to Jesus in FRONT of a statue, and even say things like “thank you for dying for me”, but I know that statue is not Jesus. Why, exactly, do you think you were committing idolatry?

 

[TwoNames]

We must be like children. Don’t overthink stuff. (This doesn’t mean to be ignorant) Overthinking caused a lot of problems for me in my past that I sure still feel today.

 

[ProdglArchitect]

We must be like children. Don’t overthink stuff. (This doesn’t mean to be ignorant) Overthinking caused a lot of problems for me in my past that I sure still feel today.

Being like children doesn’t mean that we don’t seek answers or think about things. It has more to do with being open to the truth and no relying on ourselves for all the answers. We’re called to learn and think about our faith, not just follow along blindly.

 

[mikekle]

Well, even the pagan religions recognize the statue is not actually their ‘god’, they realize it represents their god instead, like the statues of Zeus, Posiden,etc, people worshiped them yes, but they recognized the stone statue was just representative, and the real god existed somewhere beyond their reach (in the heavens or etc), in the same way catholic do with statues of Jesus, Mary, etc.

In fact I cannot think of any religion where the people recognize the stone or metallic statue AS THEIR literal ‘god’.

 

[Spritus1]

Relax. It was a statue of Jesus. These things help to focus us in our prayer and are perfectly acceptable and legitimate according to the Catholic Church. I am sure you were aware that the statue represented Jesus and was not actually Him so that is ok. Even if you were not, the statue represented Our Lord so there is NO problem. As others have said do not overthink things as that comes from the enemy who desires to rob your peace.

Be at peace. I am sure God understands and is not offended.

Address your prayer to the Holy Trinity, God the Father, the Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit either all together or individually. It matters not. When you glorify the Son you glorify the Father and the Holy Spirit also. Likewise when you glorify the Father you glorify the Son and so on. The Trinity cannot be separated.

Personally I address my prayers mostly to Our Eucharistic Lord and God the Father and Our Lady of course. When you honour Our Lady,Jesus and the Father are greatly pleased and glorified.

Peace and joy to you.

 

[marlap2]

as I was preparing for confession I realized that I worshiped a idol.
I thought I prayed to “God” but I found that I was actually Praying to a statue of Jesus not the being who died at Calvary
I was praying to who I thought was God not who he actually was!

I used to wonder why God never spoke back to me
But maybe it’s because I was never speaking to him in the first place!

but now I am at a loss. My finite brain cannot begin to imagine who God actually is.

so this is my question.
Who should I pray to?
the man who died at Calvary?
the man who transformed water into wine?
I don’t know.

so I guess I will ask you
How do you pray? (who do you pray to?)
and
Who should I Pray to?

thank you
God bless
ChuckBobb

I’m a convert of 18 years, and I’ve never met a Catholic who prayed to statues. I’ve met more than a few Catholics who didn’t have a relationship with Christ, who didn’t pray, who didn’t go to Mass. So you are my first one!

The “being” who died at Calvary was God’s own Son, who for the infinite and perfect love of you and me, took on our sins and died for us. He loved you that much. If I was you, I won’t concern myself so much with the pictures and statues at your church. They are wonderful reminders of our friends in heaven (saints) and our Lord and our Blessed Mother. I like to sit in Mass near a particular station of the cross. Does that mean I have an idolatrous relationship with a statue? No, but the particular station (4th - Jesus meets his mother) reminds me of the love between mother and son, and at the same time, the love they both have for me. I’m reminded every time.
Do I pray “to” the fourth station. Never. It’s just a very well crafted piece of wood.
You shouldn’t ever either. But don’t be afraid. The Catholic Church offers you all kinds of ways of knowing and developing a beautiful personal relationship with God. It’s called the Catholic Bible and the Catechism. They are great resources especially when used together.

Pray at Mass, to have Jesus reveal himself to you in the Eucharist, where he is Body Blood Soul and Divinity. That’s the closest relationship you can ever have. With anyone. Especially God.

God Bless you!