Latria giben to the Cross? Severely confused. Need a theologin. Fear danger of heresy. Help?

[Layp3rs0n]

Ok I am the one usually professing that every iota of Catholic teaching must be believed. For once I am the one who (God forgive me) find a teaching objectionable. I dont want to object. I must submit my reason to the teaching of the Magisterium. Help me! Here is the problem: apparently during the Liturgy of the Exaltation of the Cross we are not supposed to give the the Cross dulia, or hyperdulia but latria. The same worship due Christ. Ok, I need help understanding why this is ok. I have here the link to the Summa:

newadvent.org/summa/4025.htm#article4

Can anyone explain this in laymans terms? I am afraid of disagreeing with Mother Church. I hope I am not in heresy by not being able to make myself agree. Help me submit in my reasoning please.

 

[Bookcat]

It is “adoration of the Cross”-- for it is related to Jesus Christ.

One can distinguish more --one can say we give “relative” adoration (relative Latria) here – relative meaning it passes to Christ.

Whereas absolute adoration (Latria) is directly given to any of the Holy Trinity directly (such as to Jesus in the Holy Eucharist).

By the way between Good Friday and the Easter Vigil when one passes before that Crucifix used Good Friday – one genuflects (on the right knee as my friend corrected me years ago)…as a sign of that relative adoration.

The Second Council of Nicea taught:

“The honor paid to the image passes to the prototype”

So if one venerates say an image of Our Lady --it is relative --the high honor passes to Our Lady.

If one adores the Crucifix – the adoration passes to Christ.

It is for the sake of Jesus Christ.

(one wants to adore Christ …not simply give him “honor”…hence it being relative latria not relative hyperdulia or dulia…)

(tis not that one thinks the wood and plaster is God … …not that you thought that of course…I just note it by way of explanation…)

(And to confuse things further… in English some words can get mixed up more…veneration has gotten used where it is more fitting to use adoration …and heck in the older English and in British English “worship” can mean either honor or latria…like we call judges “your honor” they can say “your worship”!..

…though I have to add one of my pet peeve is when some say “oh that baby is adorable!”…I sometimes say "no only one baby is adorable…the one born in Bethlehem that we celebrate every December 25th…)

 

[Layp3rs0n]

…Ohhhhhhh!.. Ok I get it now! Thanks!

 

[Ancient1]

Whew, thank goodness! That title scared me. But, once again the gates of hell do not prevail against the Church. Of course, only about 2 percent of Catholics would have a notion what this argument was about, but it’s quite fascinating. So thanks for bringing to our attention.