Power Associated with images

[sinner06]

Hi, we were praying the stations of the cross during a church event a while back, and at the end of the booklet, it had a prayer(can’t remember the name), but it talked about granting an indulgence to any member of the faithful who prayed it, under certain conditions. One of those conditions was that the prayer be said in front of an image of Christ Crucified. My question is, how is it not idolatrous to say that this grace(in this case an indulgence), will only be granted if it is said in front of this image, as if the image had some kind of power? Please help, thanks.

 

[GJx86]

Ah, but how is such a prayer idolatrous?

Using a physical image, icon, or statue as a reminder of heavenly realities is very different from worshipping those things as gods.

The problem is not the images themselves; it is in “bow[ing] down … to them” and “serv[ing] them” as though they were gods themselves (Ex. 20:3-5).

If you see a pictoral depiction of Jesus and look at it while you say, “Lord Jesus, blessed be your name forever,” have you worshipped the picture, or the thing the picture represents?

The Church does not mean to imply that the image itself has power. Rather, the Church has the power to bind and to loose, and in this case has chosen to loose if you fulfill the conditions for the indulgence.

Hope that helps.