THE  SAINTS  ON OUR PEDESTALS

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily is, “The Saints on Our Pedestals.”

A Catholic who isn’t blind surely has noticed that that there are not as many statues of Saints in our churches as there were in the past.

A parishioner of St. Mary’s Parish who isn’t blind surely has noticed the difference between this church building and St. Mary’s church building.

Today being the feast of St. John Neumann I got to thinking about images of Saints – as a practice in the Catholic faith.

We venerate – honor – appreciate – holy men and women – who have lived the faith in some extraordinary ways.

We name churches after Saints. For example, this second church in our parish is named after St. John Neumann. We have that  bronze statue of him in our courtyard. It’s a short statue because I heard he was short.

QUESTION

The title of homily is, “The Saints on Your Pedestals.”

Let me make that a question: “Who Saints do you have on pedestals?”

THE CATHOLIC IDEA OF SAINTS

We Catholics have favorite Saints.

I assume that those who criticize our Church practice of  Saints, think we think they are Gods – and only God is God.

Apologists for our faith – always like to point out to critics of statues – “Hello! Check it out. Every home has pictures of loved ones on end tables and book shelves. Every park – museum – court house – cemetery -  have statues of famous generals, athletes, donors, important people - what have you. Hello!”

Okay, some people see an Oscar as an image to be worshipped.

Bottom line: the criticism should be the belief that we pray to Saints.

Yes we do. We’re making an act of faith in the resurrection.  We’re expressing our faith – that we can ask the living and the dead to pray for us.

In line with my homily title, what saints are on your pedestals or end tables or bureaus? Name the names.

Flowing from my title, who are your favorite saints? Mary? Joseph? St. Francis of Assisi?

Even if you don’t have an actual statue of a saint on your lawn or in your house, I like to picture people having a picture or a statue of some favorite saint or two or three on sort of pedestal in one’s brain.

I like St. Camillus de Lellis.  I like Blessed Peter Donders. I like St. Philip Neri. I like St. Vincent de Paul. I like Dorothy Day. I like Dietrich Bonhoeffer. I like a whole list of Redemptorist priests and brothers whom influenced me. Yes, I have made them bigger than life – sort of like putting them on some sort of pedestal.

ST JOHN NEUMANN

I see St. John Neumann as the patron saint for travelers. He was great for visiting folks – on foot – by trains – wagons.  I see his great concerns for immigrants and migrants. He was one himself – and he spoke lots of different languages. I  see his great concern for Catholic Schools. I see his great push for love of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament.

CONCLUSION   

The title of my homily was, “The Saints on Our Pedestals.”

Take some time today and check them out and see what that says about the practice of our faith. Amen.