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There is much that might be said of the stupidity
which many persons display with regard to images;
their foolishness reaches such a point that some of
them place more confidence in one kind of image than
in another, believing that God will hear them more
readily because of these than because of those, even
when both represent the same thing, as when there are
two of Christ or two of Our Lady.
And this happens because they have more affection
for the one kind of workmanship than for the other;
which implies the crudest ideas concerning
intercourse with God and the worship and honour that
are owed to Him, which has solely to do with the
faith and the purity of heart of him that prays. For
if God sometimes grants more favours by means of one
image rather than by another of the same kind, it is
not because there is more virtue to this effect in
one than in another (however much difference there
may be in their workmanship), but because some
persons better awaken their own devotion by one than
by another.
If they had the same devotion for the one as for
the other (or even without the use of either), they
would receive the same favours from God.
2. Hence the reason for which God works[661]
miracles and grants favours by means of one kind of
image rather than by another is not that these should
be esteemed more than those, but to the end that, by
means of the wonder that they cause, there may be
awakened sleeping devotion and the affection of the
faithful for prayer.
And hence it comes that, as the contemplation of
the image at that time enkindles devotion and makes
us to continue in prayer (both these being means
whereby God hears and grants that which is asked of
Him), therefore, at that time and by means of that
same image, God continues to work favours and
miracles because of the prayer and affection which
are then shown; for it is certain that God does it
not because of the image, which in itself is no more
than a painted thing, but because of the devotion and
faith which the person has toward the saint whom it
represents.
And so, if you had the same devotion and faith in
Our Lady before one image representing her as before
another, since the person represented is the same
(and even, as we have said, if you had no such image
at all), you would receive the same favours. For it
is clear from experience that, when God grants
certain favours and works miracles, He does so as a
rule by means of certain images which are not well
carved or cunningly formed or painted, so that the
faithful may attribute nothing to the figure or the
painting.
3. Furthermore, Our Lord is frequently wont to
grant these favours by means of those images that are
most remote and solitary. One reason for this is that
the effort necessary to journey to them causes the
affections to be increased and makes the act of
prayer more earnest. Another reason is that we may
withdraw ourselves from noise and from people when we
pray, even as did the Lord.
Wherefore he that makes a pilgrimage does well if
he makes it at a time when no others are doing so,
even though the time be unusual. I should never
advise him to make a pilgrimage when a great
multitude is doing so; for, as a rule, on these
occasions, people return in a state of greater
distraction than when they went. And many set out on
these pilgrimages and make them for recreation rather
than for devotion.
Where there is devotion and faith, then, any image
will suffice; but, if there is none, none will
suffice. Our Saviour was a very living image in the
world; and yet those that had no faith, even though
they went about with Him and saw His wondrous works,
derived no benefit from them. And this was the reason
why, as the Evangelist says, He did few mighty works
in His own country.[662]
4. I desire also to speak here of certain
supernatural effects which are sometimes produced by
certain images upon particular persons. To certain
images God gives a particular spiritual influence
upon such persons, so that the figure of the image
and the devotion caused by it remain fixed in the
mind, and the person has them ever present before
him; and so, when he suddenly thinks of the image,
the spiritual influence which works upon him is of
the same kind as when he saw it -- sometimes it is
less, but sometimes it is even greater -- yet, from
another image, although it be of more perfect
workmanship, he will not obtain the same spiritual
effect.
5. Many persons, too, have devotion to one kind of
workmanship rather than to another, and to some they
will have no more than a natural inclination and
affection, just as we prefer seeing one person's face
to another's. And they will naturally become more
attracted to a particular image, and will keep it
more vividly in their imagination, even though it be
not as beautiful as others, just because their nature
is attracted to that kind of form and figure which it
represents.
And some persons will think that the affection
which they have for such or such an image is
devotion, whereas it will perhaps be no more than
natural inclination and affection. Again, it may
happen that, when they look at an image, they will
see it move, or make signs and gestures and
indications, or speak.
This, and the variety of supernatural effects
caused by images of which we have here been speaking,
are, it is true, quite frequently good and true
effects, produced by God either to increase devotion
or so that the soul may have some support on which to
lean, because it is somewhat weak, and so that it may
not be distracted. Yet frequently, again, they are
produced by the devil in order to cause deception and
harm. We shall therefore give instruction concerning
this in the chapter following. |