Catholics Veil Sacred Images during Lent not because “they” are looking for Jesus to crucify Him.(Part 2)

To understand signifance and what the veiling of the sacred images on the Fifth Sunday of Lent called Passion Sunday does, one must understand the use of sacred images by the Catholics.

Use of Sacred Images?

The beauty of the images moved me to contemplation, says St. John Damascene. And so it does to many of us.

Images are signs. And signs points to things that are not evident to us. They lead us beyond themselves to those things or persons which they point. They elicit from one, the sense of religious decorum.

For instance, whenever I look at the image of Christ on the Cross, I reflect upon many things: why Jesus and not another, how could he endure so much passion, what led him to that, is it for real, did this actually happen, who are you Jesus, from whence do you come from?, etc.

Therefore, the person doesn’t venerate this image on their own account, but for what they represent.

It the same way the pictures of our parents, friend, and loved ones remind us of them, so do the pictures of images or paintings of Christ, Mary or the saints.

Imagine it then when the images of a loved one you use to see daily or weekly are veiled for some time. How do you feel?

The veiling instills in one a natural stimulation, a hunger, a questioning: why veil an image which is meant to be naturally seen? Your mind seeks for explanation.

To be continued…

Fr. Henrycharles Umelechi

Truth Series.