Friday, August 17, 2018
Saintly Shift
At one time early on in Christianity, those who were considered saints were looked at as examples of a way of life. Some were martyrs, but many were not. By and by, over time, believers began to lower the bar of what it was to be a Christian. Instead of trying to live like the saints as in "Follow me," they began to pray to the saints to get things. Saints became heavenly go-betweens for whatever you wanted to get or avoid. St. Christopher was for travelers. St. Blaise was for healthy throats. St. Barbara was for protection against lightening. I thought she was for parking places. Who is the one for parking places? Anyhow, fewer believers cared to see in these saints a way to follow Christ, and saw the saints as more of a way to have a better life. It was part of the shift of Christianity as a communal religion of service to one another, to a more private, individual effort for personal salvation, and a better life on earth.
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When I was young, I thought the saints were a "stepping stone" to God. I was too little and my voice too faint to carry all the way to God - but the saints would help me bridge the divide. That there were saints who had specific areas of interest helped me to feel that my little voice might be heard. I notice that many religions have intemediaries who are assigned specific areas of intention. The Buddists have a cute little fellow who is part St. Christopher and part St. Francis - Jizo. Christians and Catholics aren't the only people who feel the need for help in navigating the path to God.
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