Xiv. Of The Consequences Of The Incarnation In Relation To Us, Viz., That We Must Adore Christ; Of Christ As The Mediato
XIV. OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE INCARNATION IN RELATION TO US, VIZ., THAT WE MUST ADORE CHRIST; OF CHRIST AS THE MEDIATOR
(A)
What are the consequences of the Incarnation of God the Son in relation to us?
It follows that we must adore Jesus Christ, and that He is our Mediator (XXV.-XXVI.).
What is meant by saying that we must adore Jesus Christ?
This means that we must pay to the Person of God the Son, whether as God or as man, the worship that is proper to God alone, viz., latria; but if we consider the human nature of Christ as the reason of the honour we pay Him then we must pay to Him what is called dulia (XXV. 1, 2).
(B)
Must we adore the Sacred Heart of Jesus with the adoration of "latria"?
Yes, for the Sacred Heart is part of the Person of our Lord; and of all that belongs to the Person of our Lord in His human nature His Heart should be worshipped with the adoration of latria in an especial manner, because it is the symbol of His great love for us.
Must we honour with the adoration of "latria" the images and pictures of Christ?
Yes, because that movement whereby the soul is drawn towards an image precisely as an image (that is, in so far as it represents something), is the same as that movement whereby the soul is drawn towards the thing represented (XXV. 3).
(C)
Must we also honour the cross of our Lord with the adoration of "latria"?
Yes, because for us it represents our Lord nailed upon the cross and dying for us; and if it be question of the true cross upon which our Lord was nailed we adore it for this other reason, viz., because it was touched by our Lord's Body, and was saturated with His Blood (XXV. 4).
(D)
Must we honour our Blessed Lady, the Mother of Jesus, with the adoration of "latria"?
No; for the reason why we honour her is not only because she is our Lord's Mother, but because of her own worth; but since she is a creature only we do not honour her with the adoration of latria, which is exclusively proper to God. We pay her, however, in a supereminent way an honour in the order of dulia that is due to those who are united to God; but since no other creature is so intimately united to God as she is we pay her that honour which is called hyperdulia (XXV. 5).
(E)
Must we honour the relics of the saints and especially their bodies?
Yes, because the saints are friends of God and our intercessors before Him; we honour their bodies in particular because they were temples of the Holy Ghost, and because they will be glorified after the Resurrection, at the last day (XXV. 6).
(F)
What is meant by saying that Jesus Christ is the Mediator between God and men?
By this is meant that by reason of the hypostatic union between the human nature and God the Son, Christ is midway between God and men; owing to this it is proper to Him to communicate to men the commands and the gifts of God, standing before God in the name of men, in order to make satisfaction for their sins and to intercede for them (XXVI. 1,2 ).