Catholicism is an incarnational faith. It means we understand the body-soul relationship is supposed to be harmonious not disjointed.
One simple way this is shown on a daily basis is through holy art.
I have a Master’s degree in theology but I think some of the best witness of my faith to my kids is simply having holy art in the house and answering questions when they ask.
Below is my youngest daughter, Avila, holding a statue of Mary she took off our dresser.
Statues are signposts to the reality (saints and Jesus).
P.S. I know I have the cutest kid in the universe. 😊
P.S.S. How do you incorporate holy art into your domestic church?
What is the deal with Catholics and their statues? Are they committing idol worship? Is this not against the 1st Commandment? These are common objections Protestants have against the owning of holy images. This article will be focused on showing three reasons why possessing sacred art and statues is something all Catholics should do and how they help build our faith.
Saint Statues Deepen Our Belief in the Incarnation
Having a statue of a saint in your home deepens your belief in God. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church paragraph 2141, “The veneration of sacred images is based on the mystery of the Incarnation of the Word of God. It is not contrary to the first commandment.”
Often, we forget that Jesus is 100% human along with being 100% God. His miracle stories in the Gospels and Resurrection sometimes overshadow the fact that Jesus Christ lived a human life—he slept, ate, and experienced emotion.
Possessing saint statues anchors our faith in the Incarnation because God became fully human. Holy statues provoke a certain tangibility, rawness, and realness of humanity. I experience this when I enter a Catholic Church with sacred art (icons and statues) of Jesus and the saints. If you’ve ever entered a church without such art you experience a dullness or staleness. Should not the same be true for your home?
St. John Paul II wrote in his Apostolic Exhortation Familaris Consortio, “the little domestic Church, like the greater Church, needs to be constantly and intensely evangelized: hence its duty regarding permanent education in the faith” Keeping saint statues around your home will help elicit questions from your children, or visitors, about important figures in Catholic Church history.
Guides to God
A second key reason to have a saint statue in your home is tied closely with the first—saints help point you to Christ. The Catechism speaks of saints in paragraph 957, “Exactly as Christian communion among our fellow pilgrims brings us closer to Christ, so our communion with the saints joins us to Christ, from whom as from its fountain and head issues all grace, and the life of the People of God itself.”
Proper veneration of the saints leads us towards Christ, never away from Him. A statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary located in your dining or living room and other saints around your home will only aid as a reminder—you are not alone in this journey toward Heaven.
Growing up, our statue of Mary in our dining room helped to remind me that she is our Mother and helps us get to her Son—Jesus. This reminder helped keep my eyes on Christ, especially during my teen years!
Family, Friends, Fellowship
Along with deepening your faith in the Mystery of the Incarnation and pointing you towards Christ, keeping holy statues will help foster fellowship. Traditionally, Catholics name children after a saint. The reason for this is because we honor and look to these holy men and women for guidance.
Among the highlights of marriage my wife and I anticipated, during our engagement was the naming of our children. All members of the family are called to holiness. We selected saint names whose lives exemplified heroic virtue and testimony of truth: Bernadette, Teresa of Avila, Matthew, Catherine of Siena, Maria Faustina, and Fabian just to name a few!
A simple way to grow in fellowship with your family’s patron saints is to celebrate their feast day. Owning a statue of a saint unique to your family will provide a more tangible connection to your holy friend. Gazing at the face of your patron saint, in the living room or bedroom, will help remind you daily of their holy life and strong love of God. Seeing the image of Mary Queen of Peace in my living room brings comfort during a stressful day.
Utilizing sacred images, especially saint statues, deepens your faith, guides you to Christ, and provides opportunities to develop unique family traditions of your own while fostering fellowship with God’s holy ones. Go get a saint statue today!
