worshiping idols

Today in A Year with the Church Fathers, we hear from St Jerome. He talks to us about worshiping idols. And he makes some good points.

The picture above is of a golden calf. It's not likely that you would find anyone in modern society who would get on their knees and worship that statue. But you'd find thousands... maybe millions... who would do whatever it takes to get the gold that the statue is made of. That's the same level of worship, given to the same type of idol.

But before we look down our noses at those who worship money, we need to take a look in the mirror to find the idol that most of us find ourselves worshiping at one time or another in our lives. And that's what Jerome says about the man who is blaspheming against the martyrs in the reading for today. Jerome says that the man, whose name is Vigilantius, is actually mad because people are venerating the saints rather than worshiping Vigilantius. That's a great name, isn't it? You expect him to come equipped with pitchfork and torch. Or wearing a mask and acting as judge, jury, and executioner. And that's what he does, basically, in condemning people for venerating the saints rather than giving Vigilantius the praise he feels he deserves.

So let's make sure we put our focus on Jesus. That will keep us from worshiping any of the idols, especially the most pernicious of them all: ourselves.

God, thanks for teaching us how to avoid idols.