11 - 14 of 14 Comments

1. margaret

   4 years ago

   "BURY St. Joseph...UPSIDE DOWN to sell your home" was what I was told. Then after you sell it, dig him up and place him in your new home. I WAS and AM AGAINST THIS DISGRACEFUL practice for any Christian.
   
   I asked St. Joseph to be in our home and to aid in the sale. I placed a statue in HONOR on a table in the living room.

2. Nils Backman

   4 years ago

   I think there is great that this nice tradition has started to grow under the latest months (I often search the web for this subject and I have started to see increased ads and new sites coming up!), and it also seems like the understanding have sky rocketed.
   
   This discussion is important, the difference between superstition and counting on that the ritual itself will make the difference, and not the prayer and faith, which is the "real deal".
   
   I also like to put in a thought on the e commerce sites that has been plopping up lately.
   
   I see a big difference between sites that are just hooking up on the new sales trend, like this
   http://www.stjosephtradition.com/
   and more serious sites which are actually a good resource for information and have original written articles, like www.st-josephstatue.com

3. Tybourne

   4 years ago

   Any devotion can be abused, even the Rosary. That fact does not mean that the devotion is wrong in itself. Unfortunately many well-meaning Catholics in the U.S. are Catholic by creed but protestant by culture. To see a real Catholic culture one needs to look to South American culture. As St Gregory Nazianzen said "That which was not assumed is not healed; but that which is united to God is saved". Our flesh has been saved- only Catholics live as if they fully believe in the Incarnation. Therefore, it is permissible and delightful to God if we pray through concrete actions such as this and not merely in disembodies words.
   
   This powerful poem by the Scottish poet Edwin Muir, who ended his days as a Catholic sums it up well:
   
   The Incarnate One
   -----------------
   
   The windless northern surge, the sea-gull's scream, And Calvin's kirk crowning the barren brae. I think of Giotto the Tuscan shepherd's dream, Christ, man and creature in their inner day. How could our race betray The Image, and the Incarnate One unmake Who chose this form and fashion for our sake?
   
   The Word made flesh here is made word again A word made word in flourish and arrogant crook. See there King Calvin with his iron pen, And God three angry letters in a book, And there the logical hook On which the Mystery is impaled and bent Into an ideological argument.
   
   There's better gospel in man's natural tongue, And truer sight was theirs outside the Law Who saw the far side of the Cross among The archaic peoples in their ancient awe, In ignorant wonder saw The wooden cross-tree on the bare hillside, Not knowing that there a God suffered and died.
   
   The fleshless word, growing, will bring us down, Pagan and Christian man alike will fall, The auguries say, the white and black and brown, The merry and the sad, theorist, lover, all Invisibly will fall: Abstract calamity, save for those who can Build their cold empire on the abstract man.
   
   A soft breeze stirs and all my thoughts are blown Far out to sea and lost. Yet I know well The bloodless word will battle for its own Invisibly in brain and nerve and cell. The generations tell Their personal tale: the One has far to go
   Past the mirages and the murdering snow.
   
   Edwin Muir

4. Richard Wood

   4 years ago

   I agree with your thoughts. As Christians we should not depend on "Luck" or superstition. It is indeed sad that most Americans get their theology from the "feel good" churches without the depth of reasoning and reverence that 2000+ years of history and tradition can impart.
   On a different note: Did you know that under your posting there were listings selling the very statues you were discussing? Kinda sends mixed signals.
   
   

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