Every January 9 of each year Roman Catholics in the Philippines celebrate what is called as the Feast of the Black Nazarene. The Black Nazarene is a statue which supposedly representing a suffering Jesus Christ who is carrying the cross. Unlike most statues of a suffering Christ which is white, beige, or light brown, the Christ here is colored black.
As part of the celebration, a procession is held by parading the statue in streets nearby the church in Quiapo, Manila where the statue is stationed. During the procession, devout Filipinos attempt to touch the statue or wipe it with a cloth hoping to receive forgiveness or healing. Here is what the procession looks like each year:
And every year there are reports of hundreds of people getting injured, and at least one death is reported. People barging in, pushing one another, stepping on each other, and falling from the statue. Thank God no one died this 2011 celebration.
At this point many of you expect me to quote verses like Exodus 20:4-6 or Isaiah 42:17. Yes, I am aware that the Roman Catholic Bishops in the Philippines reminded every devotee not to worship the statue itself. I am also aware that there are devotees who are saying, "I'm not worshiping the statue but I'm worshiping the one being represented by the statue." Some may even likened the Black Nazarene as the bronze serpent in Numbers 21:4-9. I could go on discussing the flaws of their arguments., but let's try a different approach.
Look again at the picture of the procession and read some reports of the injuries noted. Call the action whatever you want but there is one word you can't deny labeling it: disorderly. Each and every year the statue is treated like the pool in John 5:1-8. Here is a fact that many Roman Catholics do not realize: Christ can heal and forgive you without necessarily using a graven image. You can ask him directly, all you need to do is to believe.
Some of you may justify your actions of struggling to approach the Black Nazarene saying it's an act of faith similar to the woman with an issue of blood (Luke 8:40-44). In response I ask: Why that statue alone? Aren't there more graven images that was given a blessing? Are you saying that there are images of Christ that are more special than the other images of him even though they all supposedly represent Christ? Why not make another Black Nazarene or make replicas of it and give it special properties like the original?
If you treat one image more special than other, then that's idolatry.
My friends, Jesus is alive and He can hear you. Go to Him in prayer without necessarily bowing before a graven image of Him. Believe and receive your forgiveness and healing.
And every year there are reports of hundreds of people getting injured, and at least one death is reported. People barging in, pushing one another, stepping on each other, and falling from the statue. Thank God no one died this 2011 celebration.
At this point many of you expect me to quote verses like Exodus 20:4-6 or Isaiah 42:17. Yes, I am aware that the Roman Catholic Bishops in the Philippines reminded every devotee not to worship the statue itself. I am also aware that there are devotees who are saying, "I'm not worshiping the statue but I'm worshiping the one being represented by the statue." Some may even likened the Black Nazarene as the bronze serpent in Numbers 21:4-9. I could go on discussing the flaws of their arguments., but let's try a different approach.
Look again at the picture of the procession and read some reports of the injuries noted. Call the action whatever you want but there is one word you can't deny labeling it: disorderly. Each and every year the statue is treated like the pool in John 5:1-8. Here is a fact that many Roman Catholics do not realize: Christ can heal and forgive you without necessarily using a graven image. You can ask him directly, all you need to do is to believe.
Some of you may justify your actions of struggling to approach the Black Nazarene saying it's an act of faith similar to the woman with an issue of blood (Luke 8:40-44). In response I ask: Why that statue alone? Aren't there more graven images that was given a blessing? Are you saying that there are images of Christ that are more special than the other images of him even though they all supposedly represent Christ? Why not make another Black Nazarene or make replicas of it and give it special properties like the original?
If you treat one image more special than other, then that's idolatry.
My friends, Jesus is alive and He can hear you. Go to Him in prayer without necessarily bowing before a graven image of Him. Believe and receive your forgiveness and healing.
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