[177]
They think they are insisting on
good works, but this scandal will harm us to the same extent that the display
of such insolent obedience benefits them, because it is clear that the order
demands that they be compelled to render to the aforementioned images a
response of obedience similar to the sense of honor they are known to receive,
even though they are utterly insensate. But perhaps those wishing to frustrate
our assertion will say: 'Why do you mock those who arrange lights and burn
incense before senseless images, when we also arrange lights and burn incense
in basilicas, which are equally devoid of sense?' To this, a simple objection
can arise, for it is one thing to illuminate places dedicated to divine worship
and to offer the smoke of prayers and incense to God in those same places, and
another to offer light to an image that has eyes but sees nothing, and to burn
incense to something that has nostrils but does not smell; it is one thing to
venerate places dedicated to divine worship, and another to offer lights and
incense to any painted images adorned with colors; it is one thing to venerate
the house of the Lord's majesty, built by all the faithful and solemnly dedicated
by the pontiff, and another to irrationally kiss images composed by various
painters while offering gifts. For the Lord says, 'My house shall be called a
house of prayer' (Isaiah 56:7); likewise elsewhere: 'Acceptable gifts shall be
offered upon my altar, and my house of prayer shall be honored' (Malachi
1:11)." Indeed, that place is to be honored with many honors, where
faithful people gather from all sides, and their supplications are heard by
God, and the mysteries of our salvation are celebrated, and a sacrifice of
praise is offered to God, where, with the faithful people bringing sacrifices
to God through the hands of the priests, there is an angelic gathering, where the
harmonious sound of those singing often resounds, where the waves of divine
readings irrigate the hearts of the listeners. Moreover, in many of those
places that boast of offering lights and incense to images, from which we, who
disdain to do so, are thought to suffer scandal, such places dedicated to
divine worship are so despicable that, as we have learned from our legates or
from those who, during the time of the revered memory of the most illustrious man,
my father, or those who have been sent by us to those parts, many basilicas in
their lands are found to lack not only lights and incense but even the
coverings themselves. For in the kingdom granted to us by God, basilicas, with
His assistance, which He deems worthy to preserve, overflow abundantly with
gold, silver, gems, and the most beautiful adornments, while we, who refuse to
arrange lights and burn incense before images, adorn places dedicated to divine
worship with the most precious things. (source;
number in square brackets refers to the page number of the original
language source)
