Catholics Covering Images??

    Outside the Catholic Church, a great many people complain that they see Catholics "worshipping" statues and images of Christ, holy saints, and spiritual heroes. They don't understand that these reminders of holiness are not being worshipped, themselves, in place of God. Rather they help Catholics get closer to God by inspiring and motivating us. They give our minds and hearts a focal point that creates a closer connection to Our Lord.
    Psychologists refer to this as, "guided imagery or visualization." This is a cognitive process that leverages mental pictures to produce positive outcomes. This psychological phenomenon actually ENHANCES performance, directs emotions, and fosters a deeper connection to God. It doesn't usurp the rightful worship of God...rather, it develops it. This ability adds layers of nuance that strengthens worship in ways that mere words cannot. 
    But for my fellow Christians who choose to refuse and reject that, well, I feel a little sorry for them. They won't take that opportunity, and they deliberately choose to deny themselves that kind of inspiration. They self-convince themselves they don't need it, by saying things like, "...you can just pray directly to God."
    And they're not wrong - you can. But they don't hold the exclusive on doing that, either, because Catholics do that, too. It's a mindset that harkens back to F. Scott Fitzgerald's "test of intellect," whereby Catholics enjoy BOTH direct prayer and guided imagery.(1)
    I'm reminded at these times of another famous quote, this one attributed to G.K. Chesterton: "The Catholic Church is like a thick steak, a glass of red wine, and a good cigar." (2)
    This viewpoint emphasizes The Church and its experience as substantive, satisfying, appealing to all aspects of life—truth, beauty, and goodness. Such a faith is worthy of God's plan for salvation. It is to be savored and enjoyed fully, a robust and enjoyable faith that feeds the soul..., rather than a meager, puritanical one that denies it. 

    However there is one period in the year where Catholics choose to deny themselves that holy satisfaction and that is during the last two weeks of Lent.
    If you are unfamiliar with Lent, it is a 40-day liturgical season of fasting, prayer and reflection that prepares us for the spiritual renewal of Christ's Resurrection. 
    Starting on Ash Wednesday and ending the Saturday before Easter, it mimics Jesus' 40 days in the wilderness. It is a time for self-denial and internal renewal, derived from the Old English word lencten for "spring."
     But for the last two weeks of Lent, Catholics might veil (cover) their images and statues in purple cloth during the period known as "Passiontide."
This 2-week period begins with the fifth Sunday of Lent (known as Passion Sunday), and continues until the liturgy of the Easter Vigil, aka, the the evening Mass before Easter Sunday.
    This practice of veiling dates back to at least the 9th century, and functions as a "visual fast" to heighten senses, remove distractions, and honor the "hidden divinity" of Jesus.
    It offers several spiritual benefits....
1. It symbolizes the "fasting" austerity of the Lenten season
2. It creates a sense of longing for The Christ's Resurrection on Easter
3. It focuses attention on the Passion of Christ.
    This covering up, or veiling, provides a sort of visual, "fasting of the eyes," removing visual imagery and comforts to prepare for the glory of the Resurrection. 

So why do it?

• Heightened Anticipation and Longing: The absence of sacred images creates a, "What is missing?" experience, which mimics the longing for Christ and builds anticipation for the unveiling at the Easter Vigil

• Passiontide Focus: The tradition begins on the Fifth Sunday of Lent, often referred to as Passiontide Sunday. It directs attention away from decorations and toward the solemnity of Christ’s suffering... something also avoided by many.

• Biblical Reference: It reflects the Gospel narrative where Jesus, "hid himself" from his enemies of the Temple, as mentioned in John 8:59. This verse concludes a heated debate between Jesus and the religious leaders in the Temple. It records their violent reaction to His claim of knowing Abraham before time, thanks to His own eternal existence, and it ends with... "At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds."

• Austerity and Penance: Before Christ, among the Jews, the color purple always signfied mourning, penitence, and a "hidden" world. Thus, the use of purple veiling cloths reminds worshippers of the bleakness of a world without Christ.

• History: Historically, this practice, using what was known as a, "Hunger Cloth," acted as a practical reminder of the fasting season. This specific covering of statues and images began in the early Medieval Period, during the 9th century. However, it evolved from earlier, more stringent penitential traditions where the entire altar was veiled for the whole of Lent. 
    Bishop William Durandus (1230-1296) one of the most influential medieval thinkers of The Church, recorded this custom in his masterwork of liturgical organization, "Rationale Divinorum Officiorum" completed in 1286. 
    He explained that if the glory of the Master (Christ) should be hidden during Passiontide, then so also should be hidden the holy men and women that lived their inspiring lives for Him (the saints).

Corpus Christi Catholic Church, Lexington, South Carolina

    Crucifixes are often unveiled on Good Friday after the Passion service, while other statues and images are unveiled before the Saturday evening Easter Vigil Mass. It was once common to cover all images for the entirety of Lent. But during the Middle Ages, the practice was pushed back to just the 2-week Passiontide. 
    Although the liturgical reforms of the 1960's attempted to minimize the Passiontide by folding it into the general Lenten season, the veiling of images has enjoyed a revival in our day. Many, if not most, Catholic churches in the U.S. once more observe the deeply spiritual practice of Passiontide veiling.
    In addition to Catholic churches, families are also encouraged to veil religious statues, images and associated items in their homes, in order to bring this reflection into the "domestic church."

Footnotes
(1). "The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time, and still retain the ability to function."
- F. Scott Fitzgerald
This famous definition appears in Fitzgeralds' 1936 essay, "The Crack Up." This quote captures the tension we experience in life, as we face dualism in our existance. The "test" he discribed wasn't just an abstract. coping strategy. It is about having the useful ability to see two things at once and to keep going, without being paralzed by embracing only one possibility.

(2) G.K. Chesterton... After converting to Roman Catholicism in 1922, he wrote foundational works of Christian defense. His book The Everlasting Man was instrumental in C.S. Lewis's conversion from atheism to Christianity.
    He is also the originator of, "Chesterton’s Fence." This is a famous - and very useful - principle of logic, which suggests that you should not tear down a, "fence" (a law or tradition) until you understand why it was built in the first place.
    He remains one of the most influential figures in 20th-century literature, known for his sharp wit and robust defense of traditional Christianity and common sense.
    Chesterton was also a literal giant of a man, standing 6'4" and weighing around 300 pounds.
    And he lived the Christian doctrine of love for his fellow man, because, despite fierce intellectual disagreements, he maintained deep and lasting friendships with his rivals, such as George Bernard Shaw and H.G. Wells. That should serve as a model for us all.