The Madonna of Loreto: John the Baptist is the greatest...

ADVENT LANTERN (daily meditations)
December 10.

The thoughts of dr. Jakubinyi György Archbishop Emeritus

The most wonderful medieval spiritual guide, Imitatio Christi states that the saints do not like to be compared. We respect the grace of God in the saints, a grace they embreced, and this is also grace that they could and would do that.
Respecting, venerating the saints leads us to God, the only one who we worship („latria”). We only respect, venerate the saints. That is what Jesus means when he says: „Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” Redemption is the fulfillment of the promises of the Old Testament. Thus the new testament surpasses and fulfills the old testament. Theologically speaking the special respect due to the Blessed Virgin is called „protodulia”, the respect due to Sant Joseph is called „hyperdulia”, all the other saints are respected in the same way, that kind of veneration is named „dulia”. Let us be lead by the respect and veneration of the saints to the Lord Jesus, who is the source of all sainthood.