Over Indulgence?

When I was watching a Channel 4 programme on the history of Christianity the other week, my friend laughed out loud when Ann Widdicombe mentioned that Luther was so furious at the sale of indulgences by the Church and that he saw this as a great corruption. My friend said to me, "Selling indulgences, you have to admit that is ridiculous." I guess, that the 'modern' Catholic would find it hard to answer the charge that the Church was viewed by leaders of the Reformation as corrupt for selling indulgences, or even the theology of Indulgence.

But then, of course, Luther wasn't against merely the 'sale' of indulgences, which does seem a little like 'buying salvation', he was against the theology of indulgences altogether, which unfortunately really summed up his miserly view of salvation and the redemptive, forgiving nature of God.

The picture above is of the relics of St Valentine held in Rome, and I am not sure whether a penitent can obtain a plenary indulgence by kissing it or something else, or not. I expect so. There is still a whole raft of plenary indulgences that the Church offers for sinners, though not for sale, instead free, save for our willingness to receive them.

God loves humanity, this is our Faith. God is Love and this too is our Faith. God is Justice too. Yet, God Himself, as He did on the Cross, contradicts His own Nature. What mankind expects from God; reproach, punishment and shame, God wants to overwhelm with His love. If a husband or wife "indulges" his or her spouse, or a parent "indulges" a child every now and then, we do not think that a cause for great concern. But God, through the Church, does not indulge our sins - He indulges in His forgiveness and the remission of them.

Ultimately, people who think indulgences are a terrible thing are a bit mean. They would say, "Oh so that means even if you have committed terrible sins or lots of sins, you can have them forgiven and the punishment due to having committed them and your time spent in Purgatory lessened by an Indulgence and that makes everything okay?" People who say that, really, cannot bear the idea of an All-loving God who, like a generous father, spares the child the rod and gives him a delightful gift instead, because he knows the child is sorry. People who say that just do not like God being God and God doing for mankind what God loves to do by His very Nature: heal, cleanse, renew, forgive, love and show mercy. They would rather God mete out Divine Punishment to those they think really deserve it. People who are like this forget that man has done nothing of his own merit to obtain salvation, but it is a gift from God. People who cannot stand the idea of Indulgences granted through the Church either by the merits of Christ or Christ's Grace as given through the relics or martyrs or Saints, just cannot accept the gifts of God. We Catholics should never look a gift horse in the mouth!

Click here for a list of Plenary Indulgences compiled by Our Lady's Warrior.