Tuesday, October 19, 2004
Fw: [catholicACT] Why the Sunburst ?
...Indeed, the outer part of the monstrance depicts a sunburst image.
Why, then, a sunburst image? Consider Matthew 17:2: "And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his garments became white as light." Far from trying to depict a pagan sun god, the monstrance actually is meant to reveal to us the glory of Christ as He was transfigured and His face shone like the sun! Christ is Our Light! In the monstrance, Christ is casting His light on us. Let's go on to some more scriptural evidence, though:
Consider the following passage from the Old Testament: "But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings" (Malachi 4:2). Are we to conclude that Malachi was a Pagan? Of course not. Rather, Malachi makes it clear that the Savior is the sun of righteousness -- and what more proper depiction for that than a sunburst image?!
[from a website I would not recommend]
