I am finishing a book ‘The Stripping of the Altars’ by Eamon Duffy. It details traditional religion in England 1400 to 1580.

I am on the chapter ‘the attack on Traditional Religion ‘ the attack on Catholicism by Crammer, Henry VIII and Cromwell.

Such things like ‘it was outlawed to make a pilgrimage to Shrine, venerate the Cross, pray for the dead, light candles before images’

They argued for one that lighting a candle before an image was to honor the image and all honor should be given to God. As you know lighting a candle before an image serves to honoring who the image points too..

Made me think.. there is a long tradition of people blessing others with oil, an example would by St Joseph oil. When I read that lay point ought to be discouraged from using oil because they might think it is the sacrament of the sick. I had to think.. I wonder if Cranmer would have used the same argument in 1539.

My argument most Catholic know that lighting a candle before an image is not worshipping the image, but honoring who the image points too.. so most lay people who might use blessed oil to bless the sick are smart enough to recognize the distinction between this and the sacrament.. and not only might it not lessen the importance of being anointed in the Sacrament but serve to point to it..

Just a thought.. as I am reading this book.