What is idolatry and autolatry? Why is obedience crucial to avoid both?

According to David Fagerberg, in his article at “The Catholic Thing,” 9/18/22. Religion is a virtue because it renders God his due. When asked to whom latria (“supreme worship”) should be given, justice answers that only the Uncreated should be worshipped, not a creature.

But there is something more serious – and perhaps more common – than worshiping an image (eidolon-latria). It is worshiping ourselves: auto-latria. Autolatry is more secret and more serious than idolatry because the false god dwells within. It is us.

Both the belief in God and the love of God must manifest as obedience to God. That’s why spiritual writers refer to Samuel’s words to Saul, when he said: It is like the sin of witchcraft to rebel: and like the crime of idolatry to refuse to obey. (1 Samuel 15:23) One of the masters of asceticism (John Baptist Scaramelli, S.J.) explains what Samuel meant: “The reason is, because, by disobedience, we set our own opinion and self-will above the will of God made known to us by holy obedience.”

Idolatry is similar to disobedience in this way: in the former, we adore an idol of wood or stone instead of the true God to whom adoration alone is due, and in the latter, we stray from the true rule and follow a deceitful one, which is that of our own judgment and of the maxims of the world. False adoration and false judgment are related. Right worship and righteousness are related. God’s will must be received liturgically: i.e. with adoration.

Autolatry is setting our own opinion and self-will above the will of God. About what? Not only religious matters (though autolatry is plenty active in those issues), but also things of the world. How can we judge politics, social norms, sex, gender, the family, the unborn, the stranger, the criminal, the victim, etc., in a righteous manner if we have placed our self-will above the will of God? St. John Eudes says, “pride causes the sinner to make an idol of self, and put himself in God’s place, since he prefers himself to God when his own interests, his satisfactions, his own will, and desires are at stake.”

May we all strive to imitate Jesus who was totally obedient to the Father.

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