Monday, July 17, 2017

Visio Divina

At an Atchison oblate meeting several months ago, Sr. Micaela Randolph led us in an exercise of “visio divina”—that is, praying with art or other images. Recently, in an issue of Spirituality and Health, I came across a photograph that is perfect for this type of prayer. The photograph was actually part of an ad for a charitable organization called “Vitamin Angels” that provides vitamins for children in developing countries.

In the photograph, a Central or South American mother is holding her toddler in her arms. She is gazing at him with pure love, delight, and pride, and he is beaming as he looks out at the world with a wide smile and with trust and confidence. The photo entranced me and I began to wonder if God gazes at each of us as this mother was gazing at her child—totally delighted and in love with us. Can we believe that? If so, we would respond as the child did in the photo—with joy and a willingness to engage in the world because of the foundation of trust and confidence that love has instilled in us.

Sometimes art provides us with less common images—such as God as a fond mother—that can lead us to healing and new insights. The key is keeping our eyes open to the art that infuses our world and letting it lead us into prayer.

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