Visio Divina with Mary
Visio Divina is a complement to Lectio Divina, spending time with an image in the company of the Holy Spirit, and allowing Him to speak to my heart through the image. A recent prayer opportunity has been a precious blessing to me in this second week of Advent.
I spent several minutes focused on the image below, allowing my eyes to travel around the parts of the picture and be drawn to particular portions of it. It’s a unique experience, as the Lord evokes particular thoughts and memories perfectly suited for each individual engaging in this prayer. I did it with a group, and was blessed as each person shared what part of the image stood out for them, what particular word or Scripture came to their mind, and what they felt the Lord was revealing to them.
My eyes were drawn to the center of the picture, where the bright Light was shielded by Mary’s hand. It brought to my mind the word GLORY! And the Scripture, “All of us, gazing with unveiled face on the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, as from the Lord who is the Spirit.” (NASB 2 Cor 3:18) I thought of Christ’s resurrection Glory, of the moment when His dead human body was transformed as by a huge cosmic explosion into His glorified Body, producing a tremendous burst of Light and Power! This was the image that was miraculously imprinted on the Shroud of Turin, and the image that is imprinted on my own soul, and on the soul of every baptized Christian. The image that is sacred, is holy, and is to be respected and reverenced.
I noticed how gently Mary held her hands, shielding and cradling the Light. They seemed so tender, so very fragile yet strong. There seemed to be a group of holy souls in the lower corners of the picture, the cloud of witnesses, adoring and marveling at the glowing and growing Light about to be born into the world.
I was blessed too to hear what the Lord was revealing to other group members. Other words received were Grace, Peace, Purity, Longing, Contentment, Receptive, Focused, Caressing, a Love beyond all telling.
The Lord was pouring out His grace on us as we prayed together in silence, and then shared the fruit of this sacred time together.
You are invited by Jesus to spend time during Advent to be with His Mother, to prayerfully focus on an image or passage of Scripture of your choosing, and to receive His Love in preparation for the celebration of His birth. May it be a time of blessing for you, drawing you more deeply into His Sacred Heart, through the Heart of the Blessed Mother, and into the Heart of the Father.
Lord God, thank you for the the gifts of words and images, created in cooperation with Your grace, that help us to receive and share Your tremendous Love. Grant us the desire and space to enter in to this sacred time with You, and more fully experience the Joy of Christmas!
Spiritual Sun Pennies 