Guest column by Sr. Peter Marie,
School Sisters of Christ the King
A few years ago, I received a card on my birthday with a quote on the front of it that read, “There are times in life that are so good, that make us so happy, it’s as if we were just handed a little piece of Heaven.”
A little piece of Heaven on this side of earth is a piece of our life we hold close to our hearts and don’t forget. We can remember the details of the event, the feelings, the smells, the sounds, the emotions happening within us for many years after, and we are not too quick to let that go.
For the disciples and saints who met Jesus along the way, I imagine they experienced times like this where they held onto the moment they first met Him and went back afterward to the memory of His voice, His affection, His look, and the emotion of their own hearts within them. They were changed.
Visio Divina, “divine seeing” in Latin, invites us to enter into these moments with Jesus and his disciples, to let their moments of conversion become our moments, too. It is one of the rich traditions of our faith and the reason behind such meticulous work of artists of old who made stained glass windows, sculpted majestic statues, and painted beautiful frescoes adorning our churches.
Like Lectio Divina, “divine reading” in Latin, where one reflects prayerfully on the works of God through His Word, Visio Divina invites one who prays to reflect on God’s work through an image. And like Lectio Divina, the steps to praying with Visio Divina are similar.
Using Nicodemus Visiting Jesus by Henry Ossawa Tanner and a little bit of your time, I invite you to pray using these steps. It is helpful to place yourself in a space of silence, recalling the truth that you are in the presence of God. He looks upon you with great love.
In the first step, Visio, look at the image and notice the details. Ask yourself, “What is drawing my attention?” Allow a few moments to let yourself rest in that attraction, focusing on the part of the art that is captivating for you.
The second step is called Meditatio. The work here is to listen to the Father speaking to you through the image. His words can speak to you in any number of creative ways, including through a memory that is evoked, or through a well-loved scripture verse.
Since the image we are using is a story from scripture, you can read the passage from John 3:1-21. Knowing the story surrounding the image can also be a source of grace for this part of the prayer. Are there any words that strike you? You can also imagine yourself within the image becoming aware of your own emotions as you do so.
The next step, Oratio, invites you into a conversation with the Lord in which you can tell Him what you are thinking, what you are feeling and what you are desiring.
Lastly, through Contemplatio, rest in the Father’s love and close the prayer in the same way you started: being aware of God’s presence with you.
While there are times in our lives “that are so good,” there are also times in our lives that are so hard. These times of pain – experiencing the loss of a loved one, a miscarriage, days of despair, anxiety at work, the estrangement of a family member, bodily sickness, an attracting addiction – can be times in our lives when we also remember the details of events, and like the good times, we are not quick to forget these moments surrounding the sadness and grief, whether we want to or not.
Each of our experiences of suffering is unique to us, yet Jesus knows us better than we know ourselves. Jesus, Mary and the saints also knew times of suffering, despair, anxiety and loneliness amidst the ordinary moments of their daily lives, so we can be confident that we are not alone in our own suffering.
Visio Divina can open a door into our own heart to meet Jesus coming to us in these moments of great trial. Sitting down with the image of a crucifix, or Mary, or a photograph of a favorite memory and praying the steps of Visio Divina in the presence of the Father can provide healing grace and give us a lens to see our suffering through the Father’s Heart.
In time, these harder moments of our lives can open us up to experience the “little piece of Heaven” on earth Jesus Christ the King desires for us.
