A beautiful method to dive deeper into art is through visio divina. Visio divina is Latin for "divine seeing" and is a beautiful way to pray. It helps us make use of the deep visual tradition of the Church and sacred art and integrate it with our relationship with God. Being able to see the divine in everything around us whether it be a painting, sculpture, church, nature or other beautiful thing will help us recognize God. Visio divina has a long history in the Church whether or not it has been called that. As long as people have been making art, we have been trying to understand, interpret and dive deeper into its meaning and purpose. The stained glass and paintings in ancient churches were meant to instruct the faithful, teaching them the Scriptures and stories of the great saints. It still has this power and this purpose. Art can be instructive when we let it and God constantly wants to show His truth and beauty within sacred art.
Lectio divina, otherwise known as "divine reading", is the more well known type of meditative and contemplative prayer. In this method, you focus on a Scripture verse or passage, meditating on its meaning and listening to God's voice. Visio divina is based on that but you meditate of a piece of sacred art. When understanding art, we must also allow time to listen, especially when it comes to sacred art. The goal is that the eyes of your heart are open to the beauty, goodness and truth that is all around us in sacred art. While this is not a widespread art history methodology, it is quite important when talking about how to approach art in our Catholic faith.
Approaching art through visio divina is a multi-sensory experience using physical, spiritual and emotional sides of ourselves. Art is able to draw us into the truth, goodness and beauty of the Lord and connect with Him on a deeper level. Images have always been important for God to communicate with us, which can be seen in the many dreams, visions, prophetic images, and parables that have been given to us throughout history. The Lord knows that we use our senses to understand the world and through art we can understand Him and His creation. What we intake through our eyes can shape us deeply, so it is ever more important in an ugly world that we intake and contemplate beautiful images.
Here are the steps of Visio:
Spend as much or as little time as you need on each step, don’t rush prayer!
Begin with a prayer - either freely pray to the Lord or join in this prayer:
Lord, help me to be present to this image in which you had a hand in inspiring and creating. Thank you for the beauty that is in this world. You as the Creator of all that is true, good, and beautiful may I recognize you as the Creator of myself. Amen.
1. Visio – Spend a few minutes sitting with the image
a. What stands out to me?
b. What is happening?
c. How do I feel?
2. Meditatio – Meditate on the image
a. If there is a scripture passage that connects with the image, read that.
b. If any questions come up, ponder them. *Note: Feel free to open up your Bible to a random passage, I am sure that whatever you turn to will be able to be connected to the image!
3. Oratio – Pray with the image
a. Dialogue with God about what you see in the image and what you think.
b. Ask Him to reveal what He wants to understand through the art.
4. Contemplatio – Contemplate the image
a. Quietly examine the image again.
b. Note what God taught you.
c. Make a resolution based on what the Lord revealed.
For a bit of practice, we can practice with The Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple.
The Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple, Titian. 1534-38. Gallerie dell’ Accademia, Venice.
Begin with a prayer - either freely pray to the Lord or join in this prayer:
Lord, help me to be present to this image in which you had a hand in inspiring and creating. Thank you for the beauty that is in this world. You as the Creator of all that is true, good, and beautiful may I recognize you as the Creator of myself. Amen.
1. Visio – Spend a few minutes sitting with the image
a. What stands out to me?
b. What is happening?
c. How do I feel?
2. Meditatio – Meditate on the image
"In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.
And Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her."
Luke 1: 26-31,38
a. If there is a scripture passage that connects with the image, read that.
b. If any questions come up, ponder them.
3. Oratio – Pray with the image
Why do you think Mary's presentation is important?
How does Mary's presentation in the temple compare to Jesus'?
How did Mary's preparation and time in the temple prepare her for becoming the Mother of God?
a. Dialogue with God about what you see in the image and what you think.
b. Ask Him to reveal what He wants to understand through the art.
4. Contemplatio – Contemplate the image
a. Quietly examine the image again.
b. Note what God taught you.
c. Make a resolution based on what the Lord revealed.
The beauty of visio divina is that you can do this anywhere that there is artwork - in your home, at your parish, in a museum, or even when you have a bit of time to gaze at a piece on your phone! There is beautiful art everywhere and God continually wants to meet us where we are at. Even if it is only 5 minutes of contemplation and we only go through one or two of the steps we will continue to notice His beauty, truth and goodness all around us.
Let us pray -
Lord, thank you for the gift of beauty. Your truth and goodness radiates in what is beautiful. May I myself hold your truth and goodness within me so I may too be as beautiful as you. Creator of all, thank you for sacred art. You are the everlasting muse of the genius artists that show what is beautiful. Help me to dive deeper into the works inspired by your magnificence. Draw me closer to yourself through the sacred art that surrounds me.
Amen.
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