“Visio
Divina” or Divine Seeing, or Seeing the Word - is much like the prayer form, “Lectio
Divina” or Divine Reading, or Praying the Word.
Only here I pay attention to what I see, how God is revealing God’s self
to me through the sights, things, art works, people around me. These are some examples that come to mind:
Right now
the fall foliage is breathtakingly beautiful. How can we help seeing God’s
beauty, and stand or sit in awe and wonder at what God has done and does
seasonally in this climate. Praise God!
Take time to notice, allow it to fill you, feel the love and warmth of God’s
unconditional live. Such a variety of
trees; Ginko, Maple, Oak, Sycamore, Sweet Gum, Moses Bushes displaying their
leaves in all shades of yellows, oranges, rusts, reds, browns and even blacks,
all shades of the flames of Spirit fire, consuming the leaves as they ready for
the death of winter, and anticipate the resurrection of spring. This is a symbol of the Paschal Mystery. Every tree, every leaf is special, as we are
each unique and special to God.
One of our
Oblates just shared with me another experience of “Visio Divina” using the illuminations
from the new St. John’s Bible. Each of
the three sessions of the workshop she is attending is centering around one of
the illuminations. The first was from
the Creation Story from the Book of Genesis that the artist, Donald Jackson,
depicted so creatively. The group
listened to the scripture text and allowed the word to dwell within them. Then gazing on the Creation illumination in
seven panels asked God to open the eyes of their hearts and enable them to see
what God wanted them to see. Finally
they prayed for inner transformation for themselves and each other. Laura was amazed and moved by this prayerful
experience, and called me to share. She
was eagerly waiting the next two sessions.
This brought
to mind our community retreat a few years ago, when Sr. Irene Nowell, OSB, used
many of the illuminations from the St. John’s Bible in much the same way,
projecting them on the chapel way, where we were overwhelmed by their beauty
and power. I was profoundly moved by
this experience, and realized that this is what the committee behind the Bible
did to come up with these powerful illuminations of the Word of God. It was
truly “Divine Seeing”.
I believe
that Julian of Norwich must have prayed in this way as she allowed the hazel
nut in her hand to speak to her of the God who made it, who loves it, and who
preserves it. From her “Revelations” she
shared that she saw in it that “God is the creator and the protector and the
lover. And that we are not fully at ease
because we seek rest in things that are so little. We must come to recognize our God, who is all
powerful, all wise, all good - who is our true rest.”
Let us open
our eyes and as well as our hearts to what God has set before us in so many
ways night and day. Sr. Mary Tewes, OSB
Reflecting on Thanksgiving of course brings me to how
grateful I am living in this country. Despite its problems it has provided a rather soft life and since I am a
wimp I feel terribly blessed as I am sure many others do as well. i cannot imagine living anywhere else.
