How a Contemplative Spiritual Practice Enhances the Celebration of a Sacred Season
By Sue Reeve, Sherpa Assistant Communications Director
Contemplative Prayer and “Divine Seeing:”
Contemplative Prayer is one type of prayer in which the pray-er opens her or his mind and spirit to the presence of God. While words are highly important in our prayers—expressions of praise, worship, thanksgiving, and petitions—sometimes, it does one’s soul good to simply “BE” with God in silent contemplation and meditation.
Today, I introduce a contemplative practice that will be familiar to some and foreign to others. I was introduced to Visio Divina, a Latin phrase meaning “divine seeing,” in my Sherpa spiritual direction training. For some reason, I was slow to adopt this practice but increasingly have warmed up to its sacred value as part of my prayer regimen.
In this contemplative practice, the Divine Spirit can be awakened in our soul as we gaze at a work of art or a picture, noticing prayerfully its many aspects. In your meditation, do you sense God is speaking or drawing your attention to a particular realization or calling?
Enhancing Advent With Visio Divina:
Visio Divina has seemed particularly meaningful the past few weeks as I’ve been preparing for the season of Advent. In this post, I will use one of Ron, my husband’s photos with a scripture and brief devotional for each week of Advent focusing upon the themes: HOPE, PEACE, JOY, and LOVE.
Week One (November 30-December 6): HOPE:
Sunrise Over Jerusalem
“ Be strong and take heart,
all you who hope in the Lord!” Psalm 31:24 (NIV)
Advent is a period of waiting. Unfortunately, waiting is often filled with frustration. Waiting means uncertainty and lack of control, a time when life can seem unfair, and focus feels futile.
While waiting, HOPE is essential.
For some 700 years, the peoples of Israel hoped for a coming Messiah who would make life better for them. His advent (coming) was prophesized hundreds of times in their Scriptures. Philip Brooks, in the Christmas hymn “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” captured the longing of the people in this line, “the hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.”
Although perhaps not 700 years, oftentimes, life requires us to wait.
My friend and former pastor, Terry Gurno, has been in a prolonged season of waiting due to serious health issues. During this time, HOPE has not only kept Terry going, but he has encouraged and inspired many others to hang on to what he calls “Unyielding HOPE.” (https://www.terrygurno.com/influence-who-we-are)
Terry explains what this waiting season has taught him. “HOPE is something deep. Something that hits us in the soul. It ignites or reignites something within. There’s an energy to hope, immediate, positive, contagious.”
Week Two (December 7-13): PEACE:
“Be Still” and Find Peace
Jesus: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. John 14:27 (ESV)
In the Introduction to her Advent devotional, Let the Weary World Rejoice! Gail Johnsen, D.Min., says, “The Advent season serves as an intentional time of attuning our hearts, in the busyness of our days, to recognize all the unexpected ways Jesus still comes to us. In a world of distractions, we may miss His coming all together if we don’t give intentional practice to paying attention.”
The hectic holiday season in the United States, which runs from Thanksgiving through New Years, often robs our PEACE. Finding PEACE amidst the frenzy can be challenging.
Last year, one of my spiritual directees, came to our time together with an unpeaceful heart. She explained. “My family is dysfunctional all year long, but during Christmas, it becomes toxic! How does the Lord want to help me deal with this?” We sat with Jesus concerning this matter, and I asked this special young woman if she had ever set aside time to contemplate Jesus during the season of Advent. I suggested a devotional which had been meaningful to me—Making Room in Advent – 25 devotions for a Season of Wonder by Bette Dickinson.
My directee purchased the book, meditated on each devotional, and reported back to me in January that this spiritual practice had changed not only her heart but also the trajectory of Christmas with her family. How we rejoiced in the PEACE Jesus, the incarnate God, brought into this situation!
The prophet Isaiah foretold PEACE the promised Messiah would bring:
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of PEACE. Isaiah 9:6 (ESV)
The night of Jesus’ birth, the angels declared PEACE:
“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth PEACE among those with whom he is pleased!” Luke 2:14 (ESV)
Shortly before returning to his heavenly home, Jesus promised a legacy of PEACE:
PEACE I leave with you; my PEACE I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. John 14:27 (ESV)
Week 3 (December 14-20): JOY:
With a bit of imagination, I fancy even the majestic eagle sings for joy!
… the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great JOY that will be for all the people.” (Luke 2:10 ESV)
The word “JOY” appears on several decorative items in our home during the season of Advent. As I considered this, I wondered if it’s because I oftentimes struggle with feeling JOY when life isn’t easy.
Feeling joyful during challenging circumstances seems contrary to common sense.
For me, dark days of winter trigger melancholy, and JOY doesn’t occur organically. When my body hurts because of chronic pain issues, JOY isn’t my first response. JOY feels illogical when relational discord rears its ugly head or when I helplessly watch loved ones who are hurting. JOY is obscured when I experience loss or grief or when I hear hateful rhetoric or watch terrifying or tragic news stories.
Henri Nouwen, a Dutch priest, writer, and theologian said,
“Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and
keep choosing it every day.”
Philippians is a Bible book to which I often return. When Paul wrote this letter to his friends in Phillipi, he languished in a Roman prison, facing an uncertain future. His circumstances were far from joyful. Yet, despite dire, difficult days, Paul kept choosing JOY. A couple of numbers give me a clue as to how he was able to do this. In his relatively short letter, Paul uses the words “JOY” or “REJOICE” an impressive 16 times, and he references JESUS more than a whopping 50 times!
How do I keep choosing JOY every day? I do so as Paul did by choosing JESUS over and over and over again.
In her excellent book, What if it’s Wonderful – Release Your Fears, Choose Joy, & Find the Courage to Celebrate by Nicole Zasowski, she says, “Joy is among the fruits of the Spirit we cannot manifest by our own efforts. It is the fruit of those who belong to Christ and have the Spirit of God inside them. (Galatians 5:22). It is our joy in [Jesus] that allows us to relish His gifts in our lives. Said differently, our earthly delight is rooted in the joy of [Jesus].” (p. 68)
This third week of Advent as we meditate on the coming of Immanuel, the week’s theme is JOY. Despite the long dark days leading to the coming winter solstice; my bodily aches and pains; and worrisome circumstances—most of which I cannot control—I will commit to choosing JOY in JESUS every single day.
… the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.” (Luke 2:10 ESV)
LOVE (December 21-24) & CHRIST (December 24):
“The Great Cross” in St. Augustine, Florida
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 (ESV)
How fitting that LOVE is the focus of the final week of Advent! The refrain of LOVE is played throughout the Christmas story, beginning with God, who is LOVE, who gave his only son whom He LOVED to a world so desperately in need of LOVE.
The angel announced to a young girl the seed of God’s LOVE would be implanted into her womb. Early on in her pregnancy, Mary’s soul magnified God’s LOVE, declaring, “…for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.”
Themes of LOVE abound in the dramatic telling of the Christmas story found in Luke 1:1-2:38 and Matthew 1:18-2:23. The playing out of God’s LOVE continues throughout the earthly life and ministry of Jesus.
In a few months, the Liturgical Calendar will remind us that the season of Lent has arrived with the major themes of Repentance, Prayer/Fasting, and Charitable Giving—all expressions of our ongoing LOVE for God, neighbors, and selves.
The culmination of God’s LOVE as we understand through Scripture may be found in the ultimate story of LOVE found in The Revelation where forever every theme of Advent will be fulfilled.
There will be no more waiting for HOPE.
We will experience no more conflict because PEACE will reign.
Our eternal reality will be JOY.
We will be in the continual presence of LOVE.
Advent concludes on Christmas Eve. That is when many light the final “CHRIST candle,” although some wait until Christmas morning to do so. The practice of celebrating the entire season of Advent certainly intensifies the meaning of the well-known phrase, “Jesus is the reason for the season.”
From all of us at Sherpa, we wish you HOPE, PEACE, JOY, & LOVE highlighted during this blessed liturgical Season of Advent!
Jan & Dr. Debbie Gill
Sue Reeve