My spiritual practice for Lent 2026 presented itself in the middle of a conversation when a friend described an intriguing group offered online by her church via Zoom. Art and Bible Study was the focus. Wanting more information, I emailed the person in charge of the group. I learned that the group met for 90 minutes toward the end of the week to study the upcoming Sunday Scripture readings through the lens of art. “Sounds kind of like Visio Divina,” I thought. So, I decided to participate.
To make sure we’re on the same page, I understand Visio Divina as “sacred seeing.” Visio applies the rhythms of Lectio Divina, but to an image, as opposed to a written text. Our prayer is one of “gazing.” With the eyes of the heart, we gaze upon the image, but not with a hard stare. Instead, our gaze is soft by which, we receive what the image reveals to us.
The Art and Bible Study group deliberately chose the Zoom format because it allowed each participant to see the images clearly and from close range, whereby small details would not be lost and thus the image could speak itself fully to those gazing upon it. I learned that the group had developed its structure over three years with some participants being with it from the beginning. The session unfolded this way:
The group began by reading the Sunday Scripture readings. The leader for the session had carefully selected a number of images for each of the Scripture readings. The images can range from architecture, paintings and frescoes, sculpture, icons and votive images, and decorative/applied arts (functional items for worship, mosaics, stained glass windows, metalwork [chalices], tapestries, vestments and illuminated manuscripts). We began with the story of Abram and Sarai (Gen 12) where they answer God’s call, leave their homeland and move to a different country. The leader had chosen a Jacopo Bassano painting of the moment of Abram and Sarai’s leaving in all its busyness — flocks of sheep, servants, wagons loaded with possessions, the important people riding donkeys. We sat and gazed upon the image. Individuals made comments, asked questions such as, “What is God pointing to? Who are the figures on the horizon? Why do all the figures have their backs to us?” In answer to the last question someone suggested, “Perhaps we are meant to be a part of the leaving too, traveling with the company to the new country.” And that led to discussion of the reading itself: Is God calling us to make a great change in the direction of our lives? What is God’s invitation in this moment? Suddenly, the familiar story of Abram and Sarai’s leaving was alive and had become personal. And so, the process went as we worked with the other Sunday readings and images.
As I said at the beginning, this was kind of like Visio Divina but with (at least to me) new wrinkles. There was definitely the contemplative gazing on the images but with the comments and questions from other participants there was also a sense of activity, especially when the contemplative gazing opened up the Sunday Scriptures. A mixture of Visio (gazing/receiving) and Lectio (chewing) as it were! Listening in church on Sunday to the Scriptures was definitely different.
My experience with the group certainly jolted my experience of Visio Divina. Praying with images linked to the Sunday readings has been nourishing and enriching throughout this Lent, an experience of being drawn into the season.
Martin Warren, OblSB
