family prayer | Joyful Mysteries | pray the rosary | Praying with images
Beauty lifts the soul to God. There is something simply transformative and profound about seeing a grand vista, or an intricate work of art. It’s hard to put into words, but these things have an innate quality that makes people think and feel. A majestic view of a waterfall will often make someone stop and wonder at creation. A detailed painting evokes feelings of wonder and awe as we imagine the painstaking effort a skilled artist put into creating it. Beauty reminds us of God’s magnificence and the care and effort He put into the world around us.
In addition to stirring up these deep feelings, art can also communicate an idea or a story. That is why art was used to convey messages, especially in matters of faith, when literacy was not as prevalent. Hence the vast collection of religious art!
Since the early days of the Church, Christians have used art and images to share the Good News and tell Christ’s story. Frescoes, paintings, and other traditional art forms were the most common and notable examples from the early Church. Over time, artists experimented with different styles and mediums, and new art forms emerged.
Colored glass in windows has been used in churches since the early days of the Faith, but it wasn’t until the monumental Gothic works of the 11th and 12th centuries that the artform became a staple. These cathedrals were enormous works of stone and required a substantial amount of light to keep them from being gloomy caves of gray inside. To further brighten things up, they decorated them richly with beautiful stained glass rather than using simple translucent glass. These splendid works of art not only brought light to the cathedrals but bathed them in brilliant color; most importantly, they instructed the faithful in a simple, engaging, and, yes, beautiful way. These masterpieces, then and now, lift the soul to God.
These artworks catechized the faithful and served as a focus for prayer. People attending Mass or seeking a quiet place could meditate on them, learning about the Bible and bringing the Gospel to life! In light of this long-standing tradition, this series of Praying with Images (Visio Divina*) will use stained glass images to represent the Mysteries of the Rosary and reflections from Venerable Patrick Peyton. These images, like the stained glass of the cathedrals of old Europe, are intended to instruct us in certain truths about the faith and give us a reference point so we may meditate on the mysteries.
Venerable Patrick Peyton’s reflections, from the Father Peyton Rosary Prayer Book, will serve as a guide to your own meditations on the life of Christ.
*Visio Divina is a prayer practice in which one reflects on religious images or art to help develop or grow in a deeper understanding of faith. **Peyton, Patrick. Father Peyton’s Rosary Prayer Book. Ignatius Press, 2012.
To scroll through the images, click the small arrow at the bottom right of each photo.
The Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary
