Visio Divina on St. Joseph and the Holy Family
Extracted from Word Made Flesh 2021 by Les Miller
This booklet produced by Novalis for Advent and Christmas 2021 includes several Visio Divina meditations. I’ve extracted them here. Here’s an explanation of the themes from the introduction of the booklet:
[This booklet was written in the Year of St. Joseph (2020-2021)]. It is a year that has taken us through meditations on diverse questions: What does it mean to be family in a time of unusual social tribulation? How do we craft spiritual lives amid the shadows of fear, cynicism and despair? What does it mean to be a companion to holiness as Joseph was to Jesus, the Word made flesh, and Mary, his beloved spouse?
We know that Joseph was a carpenter; he would have used the saw, plane, and chisel carpenters still used today. These items would have been his toolbox as he moved from job to job. But what were his spiritual tools? What were the virtues, insights, and practices t employed by this holy man? While some we can find in the scriptural stories, such as his compassion for Mary, his openness to God in his dreams, and his courage in leading the Holy Family beyond Herod’s hostility, others we must surmise.
Living with Jesus and Mary would certainly have taught Joseph a deeper wisdom. Using the metaphor of Joseph’s toolbox let us discern those spiritual tools Joseph employed and how we can incorporate these tools into our own lives.
Alternative versions of some Visio Divina were offered, that is why you’ll find some passages sounding familiar! See also the part of this website dedicated to Visio Divina.
Gerrit van Honthurst The Childhood of Christ
The first act of spirituality is attentiveness. Attend to one’s work! Attend to our families! Attend to the goodness, truth and beauty that shines on us!
In our first Visio Divina, gaze at Gerrit van Honthorst The Childhood of Christ where Joseph, the carpenter, employs his skills illumined by Christ’s light. What do you notice? What do you feel? Look at Joseph, how are you like him? What spiritual tools do you use to remain in the light of Christ? How else does Christ’s light shine on your life? Pray in contemplation over this image. How has this encounter helped you on your journey? Offer a prayer of thanks for the insights from this meditation.
Lord, may we follow the way of St. Joseph in becoming more attentive to your presence.
Luca Giordano The Dream of St. Joseph
The first act of spirituality is to wake up! Wake up to the path of holiness. Wake up to the goodness, truth and beauty that surrounds us and flows through us. Joseph, the dreamer, woke up from his dreams to a new world where he attended to God’s will.
Gaze at Luca Giordano’s The Dream of St. Joseph. What do you notice? What do you feel? Look at Joseph, how are you like him? What are the forces in your life that keep you asleep? What do you need to awaken to in your life? Who are the angels (messengers of God) in your life? What are they saying to you? Pray in contemplation over this image. How has this encounter helped you on your journey?
Offer a prayer of thanks for the insights from this meditation. If you keep a journal, record these insights.
Lord, may we follow the way of St. Joseph in becoming more attentive to your presence.
John Everett Millais – Christ in the House of His Parents (`The Carpenter’s Shop’)
In this Visio Divina, contemplate John Everett Millais’ Christ in the House of His Parents. This imaginative scene is not found in the Gospels, yet it’s full of meaning, illustrating the ways in which the Holy Family prepares for the ministry of Jesus.
As you gaze at it, what do you notice? What do you feel? A red-haired Jesus has wounded his hand on a nail, a foreshadowing of the crucifixion. Mary consoles him and St. Anne removes the offending nail. John brings a basin of water, showing how he will prepare for the coming of Jesus by baptizing. They are all preaching without words in these acts of caring.
Pray in contemplation over this image. How has this encounter helped you on your journey? Offer a prayer of thanks for the insights from this meditation.
Loving God, bless our families now and always.
Guido Reni, St. Joseph and the Infant Jesus
Or
Guido Reni, St. Joseph and the Christ Child
Joy comes to us in many forms: in happiness, peace and in the case of our art for Visio Divina, adoration. Contemplate Guido Reni’s, St. Joseph with the Infant Jesus or St. Joseph and the Christ Child.
What do you see? feel? Reni was part of the Church’s Counter-Reformation mission to teach through beautiful art. Look at the mutual gaze of St. Joseph and Jesus. The sense of joy and affection is amplified by Jesus playing with Joseph’s beard. In his other hand Jesus holds a bouquet of beautiful flowers.
Pray in contemplation and adoration over this image. How has this Visio Divina helped your Advent journey? Offer a prayer of thanks for the insights from this meditation.
Dear Jesus, may your loving gaze fall on us in adoration, teaching us to return that joy in our own contemplation.
Domenico Ghirlandaio Adoration of the Shepherds
Contemplate Domenico Ghirlandaio’s Adoration of the Shepherds. What do you see? feel? We see the shepherds on the right and the magi and their entourage framing the holy family.
Look at the contrasting gaze of Mary and Joseph. Mary gazes in adoration at the Christ child lying on her cloak in front of a manger fashioned from a tomb that foreshadows the death of Jesus. Joseph’s gaze is focussed on the outside world and the gift-bearing magi as well as the trouble that is coming their way. The shepherds’ presence is their gift as they gaze in wonder on this scene.
These figures are all gift-bearers. What gifts do we bring? Pray over this image thanking God for insights that this Visio Divina has brought.
Gracious God, accept our humble gifts of love and service.
Caravaggio, Rest on the Flight to Egypt
The Holy Family become refugees fleeing Herod’s forces. Our Visio Divina is this work by Caravaggio where he imagines the Holy Family resting on the journey to Egypt.
What details stand out for you? How does it make you feel? Caravaggio has an angel playing music to soothe the sleeping Jesus and weary Mary. Joseph, ever the servant, holds the sheet music. Look at the faces of the Holy Family, how do they express your feelings? What do you think is going through their hearts? This is a meeting of the heavenly and the everyday. Where do you encounter the sacred in your everyday life?
Pray quietly over this scene, imagining yourself there. What insights about this visio divina do you want to remember?
God of comfort, watch over our resting. Open our ears to the song of angels guiding our days.
Rest on the Flight to Egypt: Luc-Olivier Merson
The Holy Family become refugees fleeing Herod’s forces. Our Visio Divina is this work by Merson where he imagines the Holy Family resting after their journey to Egypt. What details stand out for you? How does it make you feel? Merson has Mary and Jesus wrapped in a halo of light resting on the Sphinx who is gazing up to the heavens. An exhausted Joseph lies below them guarding the fire.
The Holy Family is in exile as many of us have been in exile from our churches during the pandemic. Look at the Holy Family, how do they express your feelings after a trying year? What do you think is going through their hearts? This is a meeting of the heavenly (Skies, Sphinx, Mary and Jesus) the everyday (fire, mule, exhausted Joseph). Where do you encounter the sacred in your everyday life?
Pray quietly over this scene, imagining yourself there. What insights about this visio divina do you want to remember?
God of comfort, watch over our resting. Open our ears to the song of angels guiding our days.
Join me in a series of Visio Divina on the last Sunday of the month at 7:30pm. Register here for our next Session on May 28 on the Art of Pentecost.
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