Advent Week 4 Part 2: My Soul Magnifies the Lord!

Luke 1:39-55     In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leapt for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.’

And Mary said,
‘My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.
   Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
   and holy is his name.
His mercy is for those who fear him
   from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
   he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
   and lifted up the lowly;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
   and sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
   in remembrance of his mercy,
according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
   to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.’

Praying with an Icon:  Many of us have difficulty praying.  Our chaotic imagination races from one thought to another, and it can be hard to focus.  Praying with an Icon can help one overcome difficulties.  As a physical object, an icon invites us to pray with our eyes wide open, opening our mind and focusing our attention on images that point the way to God.   The icon has been called a window into the presence of God. Over time the icon seems to contemplate me as I contemplate it.  I believe this sense of being enveloped in the presence of God comes from the deep, deep prayer that the iconographer enters into in order to "write" the icon.

The Vladimir Mother of God is a beautiful depiction of Mary and the Christ Child.  If you had the physical icon you would begin your prayer by dimming the lights and lighting a candle so that the candle would illuminate the Icon.  You can use the picture here or follow the Vladimir link and it will take you to 2 online versions of the Icon.  You choose the one you prefer to pray with.

• Sit in a comfortable position and still your mind as you prepare to contemplate the nature of God.
• Gaze with complete attention on the Icon … if you pray daily with an icon, over time you will begin to "see" the depths of the icon as you uncover layers of symbolism that speaks to you deeply and powerfully of the unique way God has chosen to love you.
  
• Let God fill you with peace as you contemplate the One of Peace.

Breathe deeply as you end your time of prayer whenever you are peace-full ... Amen