Namely: Paintings, Holy Pictures, Icons Carvings and Statues of Christ his Blessed Mother

Fr. P. Ribes, s.j.

Reverently looking, with love and faith, at Sacred images has sort of sacramental value. With God's grace, contemplating sacred images we can perceive and even assimilate something of the spiritual, and transcendent nature of the things they represent.

In times past, when most of the common folks were illiterate, sacred images taught them the Word of God and made them feel his presence.

The Medieval Cathedrals, not for nothing, were called "Bibles in Stone." Simple peasants by staring at those Sacred images - paintings, stain glasses, carvings and statues - and by praying with them and to them, acquired not only a basic knowledge of our faith, but also, a spiritual depth likely more genuine than ours, we, children of XXI century, flooded as we are with so much printed material and mass media.

Using this method of praying with Sacred images we attempt to experience in our days, what the pious simple folks of former times, experienced in their prayer life.

Procedure:
1. Choose a picture or icon or carving or statue of Our Lord or of His Blessed Mother, those appeals to you. (For the exercise we have chosen an image of Jesus)

2. Quiet down. Some relaxation exercises may help.

3. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you to grow in the love of Jesus.

4. Open your eyes wide, and in silence keep staring at the image of Jesus, for some while.

5. Pay attention to all details. See what strikes you most in it. Do not be in a hurry. Take your time. Do not pray yet. Allow the image contemplated to be imprinted in your mind.

6. Next, close your eyes. Try to see the image now, as accurately as possible, not with your bodily eyes, but in your mind through fantasy and imagination.

7. Alternatively, open your eyes and look at Jesus. Then close your eyes and contemplate the same image already duplicated in your mind.

8. Finally, while staring at Jesus' picture, with open or closed eyes, begin talking to Jesus. Tell Him what you like most in Him. Tell Him how much you love Him.

9. Then, tell Jesus how much you wish to be like Him. Beg from him to make you more like Him.

10. Tell Him which are the things you would like to do to become like Him, what are your sins and wrong doings, that take you away from Him, what your problems are, etc.

11. Keep talking with him. Pray to give you courage to struggle to do whatever He wants you to do.

12. At this moment be aware of your feelings. (How do you feel while conversing with Him? Being close to Him? Happy? Sad? Sorry? Hopeful? Etc.)

13. Stay with your feelings for a while. Do not be in a hurry.

14. Now, stop using words to communicate with Jesus. Open the ears of your mind and of your heart, open yourself totally to Him. Listen to what Jesus is telling you. Remain silent for some time, while you keep staring at His image. Just keep listening.

15. Next, try to pray and speak to Jesus, with your entire person : body, mind and soul, with your tongue, with your heart, even with you body. (express your feelings towards Jesus with gestures and postures: you may kneel down, bow down, raise your hands, sigh, cry or laugh, sing, hum, etc. ..) Force your entire person to pray to the Lord - let your mind, heart and body talk to Jesus.

16. End you prayer with one "Our Father" and hymn to Jesus.

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