Praying with icons
God is revealed not only by words to the ears but by images to the eyes aswell. Christ is not just the word (logos) of God but also the 'image' (eikon) of the unseen God. From there we receive the word 'icon' derived from the Greek. An icon is not a painting in the sense we normally regard pieces of art, although it is an image that is painted. An icon is a window into the divine whilst living everyday life and uniting it to the realm of God. Every brushstroke leaves an imprint which is the fruit of centuries of prayer. Icons are religious images that hover between two worlds, putting into colours and shapes what cannot be grasped by the intellect. They render the invisible visible.To the Christian, an icon is a constant reminder of God's presence in his church, his home and in his life.
You gaze on the icon, but it gazes on you too. When you are looking at someone you love, and they are looking at you, there is a lot that is communicated that cannot be put in words. We need to gaze truly conversational, truly loving images…images that will return our love. Father William Hart McNichols, icon writer
Here is a short reflection on Vladimir's 'Virgin
of Tenderness'.
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