Articles By: Juliet Benner

“Mary . . . was listening to the Lord’s word, seated at His feet.” (Luke 10:39, NASB)

In its broadest sense, contemplative prayer is being open to the beauty and power of God- basking in his presence and enjoying his company. No words or thoughts are necessary. It is simply allowing oneself to be totally captivated by God and resting in him.

If contemplative prayer is understood in this way, I would have to say I have been a contemplative for most of my life. Thanks to the cultural and familial tradition in which I grew up, I learned early on that I lived in a world that was saturated with the presence of God. As a young child, I was keenly aware that I was with God and God was with me, and the joy of being present to the God who was Presence to me has been the subtext of my life. 

God’s grace comes to us by a variety of means. The church has long taught that the sacraments (baptism and the Eucharist), Scriptures, and preaching are means by which we experience

God’s grace. But this list could also be expanded to include the arts, the imagination, nature, friendships, and much more—anything that makes God’s presence a reality to us. Any gifts that reveal God’s truth, beauty, and presence become means of grace.

Not much is known of the artist Duccio di Buoninsegna (1255–1319), but his art marked important changes in the painting styles of the period in which he lived. His work brought life, humanity, and new levels of expressiveness to the Byzantine style. Until then, Christian art had been static and austere. Duccio introduced a gentleness of style: draped fabric becoming less angular and rigid, more soft and flowing. Another new element was the way he enclosed his figures within an architectural interior, integrating them into his narrative more effectively than ever before. Washing of the Feet is a small part of a massive altarpiece that Duccio created for the cathedral of Siena, Italy. Called the Maesta, this celebrated masterpiece was painted on both sides. It was six-and-a-half feet tall and six-and-a-half feet long. Its numerous panels portrayed the story of salvation, beginning with the Annunciation, through the birth, life, works, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Twenty-six scenes depict the Passion of Christ in the center of the back of the altarpiece. In Washing of the Feet, the artist presents Jesus in his last communal act with his disciples before his betrayal.

How often do we find ourselves rushing through our busy lives without even a glance toward God, without noticing that he is right in the middle of it? Sometimes we have no trouble at all seeing God in our lives—times of blessing, order, peace, joy. But it is usually much harder when life becomes disordered or troubled or when we are at our wits’ end. We may then cry out to God, asking where he is. We may feel abandoned by God. It is very hard to discern God’s presence in our lives, sometimes even to believe it. Yet Scripture assures us God will never leave us nor forsake us and loves us with such a fierce love, nothing can separate us from the God behind that love.

The spiritual journey is a journey we are meant to make with others. The experience of God cries out within us to be shared, and doing so with wise, trusted companions is an important part of the way in which we learn to attend to the movement of the Spirit in daily life. This is the essence of spiritual direction. Here we share our experience of God and learn to discern the action of God in our lives by focusing on the Mystery that connects us to each other and to God.

My first retreat involved going by myself to a Canadian alpine ski lodge in the middle of summer. The setting was wonderful, with lots of hiking trails, and because it was off season, there were very few people around, skiers or otherwise. I simply went away for a week of solitude with my Bible, my journal, and a couple of books that I thought I might read. The experience was remarkable and very important, and its impact on my life included moving me toward training in spiritual direction and the work I now do as a retreat leader.

Spiritual retreats can and do take many different forms. Some are directed (involving daily meetings with a spiritual director), while others are not. Some are solitary, while others are with a group. Some are conducted in silence, while others allow for conversation. Some involve going to a retreat center or monastery, while others happen in a log cabin in the forest, a hotel room, or even a back yard.

For many years Juliet Benner chose the beautiful art that graced the covers of Conversations and wrote the “O Taste and See” reflections that appear in these pages. As we reflect on the body in this issue, it is appropriate to consider our physical sense of vision and how the soul is moved by art. In this interview, Juliet discusses her new book Contemplative Vision and how art can stimulate our prayer.

The Christian spiritual journey is a response to God’s invitation to allow grace to transform us. Following the way of Christ, we live the Christian mystery and increasingly reflect the image of God. In his book Surrender to Love, David Benner describes the beginning of this journey as “an encounter with the living God. This encounter may be gradual or it may be sudden. But it will always involve a turning and an awakening.” The Bible records many
conversions or awakenings where God is met in a spectacular way. Generally, however, most involve a non-dramatic first encounter and recurring acts of returning.

Turning toward God suggests that God is the one who has made the first move. It is God who always takes the initiative—who first notices us, lays eyes of love on us, calls us by name, and invites us to join in the unitive fellowship of the Trinity. Our response to this invitation will be but a first step on a lifelong transformational journey of awakening and coming to know God experientially. It is journey of becoming our true self-in-Christ—a journey toward union with God.

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