The Chartres Labyrinth and Mary (3)

Walking with friends through life helps to ground me. Being able to share what God is doing in our lives is a source of deep peace and encouragement.

 

My prayer

For the friends You have given me, I thank You. May I be a true friend to them, encouraging them to follow You.

Biblical touchstones

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 leaped 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 leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.” Luke 1:39-45

Invitation to prayer

Think of a friend that needs encouragement to do what God is asking. Close your eyes and imagine putting your arm around their shoulder. What prayers are emerging in your heart, mind, body, and imagination? Pray them now.

Photo

The Visitation: Mary and her cousin Elizabeth greeting each other. Lower panels of the thirteenth century stained glass window in the East at the Chartres Cathedral in France. This image is visible from the entrance to the labyrinth and on the four straight paths that lead toward the center. It is the directly in front of a walker as s/he enters the center.

The labyrinth in the Chartres Cathedral. Unfortunately, due to restorations it will not be open for walking again until the fall of 2016.

Related Posts:

The apsidal image of Mary as a throne for Jesus who is sitting on her lap blessing.
The Annunciation of Jesus’ birth to Mary in the East Central window (above the choir).