The Way of Beauty

The Distribution of the Holy Sacrament (La Disputa)

THEME: The nature of God

FOCUS OF THE MEDITATION: God is the beginning and the end and holds all things in his providential and loving embrace. We desire to acknowledge, honor, and rest in God's life and authority.

The Distribution of the Holy Sacrament

Raphael Sanzio

Room of the Signature, Raphael Rooms

Circa 1508

"Regard how God holds the sphere of the world in this pairing, how it rests secure."

Notice how Rapael depicts the "Triune God as an eternal relationship of love, a divine family where the Father is over all and in all. The Son is sent from the Father into the world through the Virgin Mary who adores him among the hosts in this fresco…. The Holy Spirit is represented here as the dove, the peacemaker and Sanctifier who leads us into all truth."

SCRIPTURE MEDITATION

Genesis 1:1-2

In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth—

and the earth was without form or shape, with darkness over the abyss and 

a mighty wind sweeping over the waters —

John 1:1-5

In the beginning was the Word,

and the Word was with God,

and the Word was God.

He was in the beginning with God.

All things came to be through him,

and without him nothing came to be.

What came to be

through him was life,

and this life was the light of the human race;

the light shines in darkness,

and the darkness has not overcome it.

PRAYER AND REFLECTION

"How do you relate to the Blessed Trinity? COnsider the role of each person—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—in your daily life and thank God for their eternal love.

The comments above are taken from Meditations on Vatican Art by Fr. Mark Haydu. To truly enter into this Visio Divina, I suggest purchasing the book as each masterpiece comes with a complete description, prayer and reflection, and spiritual exercise.