"Lectio Divina" of our Chapel
Earlier this month, Sr. Rosemary, OP (a Dominican Sister of St. Cecilia) began giving a series of classes to some of our Sisters in formation. The topic? The Wellspring of Worship, Fr. Jean Corban’s classic work on the liturgy. This beautiful book is based on the image of the River of Life — that is, the love of the Holy Trinity — as it overflows into our world, particularly by means of the Church’s daily liturgy.
In the course of our discussions, Sister noted that our unique chapel design gives a powerful illustration of this image, and before long we were listing all sorts of elements in our chapel that corresponded with passages from Corbon’s book!
As a fruit of this discussion and further personal reflection, we present you with …
A “Lectio Divina” of St. Joseph’s Monastery Chapel
Water channel
“Then the angel showed me the river of life, rising from the throne of God and of the Lamb and flowing crystal-clear down the middle of the city street …” (Rev. 22:1)
Crosses framing the channel
“On either bank of the river were trees of life …” (Rev. 22:2)
Salvation history window
“From Abraham to Mary the Holy Spirit patiently prepares for the first part of the liturgy of the Word …” (Wellspring of Worship, pg.34)
(at left, images of Abraham near the bottom of the window - at right, images of Our Lady and the Annunciation at the top of the window)
Holy Water Font and Statue of Our Lady
“The mighty energy of the [Divine] gift that is offered finally encounters the other fountain that has been dug and purified through centuries of expectation, the fountain of acceptance, the Daughter of Zion, namely, Mary.” (Wellspring of Worship, pg. 37)
the water channel disappears beneath the altar
“Ezekiel, the prophet of the restoration, had foreseen that ‘in those days’ water would flow from beneath the temple (47:1). But its source is hidden.” (Wellspring of Worship, pg. 37)
image of the Holy Spirit above Our Lady
“Mary says ‘Yes,’ and the Spirit who united the Word and the Yes, divine energy and human energy, gift and acceptance, comes upon her … on this first, hidden Pentecost at Nazareth.” (Wellspring of Worship, pp. 37-38)
Baptism of Christ window
“When Jesus appears, the mystery of love that has taken human form in Him permeates the sign in which it expresses itself: the river of life, ‘kept hidden through all the ages,’ becomes one with the river Jordan.” (Wellspring of Worship, p. 38)
Crucifix
“The intention of [Christ’s] enemies is to ‘destroy the tree in its strength’ and ‘cut him off from the land of the living’ (Jer. 11:19), but what they in fact accomplish is to raise aloft the Tree of Life whose leaves will have power to heal them (Rev. 22:1).” (Wellspring of Worship, pg. 49)
Lamb of God window (in the cloistered part of the chapel, behind the tabernacle)
“Then I saw standing in the midst of the throne
and the four living creatures and the elders
A LAMB that seemed to have been slain ...
Worthy is the Lamb that was slain
to receive power and riches,
wisdom and strength,
honor and glory and blessing!”