Art Reveal with a Twist: Part 2
Her name was Beatrice.
She looked to be about ten years old.
Never have I ever personally met another person named Beatrice…The name seems solely reserved for characters from 19th century classic novels I read! But here was a Beatrice standing in front of me.
Again, I experienced complete clarity that this was, without a doubt, the name of the saint the Holy Spirit wished for me to sketch. (I stress this word clarity, because “indecisive” should have been my middle name from birth….)
Here I was, concerned that I would miss the Holy Spirit’s promptings due to the season of life I was in.
And here was God, yet again, meeting me exactly where I was…
At a grocery store parking lot.
Performing my duties as a mother, uttering half-spoken prayers within the extremely thin margins of my day.
I like to think of how Matthew was performing his duties as a tax collector when Jesus met him exactly where he was at.
Or how Simon Peter, James, and John where fishing, when Jesus met them.
Paul was literally just walking along when Jesus met him in true “lightning bolt” fashion.
What’s more? When I looked at the mother of these four children, holding her toddler, I just couldn’t help but see Our Blessed Mother with the Child Jesus. Another powerful reminder of Our Blessed Mother’s intercession. Here I was struggling to meet any of the three Person's of the Holy Trinity in prayer. And here was Mary, seeing my need, and bringing her Son directly to me. Remember…Mary always directs our gaze to Jesus.
So, if you are like me…seeking an answer to a question, but not entirely trusting yourself to listen. Keep asking. Keep seeking. Perform the duties God has set before you. And trust that He will meet you exactly where you are if you but keep seeking.
“Ask and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For every one who asks receives, and he who seeks, finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!”
And now…on to the art reveal!
Meet Beatrice de Silva, founder of the Order of the Immaculate Conception and patron saint of prisoners!
Beatrice was born into a noble family in Portugal in the year 1424. She was known not only for her beauty, but also her virtues. Her cousin, Queen Isabel felt threatened by the high esteem in which other’s held Beatrice, and sought to kill her by locking her in a trunk.
It was here that Beatrice’s story begins…As she lay within that trunk, slowly suffocating, Beatrice had a vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary, telling her that she would one day form a religious order named after her Immaculate Conception.
By some miracle, Beatrice lived three days within this trunk before being rescued by an uncle. Though the Queen repented, Beatrice naturally did not wish to stay anywhere near her cousin, and sought refuge in a Cistercian convent, where she lived, prayed, and worked while patiently waiting for the Blessed Virgin’s promise to be fulfilled.
Take note: from here until shortly before her death, Beatrice chose to completely veil her face….this is important and you’ll see why.
Beatrice had to wait nearly 30 years before responding to this call to form the Order of the Immaculate Conception. Imagine Our Lady asking you to do something…and you… waiting with absolutely zero timeline!
What’s more? Once Beatrice was finally able to start this Order, she had to wait yet again to receive the official papal approval from Rome.
Unfortunately…the ship which was said to have been carrying this official document was lost at sea, and with it the formal approval. But, of course, God always finds a way. And the document ended up at her monastery through the hands of an angelic stranger.
Beatrice lived less than one month after receiving the papal approval. On her death bad, the veil which covered her face was finally lifted so Beatrice could receive the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick. Onlookers were astonished to see a bright star shining upon her forehead.
So what about the symbols/clues in last week’s story?
Crozier: Here’s a clue in case I ever do another “guess who” art reveal. Most of the time when female saints are holding a crozier, it means that they were also founders of religious orders.
Lilies: Remember, Mary requested that the new order would be named after her Immaculate Conception. Next to roses, white lilies are often symbolic of Mary and her purity. Church dogma surrounding the Immaculate Conception states that Mary was conceived without the stain of original sin.
The scroll: Saint Beatrice is often held holding that bull of approval which miraculously appeared on the doorstep of her monastery!
Star on her forehead: This clue seemed to trip a lot of people up in last week’s story! More often than not, Our Lady is shown with a star on her forehead in iconography. And even Saint Dominic is sometimes shown with a star. Most people interpret this as a saint who received exemplary graces, which in turn, allowed them to be a light to others.
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