Sr. Cinthya Velasco

The Virgin Adoring the Host by Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres, 1852. In The Virgin Adoring the Host, Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres places Saint Helena to the left of Mary and King Louis IX to the right. Tradition holds that Saint Helena, the mother of the emperor Constantine, discovered the True Cross and the nails of the Crucifixion, and later prompted her son to build basilicas throughout the Holy Land. King Louis IX was similarly known for his piety and devotion. He commissioned the...

The Supper at Emmaus by Matthias Stom; ca. 1633-1639 Doubt, division, and distortion are among the various words often used to describe the journey of the two disciples whom Jesus met as they were on their way to Emmaus. In the Gospel of Luke, we read that the two were conversing and debating. Doubt often brings about a sense of division. At times, doubt creates an internal division between our mind and heart. The internal division we experience can further cause external division and...

The Holy Family at Table, 17th century, made in Spain While the painting of the Holy Family at Table is a vivid representation of the importance of the family as the basic cell of society, here, we also receive a profound invitation: to heal our family wounds, which shed light on our identity. Jesus, who sits at the center, invites us to enter into the brokenness of our family. A subtle detail reveals this invitation: the uncovered bread placed before Jesus. While the loaves before Mary and...