Portraits of Our Lady - Invitation

The text "Portraits of Our Lady" presents a deep and poetic invitation for Christians to be inspired by the life of the Virgin Mary, seeking to imitate her spiritual and moral virtues. Through a comparison with the art of portraiture, the author suggests that just as we preserve images of our earthly mothers, we should also seek to know and reflect the image of the Heavenly Mother, Mary, in our lives.

Throughout the reflection, the author emphasizes that the portrait of Mary we should seek is not idealized or distant but real and accessible, drawn from theology and history. He invites us to imagine Mary not in palaces or surrounded by luxuries, but living her simple and pious life in Palestine, where her acts and choices were filled with meaning and holiness.

The invitation goes beyond mere passive contemplation: the author urges the reader to become a "living portrait" of Mary, copying her virtues, attitudes, and purity. Throughout life, like a sculptor gradually perfecting a work of art, we must shape our souls to become closer to the image of Mary.

The comparison with great painters like Murillo and Juan de Juanes reinforces the importance of meditation, prayer, and the continuous pursuit of perfection to capture, even imperfectly, the beauty and purity of the Mother of God. The ultimate intention is that, like Mary, we may present ourselves to God as a "perfect portrait" of virtues and holiness, reproducing in our lives the qualities of the Virgin Mary's soul.

The text concludes with the offer of a "little book," a collection of spiritual portraits that, through contemplation and meditation, will allow the reader to deepen their resemblance to the Blessed Virgin.