The Dominican Monastery of San Marco was truly blessed by the presence as a worker guest within it, Beato Fra Angelico whose own monastery is nestled beneath the citadel of Fiesole . He painted for the friars' cells scenes for contemplation, sacred conversations, where a Dominican nun or monk kneel in prayer and wonder at the feet of the Annunciation, the Crucifixion. One walks past these cells so filled with prayer in silence and joy. Christ bearers, Christophers and Marys, with God's presence in us, in whose image we are made. Angelico's brother monks at San Marco and to link these words with that Internet booklet in this fathering, and mothering, this Portfolio of Julian's Library of Contemplation.
Prayer is best as Praise, even as Jubilation.
At times, silence in best, at others song, even dance. Augustine's conversion involved a singing child, ' Tolle, lege, tolle, lege ', and also his vision of Christ was as a child playing with the sea. Luca della Robbia fashioned a Cantoria, a Choir Balcony, for the Duomo, giving such joyous playful chanting children, such as we must be to enter Heaven's Kingdom, and around the figures inscribed the words they sing, from Psalm 150. It is a work of art, now, alas, in a cold museum, but which needs rather to be in sacred space and filled with song and psalm and psaltery. All making a joyful noise to the Lord, all generations, young and old, women and men, together.